The Quiet Conflict

In this episode of the mnemonic security podcast, we take a closer look at a tension that remains invisible to most of us, yet is very real: the quiet conflict unfolding within our critical infrastructure.

This topic gave us the perfect excuse to once again invite one of our favorite guests, for the fourth time, Joe Slowik. Joe brings over 15 years of experience in cyber threat intelligence (CTI), detection engineering, and incident response, with expertise in industrial control systems (ICS), operational technology (OT), and critical infrastructure environments. He currently serves as Director of Cybersecurity Alerting Strategy at Dataminr.

In his conversation with Robby, Joe explores the threats posed by Volt Typhoon, a state-sponsored Chinese cyber operation known for targeting critical infrastructure, primarily in the United States. They discuss the origins and activities of the group, recent operations, and Joe also shares his research into what this group has the potential to achieve based on their current operations and proven capabilities.

The discussion also covers Joe’s broader research into China’s cyber eco-system and how it has evolved, including the country’s extensive network of research institutions, companies, and lesser known contractors. Joe also shares his observations about current trends in the OT industry, insights into his upcoming areas of research within OT, and his perspective on where the field is heading.