Podcast appearances and mentions of priscilla moriuchi

While scientists worldwide are trying to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, reports show an uptick in state-sponsored medical hacking. Countries like China and Iran appear to be actively hacking vaccine research. Today on Front Burner: We talk to cybersecurity expert Priscilla Moriuchi about the fears that are driving these hacking efforts, and how they could derail vaccine research.

The meaning of "actionable", Insikt updates, and conversations with Sherry Huang and Priscilla Moriuchi on disinformation and online influence operations.

Crypto-currency and cybercrime have together provided the DPRK with the hard currency it needed to continue with its nuclear weapons programme. Ed Butler speaks to sanctions specialist Nigel Kushner of W Legal about how Bitcoin and the like are used by sanctioned individuals to continue doing business outside the official banking system. In North Korea's case, much of the business involves outright theft - be it the Wannacry ransomware attack, the hacking of the Bangladeshi central bank's accounts, or robbing of various crypto-exchanges in recent years. Priscilla Moriuchi of the internet security firm ‎Recorded Future explains how North Korea built this surprisingly sophisticated cybercrime business, while Jesse Spiro of blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis describes the money laundering schemes the country has employed. Producer: Joshua Thorpe (Picture: North Korea flag button on computer keyboard; Credit: alexsl/Getty Images)

Jonathan Levin, co-founder and CSO of Chainalysis, and Kim Grauer, head of research, discuss the company's 2020 Crypto Crime Report, which explores how cryptocurrency criminals, who perpetrate hacks and scams and send out ransomware and more, cash out. We cover how criminals are turning their illicit crypto into fiat currency, why exchanges are a prime avenue for money laundering, and how over-the-counter brokers are playing a large role. They talk about a group of OTC brokers they describe as the Rogue 100, what their transactions look like, and what can be done to help stop criminals from cashing out. Jonathan and Kim talk about the PlusToken scam, the largest Ponzi scheme in crypto and how Chainalysis determined that it was likely driving down the price of Bitcoin. They also explain the trends in exchange hacks and how the most prolific hackers have grown more sophisticated, giving some examples of how the Lazarus Group, a cybercriminal syndicate linked to the North Korean government has become more advanced. Finally, we also discuss ransomware and terrorism financing and what trends they are seeing there. Thank you to our sponsors!  CipherTrace: https://ciphertrace.com/unchained Kraken: https://www.kraken.com Crypto.com: https://crypto.com Episode links:  Chainalysis: https://www.chainalysis.com/ Jonathan Levin: https://twitter.com/jony_levin Kim Grauer: https://twitter.com/KimberlyGrauer Previous Unchained interview with Jonathan: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-chainalysis-helps-solve-crimes-jonathan-levin-tells-all-ep-62/ Unconfirmed episode on how Bitcoin led to the demise of the largest child porn site: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-bitcoin-led-to-the-demise-of-the-largest-child-porn-site/ Money laundering report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/money-laundering-cryptocurrency-2019  https://fortune.com/2020/01/15/crypto-criminals-brokers-launder-billions/ Exchange hacks report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/cryptocurrency-exchange-hacks-2019 Unchained interview with Priscilla Moriuchi on why North Korea is interested in cryptocurrency: https://unchainedpodcast.com/why-north-korea-is-interested-in-cryptocurrency/ Plus Token report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-price Terrorism financing report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/terrorism-financing-cryptocurrency-2019

