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
RATs in the tunnel: Uncovering the cyber underworld. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
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…
AI: The new partner in cybercrime? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:50
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…
Operation Endgame: The ultimate troll patrol. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:34
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 curious case of the missing IcedID. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:58
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…
Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36
Trailer