Qintel ads

The Day We Caught the Russians Bugging the State Department Today I'm standing outside the U.S. Department of State and it took me back to one of the most remarkable espionage cases I worked in the FBI: SACRED IBIS - The Russian bugging of the State Department. We didn’t uncover that operation with advanced security tools or automated alerts. We found it because SVR intelligence officer Stanislav Gusev was observed acting just a little “off” in a nearby park. That subtle behavior triggered a deeper look — and led us to a sophisticated listening device hidden inside a wooden chair rail inside the State Department. The bug had enough battery power to run for years. A physical device. Installed by hand. High-risk, high-skill tradecraft. Fast-forward to today: Modern Threat Actors don’t need to take those kinds of risks anymore. They can launch phishing campaigns at scale, compromise enterprise networks, and deploy malware capable of capturing audio, video, screens, and keystrokes across entire organizations. No elaborate break-in. No physical implant device. And it’s not just governments being targeted — it’s Fortune 500 companies, critical infrastructure, and any business with valuable data. The adversary’s mission hasn’t changed: Access. Visibility. Leverage. However, the tradecraft has evolved, and now it's easier than ever to be successful in these operations. My question for you is If an adversary was “reading a newspaper without turning the pages” inside your environment, would you catch it? #CyberSecurity #ThreatIntelligence #CyberEspionage #Counterintelligence #NationalSecurity #Espionage #CyberDefense #Qintel #DigitalRisk #PlatformBlue #ThoughtLeadership #CISO

Eddie Van Halen, Tapping… and AI?!?! When it dropped in 1978, Eddie Van Halen’s Eruption changed rock music forever. Soon after, if you watched any rock band in the ’80s, you’d see it — guitarists tapping all over the stage. Now, Eddie didn’t invent tapping — and he didn’t need it to be a phenomenal player. But he took a technique almost no one was using and turned it into something innovative… something uniquely his. After that, everybody wanted to say they were “doing it.” A few innovated it further, but most didn’t. But everyone wanted to copy the moment. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what I see happening with AI today. Everywhere you look: “AI-powered” this. “AI-driven” that. Everyone wants AI in their Board briefing slides. But that’s the wrong approach. AI should make you better — not just make you look modern. AI should elevate your talent — not replace it. AI should drive innovation — not buzzwords. So here’s my question to you: Are you using AI to innovate… or are you just tapping along with everyone else? #AI #CyberSecurity #Innovation #Leadership #EddieVanHalen #ThreatIntelligence #Qintel #CyberDefense #IStillLoveToRock

What if Jack the Ripper wasn't a mystery? Just missed data? Today, I’m outside The Ten Bells Pub in Whitechapel — the heart of one of history’s most infamous investigations: the Jack the Ripper case. Back in 1888, London’s best detectives walked these very streets trying to catch a killer who vanished into the fog. They had determination, courage, and instincts… But they didn’t have the tools or technology that modern investigators rely on today. In cyber, we face a similar challenge. We hunt adversaries who hide in the shadows — across the deep and dark web — constantly adapting, constantly evolving. That’s why at Qintel, we built Platform Blue — to help our law enforcement partners connect the dots that others can’t see. It’s designed to bring light to the places where our adversaries think they can’t be found. And it got me thinking… If the world’s most elite law enforcement agencies are using Platform Blue to hunt their adversaries — why aren’t you? Contact us to see how Platform Blue can help you too. #CyberSecurity #ThreatIntelligence #JackTheRipper #Whitechapel #FBI #CyberCrime #PlatformBlue #Qintel #Intelligence #ThoughtLeadership #Storytelling #IlluminateTheDeep

Guarding the Crown Jewels – The Tower got it right, we still haven’t. Today I’m at the Tower of London, where the Crown Jewels have been protected for centuries. This place is a fortress! Standing here, I couldn’t help but think about how many of the same security principles used by the Tower apply to cybersecurity today. For hundreds of years, the Crown Jewels have been safeguarded through layers of protection — and that’s exactly what we strive for in cyber. For example: Secure your perimeter — The Tower’s massive stone defenses are the original firewalls, protecting the perimeter from intruders. Limited entry points — Only those with tickets can get in. That’s the same as authentication, for example like using Okta tokens or other Identity Access Management restrictions. Segmentation inside — Even once you’re in, the Crown Jewels are locked away and access is further restricted. In cyber terms, that’s network segmentation, so a breach in one area doesn’t compromise everything. You do not want a flat network that once an intruder is inside they have unrestricted access to everything. Beefeaters and guards — Ever vigilant, always watching. That’s your EDR, monitoring for suspicious/malicious behavior and ready to respond in an instant. Intelligence — The Tower was always ready for new threats. In cyber, we do the same through threat intelligence, understanding how adversaries might strike next and what they're going to try to exploit. The methods may have evolved, but the mission hasn’t changed: protect what matters most. My question to you...Do you know where your Crown Jewels are… and what you’re doing to protect them? #CyberSecurity #InfoSec #ThreatIntelligence #EDR #NetworkSecurity #CrownJewels #TowerOfLondon #CyberAwareness #SecurityByDesign #Qintel #ThoughtLeadership

Pirates had no safe havens. Why do ransomware gangs? I’m here at The Prospect of Whitby — London’s oldest riverside pub, dating back to the early 1500s. This place was once a hangout for pirates and smugglers on the Thames. Just down the river, at Execution Dock, pirates were hanged as a warning to others. In fact, there’s still a noose hanging outside this pub today to remind us of that history. Back then, pirates were considered hostis humani generis — enemies of all mankind. Every nation agreed they were the scourge of the earth. Eventually, countries came together and signed treaties that made piracy an international crime. No matter where you were caught, every nation recognized: pirates had no safe harbor. Now fast forward to today. We don’t face pirates on the Thames — we face ransomware groups in cyberspace. They hijack businesses, cripple hospitals, and extort governments. They cause billions in damage around the world. But unlike the pirates, there’s still no global treaty, no universal agreement. Some countries even provide safe haven for ransomware actors — as long as they don’t attack at home. We solved the piracy problem with international cooperation. Why haven’t we done the same with ransomware? Do you think we’ll ever see ransomware treated the way we treated piracy — as an international crime with no safe haven?” #CyberSecurity #Ransomware #CyberCrime #ThreatIntelligence #Qintel #PublicPrivateAlliances #Thoughtleadership #CISO

The Marketplace You Can’t Afford to Ignore! Today I'm at London’s Borough Market— Generations have been coming here everyday to buy meat, produce, cheese, and visit the many local restaurants. And like in any marketplace, you’d scan flyers, check signs in windows, and walk the stalls to see what’s fresh and what’s on sale. Criminals have a marketplace too. These marketplaces consists of underground forums and communication channels such as Telegram and jabber. Here criminals market their services/business the same way as legitimate businesses. They set up storefronts, advertise, and make it as easy to buy shoes on Amazon — only instead of food or clothing, it’s stolen data, credentials, malware, and access. If you’re not paying attention to that marketplace, you’re missing critical intelligence. Do you know what is being sold that affects your company? Are you staying up to date on the latest tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) being talked about? So here’s my question: What’s your strategy for keeping eyes on the cyber criminal marketplace? Are you prepared for what's coming next? #CyberSecurity #ThreatIntelligence #CISO #CyberThreats #CyberRisk #InfoSec #ThreatIntel #ThoughtLeadership #Qintel