Jonathan Levin, co-founder and CSO of Chainalysis, and Kim Grauer, head of research, discuss the company's 2020 Crypto Crime Report, which explores how cryptocurrency criminals, who perpetrate hacks and scams and send out ransomware and more, cash out. We cover how criminals are turning their illicit crypto into fiat currency, why exchanges are a prime avenue for money laundering, and how over-the-counter brokers are playing a large role. They talk about a group of OTC brokers they describe as the Rogue 100, what their transactions look like, and what can be done to help stop criminals from cashing out. Jonathan and Kim talk about the PlusToken scam, the largest Ponzi scheme in crypto and how Chainalysis determined that it was likely driving down the price of Bitcoin. They also explain the trends in exchange hacks and how the most prolific hackers have grown more sophisticated, giving some examples of how the Lazarus Group, a cybercriminal syndicate linked to the North Korean government has become more advanced. Finally, we also discuss ransomware and terrorism financing and what trends they are seeing there. Thank you to our sponsors!  CipherTrace: https://ciphertrace.com/unchained Kraken: https://www.kraken.com Crypto.com: https://crypto.com Episode links:  Chainalysis: https://www.chainalysis.com/ Jonathan Levin: https://twitter.com/jony_levin Kim Grauer: https://twitter.com/KimberlyGrauer Previous Unchained interview with Jonathan: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-chainalysis-helps-solve-crimes-jonathan-levin-tells-all-ep-62/ Unconfirmed episode on how Bitcoin led to the demise of the largest child porn site: https://unchainedpodcast.com/how-bitcoin-led-to-the-demise-of-the-largest-child-porn-site/ Money laundering report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/money-laundering-cryptocurrency-2019  https://fortune.com/2020/01/15/crypto-criminals-brokers-launder-billions/ Exchange hacks report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/cryptocurrency-exchange-hacks-2019 Unchained interview with Priscilla Moriuchi on why North Korea is interested in cryptocurrency: https://unchainedpodcast.com/why-north-korea-is-interested-in-cryptocurrency/ Plus Token report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-price Terrorism financing report: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/terrorism-financing-cryptocurrency-2019

Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future and non-resident fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, explains North Korean usage of the internet and how it has changed over time, how it is reserved only for the few most senior people in the regime, and what the mobile devices of the other 25 million citizens connects to, and who is watching the activity on those devices. She also describes the various ways North Korea has shown an interest in cryptocurrency, how it's been determined that North Korea is engaging in those activities, such as cryptocurrency exchange hacks and malware, and its seeming interest in Monero. We also discuss how they convert crypto to fiat, and how well the government seems to have connected its cryptocurrency activities with its other real-world criminal networks used for other activities such as smuggling, drugs and counterfeiting cigarettes and US dollars. We also talk about which North Koreans have been trained to carry out such attacks and how and why they carry them out abroad rather than in North Korea. She also covers why Ethereum researcher Virgil Griffith's visit to North Korea, even if he were dispensing "public" information, would have been helpful in a country where everyone but a tiny elite is denied access to the internet. Thank you to our sponsors!  Givewell: http://givewell.org/unchained CipherTrace: http://ciphertrace.com/unchained Kraken: https://www.kraken.com Crypto.com: http://crypto.com Episode links:  Priscilla Moriuchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-moriuchi-410297127/  Recorded Future: https://www.recordedfuture.com Recorded Future on North Korea's internet activity: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-internet-activity/ Full report: https://go.recordedfuture.com/hubfs/reports/north-korea-activity.pdf Recorded Future report on North Korea's interest in cryptocurrency: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-cryptocurrency/ Full report: North Korea targeting South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-cryptocurrency-campaign/ Full report: https://go.recordedfuture.com/hubfs/reports/cta-2018-0116.pdf  Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/recorded-future-inside-threat-intelligence/e/52982550 Priscilla on why Virgil's attendance at a blockchain conference in North Korea was helpful to the regime: https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-virgil-griffith-cryptocurrencies-bad-idea-analyst-2019-12 Priscilla on how North Korea uses cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions: https://www.vox.com/world/2018/2/28/17055762/north-korea-sanctions-bitcoin-nuclear-weapons North Korea's interest in Monero: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-north-korea-hackers-mine-cryptocurrency-abroad-1515420004 North Korea's plan to build its own version of the Petro, I mean, Bitcoin: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/9ke3ae/north-korea-is-building-its-own-bitcoin  DOJ Complaint against Virgil: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1222646/download Virgil's Facebook post inviting others to North Korea: https://www.facebook.com/virgil.gr/posts/10112756681859159

Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future and non-resident fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, explains North Korean usage of the internet and how it has changed over time, how it is reserved only for the few most senior people in the regime, and what the mobile devices of the other 25 million citizens connects to, and who is watching the activity on those devices. She also describes the various ways North Korea has shown an interest in cryptocurrency, how it's been determined that North Korea is engaging in those activities, such as cryptocurrency exchange hacks and malware, and its seeming interest in Monero. We also discuss how they convert crypto to fiat, and how well the government seems to have connected its cryptocurrency activities with its other real-world criminal networks used for other activities such as smuggling, drugs and counterfeiting cigarettes and US dollars. We also talk about which North Koreans have been trained to carry out such attacks and how and why they carry them out abroad rather than in North Korea. She also covers why Ethereum researcher Virgil Griffith's visit to North Korea, even if he were dispensing "public" information, would have been helpful in a country where everyone but a tiny elite is denied access to the internet. Thank you to our sponsors!  Givewell: http://givewell.org/unchained CipherTrace: http://ciphertrace.com/unchained Kraken: https://www.kraken.com Crypto.com: http://crypto.com Episode links:  Priscilla Moriuchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-moriuchi-410297127/  Recorded Future: https://www.recordedfuture.com Recorded Future on North Korea’s internet activity: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-internet-activity/ Full report: https://go.recordedfuture.com/hubfs/reports/north-korea-activity.pdf Recorded Future report on North Korea’s interest in cryptocurrency: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-cryptocurrency/ Full report: North Korea targeting South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges: https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-cryptocurrency-campaign/ Full report: https://go.recordedfuture.com/hubfs/reports/cta-2018-0116.pdf  Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/recorded-future-inside-threat-intelligence/e/52982550 Priscilla on why Virgil’s attendance at a blockchain conference in North Korea was helpful to the regime: https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-virgil-griffith-cryptocurrencies-bad-idea-analyst-2019-12 Priscilla on how North Korea uses cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions: https://www.vox.com/world/2018/2/28/17055762/north-korea-sanctions-bitcoin-nuclear-weapons North Korea’s interest in Monero: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-north-korea-hackers-mine-cryptocurrency-abroad-1515420004 North Korea’s plan to build its own version of the Petro, I mean, Bitcoin: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/9ke3ae/north-korea-is-building-its-own-bitcoin  DOJ Complaint against Virgil: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1222646/download Virgil’s Facebook post inviting others to North Korea: https://www.facebook.com/virgil.gr/posts/10112756681859159

Apparently there’s an election on December 12th, so on this teissPodcast we’re exploring which cyber threats are going to impact the upcoming UK election.Our expert guest this week is Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat intelligence at Recorded Future, who’s researched the security threats facing elections globally, with a large focus on disinformation campaigns. On the podcast Priscilla discusses the tactics hackers are using to target elections, whether political micro-targeting can really impact election results and what the security world can learn from election campaigns.

Recent protests in Hong Kong have highlighted a growing trend in online influence operations, in this case from mainland China. Officials there have been using Western social media platforms to influence public perception of the Hong Kong protests. Those social media platforms have, in turn, shut down accounts they've determined are posting what they call “inauthentic content.”  Researchers in Recorded Future's Insikt Group have been analyzing these attempts at online influence operations and have published a report titled “Chinese State Media Seeks to Influence International Perceptions of Hong Kong Protests.” Priscilla Moriuchi is head of nation-state research at Recorded Future, and she joins us to share their findings.

