Security of Mainframes (with Cheryl Biswas & Tracy Maleeff)
Advanced Persistent Security Podcast
Episode 41
Guests: Cheryl Biswas and Tracy "Infosec Sherpa" Maleeff
April 5, 2018
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Security of Mainframes (with Cheryl Biswas & Tracy Maleeff)
Show Notes
Segment 1
In this episode, Tracy and Joe interview Cheryl Biswas. We introduce Cheryl and she shares what she is seeing in industry from the mainframes and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) perspectives. Cheryl discusses her habits of reading all night and the passion that we all share for security. We share our origin stories. Joe showcases his authentic southern accent. Joe talks about the Navy's mentorship mentality and how he applies it to security mentoring (what eventually will have gone onto become Through The Hacking Glass).
For "current events," we discuss Vault 7. Joe details his "Workplace Crossfit" and "Workplace Yoga" programs in jest. Cheryl shares her insight as a Canadian regarding how the US Intelligence Community operates.
Segment 2
Cheryl begins to discuss the financial sector and how ransomware impacts it. Cheryl shouts out to Soldier of Fortran (@mainframed767) and Big Endian Smalls (@bigendiansmalls). Cheryl talks about the ability to access mainframes from the internet and the relation to another Stuxnet.
Examples as to how Nation States could exploit and disrupt operations using mainframes are explained. For the sake of entry level listeners, Cheryl explains the difference between servers and a mainframes. We get an education about the operating systems of mainframes – Z/OS and how it relates to commercial software like UNIX and Java. To learn about mainframes, Cheryl recommends we check out her blog, Cyber Watch/White Hat Cheryl, Big Endian Smalls' Mainframe Security, and Soldier of Fortran's Mainframe Hacking.
Cheryl talks about ransomware and how it is impacting banks. She talks about fileless ransomware and (the lack of) awareness programs. Joe gets on the user training soapbox regarding the lack of commitment. We agree that it will get worse before it gets better. Joe and Cheryl talk about virtualizing mainframes using Hercules. Joe attempts to sing a Cher cover regarding mainframes, TERRIBLY.
 
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