The RMM protocol: Remote, risky, and ready to strike.

The RMM protocol: Remote, risky, and ready to strike.

Author: DISCARDED | N2K Networks July 1, 2025 Duration: 38:40
Please enjoy this encore of Only Malware in the Building. Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by ⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠ and our newest co-host, ⁠Keith Mularski⁠, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠Qintel⁠. Being a security researcher is a bit like being a detective: you gather clues, analyze the evidence, and consult the experts to solve the cyber puzzle. On this episode, our hosts discuss the growing trend of cybercriminals using legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools in email campaigns as a first-stage payload. They explore how these tools are being leveraged for data theft, financial fraud, and lateral movement within networks. With the decline of traditional malware delivery methods, including loaders and botnets, the shift toward RMMs marks a significant change in attack strategies. Tune in to learn more about this evolving threat landscape and how to stay ahead of these tactics.

Each month on Only Malware in the Building, a trio of cyber-savvy partners-in-crime dissects the surprising and often alarming connections between the digital threats we face and the cinematic stories we watch. This podcast emerges from a collaboration between N2K CyberWire and the Proofpoint DISCARDED podcast, bringing together distinct expertise. Host Selena Larson, a Threat Researcher at Proofpoint, Dave Bittner of the CyberWire Daily podcast, and Keith Mularski, whose background includes serving as an FBI Cyber Division Unit Chief, provide a unique lens. They uncover the secrets behind some of the most notorious cyber incidents, using film and television as a framework to explore real-world tactics, motivations, and consequences. Listeners will hear detailed breakdowns of how fictional plots mirror actual malware campaigns, social engineering schemes, and geopolitical hacking operations. The conversation is grounded in technical reality but elevated by a shared appreciation for narrative, making complex security topics accessible and engaging. It’s for anyone curious about the intersection of our digital vulnerabilities and our cultural storytelling, where an analysis of a heist film might reveal the mechanics of a ransomware gang, or a spy thriller could illustrate state-sponsored espionage. The tone is conversational and deep-dive, blending insider knowledge with pop culture critique. You’ll come away with a sharper understanding of the threat landscape and a new perspective on your favorite screens.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

Only Malware in the Building
Podcast Episodes
Work from home, malware included. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:14
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst…
The great CoGUI caper. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:20
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and…
The RMM protocol: Remote, risky, and ready to strike. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:40
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠Selena Larson⁠, ⁠Proofpoint⁠ intelligence analyst and host…
Hello? Is it malware you’re looking for? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:37
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of…
The new malware on the block. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:03
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of…
Cyber Groundhog Day and romance scams. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:58
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of…
Malware metamorphosis: 2024 reflections and 2025 predictions. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:56
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of…
A cyber carol. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:22
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Grab your eggnog and don your coziest holiday sweater as we sleuth our way through cyber mysteries with a festive twist! Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint in…
Whispers in the wires: A closer look at the new age of intrusion. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:10
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of…
The Dark Arts of cyber. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:46
Welcome, witches, wizards, and cybersecurity sleuths! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to brew potions of knowledge and crack the curses of today’s most intriguing cyber mysteries. Your ho…