Recent protests in Hong Kong have highlighted a growing trend in online influence operations, in this case from mainland China. Officials there have been using Western social media platforms to influence public perception of the Hong Kong protests. Those social media platforms have, in turn, shut down accounts they’ve determined are posting what they call “inauthentic content.”  Researchers in Recorded Future’s Insikt Group have been analyzing these attempts at online influence operations and have published a report titled “Chinese State Media Seeks to Influence International Perceptions of Hong Kong Protests.” Priscilla Moriuchi is head of nation-state research at Recorded Future, and she joins us to share their findings.

There’s an increasing awareness of foreign influence on American institutions through social media. U.S. intelligence agencies have asserted that Russians made a concerted effort to disrupt and influence the 2016 presidential election, and there’s widespread evidence that Russia continues to sow the seeds of discord with the aim of eroding Westerners’ trust and confidence in their political systems and social norms. Recorded Future’s Insikt Group recently published findings from their research into Chinese efforts to sway public opinion via social media, and how their goals and tactics are markedly different from those of the Russians. We welcome back Recorded Future’s Priscilla Moriuchi to the show. She shares Insikt Group’s findings and helps put it all into broader perspective.

There's an increasing awareness of foreign influence on American institutions through social media. U.S. intelligence agencies have asserted that Russians made a concerted effort to disrupt and influence the 2016 presidential election, and there's widespread evidence that Russia continues to sow the seeds of discord with the aim of eroding Westerners' trust and confidence in their political systems and social norms. Recorded Future's Insikt Group recently published findings from their research into Chinese efforts to sway public opinion via social media, and how their goals and tactics are markedly different from those of the Russians. We welcome back Recorded Future's Priscilla Moriuchi to the show. She shares Insikt Group's findings and helps put it all into broader perspective.

Researchers from Recorded Future's Insikt Group have previously analyzed both the U.S. and Chinese national vulnerability databases, examining the speed of publication of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and how each respective country considers its NVD in the broader context of the national mission of cyber defense and operations. Recorded Future's research team recently set their investigative sights on Russia's vulnerability database to see how it compares. Priscilla Moriuchi is director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future, and she joins us to share what they found.

Researchers from Recorded Future’s Insikt Group have previously analyzed both the U.S. and Chinese national vulnerability databases, examining the speed of publication of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and how each respective country considers its NVD in the broader context of the national mission of cyber defense and operations. Recorded Future’s research team recently set their investigative sights on Russia’s vulnerability database to see how it compares. Priscilla Moriuchi is director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future, and she joins us to share what they found.

In this week’s episode of the Sinica Podcast, taped live in New York at the law offices of Dorsey and Whitney on June 19, Kaiser and Jeremy chat about DEF CON, the world’s premier hacker convention, which was — to the surprise of many — held in Beijing this May, and sponsored by Baidu. They also discuss U.S-China cyber relations throughout the years, including some of the finer emerging contours that define this relationship. Joining us are Kevin Collier, a reporter for BuzzFeed who reported on the conference from Beijing, and Priscilla Moriuchi, a 12-year veteran of the National Security Agency (NSA) who is now head of nation-state threat security at Recorded Future. Recommendations: Jeremy: Arab Tyrant Manual, a podcast hosted by Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash that discuss authoritarianism and freedom in the Middle East. Priscilla: Crimetown, a podcast about organized crime and political corruption in Providence, RI in the 80’s and 90’s that is sure to please fans of Serial and S-Town alike. Kevin: Tyler Childers, an authentic country musician who “cut his teeth” in Kevin’s Kentucky hometown. Kaiser: Free Salamander Exhibit, an experimental metal band that Kaiser says has “crazy chops.”

May 11, 2018 - Priscilla Moriuchi, Recorded Future’s Director for Strategic Threat Development, discusses the evolution of North Korea’s cyber strategy, including cryptocurrency theft, sabotage, espionage, and everyday internet usage by Pyongyang’s elites. Priscilla is the former head of the National Security Agency's East Asia and Pacific cyberthreats office. Today, Priscilla uses a variety of tools to generate unparalleled depictions of North Korea’s state-level online behavior. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1092-evolution-of-north-korea-s-cyberthreat

May 1, 2018 - Priscilla Moriuchi, Recorded Future’s Director for Strategic Threat Development, has peered into the secretive online behavior of North Korea's elites, and she's here to tell us all about her findings. Combining an astute analysis of Pyongyang's strategic culture with unique access to digital data sets and shrewd analysis, Moriuchi gives us the low down on the drivers and patterns of North Korean digital life, including social networking, news gathering, and cyber attacks. Music credits: Track one courtesy of Elias Schutzman and Adam Bufano. Track two courtesy of Brian Moore.

In episode 29 of this podcast we heard from Bill Ladd, Chief Data Scientist at Recorded Future, about the differences between the US and Chinese cyber threat vulnerability reporting systems. He pointed out the difference in speed-of-publishing between the two, with the Chinese generally being faster, as well as their conclusion that the Chinese National Vulnerability Database (CNNVD) is essentially a shell for the Chinese MSS, the Ministry of State Security. This being the case, there’s evidence that the Chinese evaluate high-threat vulnerabilities for their potential operational utility before releasing them for publication. Since then, researchers at Recorded Future have taken another look at the CNNVD and discovered the outright manipulation of publication dates of vulnerabilities. Priscilla Moriuchi is Director of Strategic Threat Development at Recorded Future, and along with Bill Ladd she’s coauthor of their research analysis, “Chinese Government Alters Threat Database Records.” She joins us to discuss their findings, and their broader implications.

In episode 29 of this podcast we heard from Bill Ladd, Chief Data Scientist at Recorded Future, about the differences between the US and Chinese cyber threat vulnerability reporting systems. He pointed out the difference in speed-of-publishing between the two, with the Chinese generally being faster, as well as their conclusion that the Chinese National Vulnerability Database (CNNVD) is essentially a shell for the Chinese MSS, the Ministry of State Security. This being the case, there's evidence that the Chinese evaluate high-threat vulnerabilities for their potential operational utility before releasing them for publication. Since then, researchers at Recorded Future have taken another look at the CNNVD and discovered the outright manipulation of publication dates of vulnerabilities. Priscilla Moriuchi is Director of Strategic Threat Development at Recorded Future, and along with Bill Ladd she's coauthor of their research analysis, “Chinese Government Alters Threat Database Records.” She joins us to discuss their findings, and their broader implications.

When it comes to North Korea, there are a variety of images that may come to mind. Eccentric, erratic leadership, suffering citizens, isolation from the rest of the global community, and lately, of course, the testing of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. When it comes to cybersecurity and threat intelligence, North Korea is known for cybercrime, perhaps most notably the WannaCry ransomware and the Sony hack. Our guest today is Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future and former enduring threat manager for East Asia and Pacific at NSA. Her team is responsible for a pair of research reports recently posted to the Recorded Future website, “North Korea Is Not Crazy,” and, “North Korea’s Ruling Elite Are Not Isolated.” The reports reveal that North Korean threat actors are not crazy or irrational: they just have a wider operational scope than most other intelligence services, along with unique insights into how North Korean leadership and ruling elite use the internet and what that can tell us about their plans and intentions.  

When it comes to North Korea, there are a variety of images that may come to mind. Eccentric, erratic leadership, suffering citizens, isolation from the rest of the global community, and lately, of course, the testing of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. When it comes to cybersecurity and threat intelligence, North Korea is known for cybercrime, perhaps most notably the WannaCry ransomware and the Sony hack. Our guest today is Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future and former enduring threat manager for East Asia and Pacific at NSA. Her team is responsible for a pair of research reports recently posted to the Recorded Future website, “North Korea Is Not Crazy,” and, “North Korea's Ruling Elite Are Not Isolated.” The reports reveal that North Korean threat actors are not crazy or irrational: they just have a wider operational scope than most other intelligence services, along with unique insights into how North Korean leadership and ruling elite use the internet and what that can tell us about their plans and intentions.