Exploited: The Cyber Truth

RunSafe Security
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Exploited: The Cyber Truth is a hard-hitting, no-fluff podcast exposing the realities of today’s cyber threat landscape and risks to critical infrastructure. Through candid conversations with top cybersecurity experts, industry leaders, and frontline defenders, the show breaks down recent high-profile vulnerabilities and exploits and covers innovative strategies used to stop them. To keep critical infrastructure safe, defenders need the upper hand. Tune in and get the cyber truth.

  1. The OT Mistakes Attackers Count On—And How to Fix Them Before They Do

    15H AGO

    The OT Mistakes Attackers Count On—And How to Fix Them Before They Do

    In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security CEO Joseph M. Saunders and OT/ICS security expert Mike Holcomb, founder of UTILSEC, for a candid discussion about the weaknesses attackers exploit inside industrial environments. Mike shares what he repeatedly finds during assessments of large OT and ICS networks: no effective firewall between IT and OT, flat networks with little segmentation, stale Windows domains, shared engineering credentials, exposed HMIs, and OT protocols that will accept commands from any reachable host. He explains how attackers move from IT into OT using familiar enterprise techniques before pivoting into PLCs, RTUs, safety systems, and historians. Joe outlines why secure-by-design practices, higher software quality, and “secure by demand” procurement are critical to long-term resilience—especially as cloud connectivity and AI accelerate modernization in industrial environments. Together, they explore: Why a missing or misconfigured IT/OT firewall remains the most common and dangerous gapHow micro-segmentation and unidirectional architectures reduce blast radiusThe risks of web-enabled HMIs and long-lived legacy systemsWhy monitoring PLC programming traffic and historian queries mattersHow the Cyber Resilience Act is reshaping accountability for OT vendors If you’re responsible for industrial operations, plant uptime, or product security, this episode shows how attackers actually move through OT environments—and how to eliminate the mistakes they depend on.

    31 min
  2. Balancing Speed and Security: The Open Source Dilemma in Embedded Development

    JAN 29

    Balancing Speed and Security: The Open Source Dilemma in Embedded Development

    In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders and embedded systems expert Elecia White, host of Embedded.fm and author of Making Embedded Systems, to discuss the trade-offs of using open source in embedded development. The conversation goes beyond debates about “open vs. proprietary” to explore how a single library can quietly introduce sprawling dependency chains, unclear maintenance responsibilities, licensing obligations, and long-term security exposure,  especially in devices expected to operate for years or decades. Elecia and Joe share guidance for using open source intentionally, including how to set guardrails early, limit dependency blast radius, and design systems that can respond when vulnerabilities emerge, even when patching isn’t easy. Together, they cover: Why embedded teams don’t get burned by open source, they get burned by unexamined dependenciesHow transitive dependencies and “helpful” packages quietly expand attack surfaceWhy professionalism, documentation, and disclosure practices signal trustworthy projectsWhy build-time SBOMs matter more than after-the-fact analysisHow Secure by Design thinking reduces reliance on emergency patching For embedded engineers, product leaders, and security teams balancing delivery pressure with long-lived risk, this episode offers advice for using open source without inheriting future incidents.

    30 min
  3. Beyond Defense: Building Cyber Resilience in Autonomous and Connected Mobility

    JAN 15

    Beyond Defense: Building Cyber Resilience in Autonomous and Connected Mobility

    Autonomous and connected vehicles are reshaping transportation, but increased software complexity and connectivity introduce serious security and safety challenges that can’t be solved with traditional perimeter defenses. In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders and Hemanth Tadepalli, Senior Cybersecurity & Compliance SME at May Mobility, for a practical discussion on what cyber resilience looks like inside real-world autonomous vehicle programs. Hemanth draws on his experience securing mobility systems at May Mobility, as well as prior work with Mandiant, Google, and AlixPartners, to explain how automotive organizations are adapting to software-defined vehicle architectures, regulatory pressure, and expanding attack surfaces. Joe shares his perspective on why mobility companies increasingly resemble software companies and what that means for engineering, governance, and operational security. Together, they explore: How connected and autonomous vehicle architectures expand the attack surfaceWhat cyber resilience means in day-to-day engineering and fleet operationsHow governance, threat intelligence, and software validation reduce riskRegulatory pressures shaping automotive security decisionsHow teams balance detection, response, and safety in autonomous systems Whether you’re building autonomous platforms, managing connected fleets, or securing safety-critical software, this episode offers a grounded look at what it takes to keep modern mobility systems trustworthy and safe.

    25 min
  4. 2026 ICS Security Predictions: What’s Next for Critical Infrastructure

    12/30/2025

    2026 ICS Security Predictions: What’s Next for Critical Infrastructure

    As industrial control systems become more connected, more Linux-based, and more exposed to IT-style threats, 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for ICS security. In this end-of-year predictions episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security Founder & CEO Joseph M. Saunders and CTO Shane Fry to discuss what will define ICS and critical infrastructure security in 2026. The episode explores a bold prediction: We will see a major ICS breach originating from a web application vulnerability running directly on an embedded control device. As full Linux operating systems, Node.js apps, and web servers increasingly appear inside OT equipment, long-standing IT vulnerabilities are colliding with systems that are difficult—or impossible—to patch. Joe and Shane dig into why detection-only strategies fall short in constrained, long-lived devices, and why secure by design engineering, memory safety, and runtime protections are becoming essential. They also discuss the importance of accurate, build-time Software Bills of Materials, especially as regulations like the EU Cyber Resilience Act push manufacturers toward transparency, accountability, and provable supply-chain visibility. Together, they cover: Why ICS exploitation is shifting from theoretical to operationalHow web app and RCE vulnerabilities are creeping into OT devicesThe limits of detection-only security strategiesWhy memory safety and runtime protections reduce exploitable riskHow build-time SBOMs improve vulnerability tracking and trust

    32 min
  5. When Vehicles Aren’t Just Machines: Cybersecurity, Autonomy & What’s Next

    12/18/2025

    When Vehicles Aren’t Just Machines: Cybersecurity, Autonomy & What’s Next

    As vehicles evolve into always-connected, software-defined systems, cybersecurity decisions increasingly shape privacy, safety, and trust on the road. In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security CEO Joseph M. Saunders and special guest Sean McKeever, Global Product Cybersecurity Lead at Marelli, for a candid discussion on what it really means to secure modern vehicles. Sean brings deep industry experience to unpack how OEMs and suppliers are navigating data stewardship, autonomous testing, vehicle theft, and diverging global regulations. Together, Paul, Joe, and Sean explore: What constant connectivity means for driver privacy and data stewardshipThe risks of beta-testing autonomous systems on public roadsHow car theft has shifted from physical break-ins to software exploitationWhy U.S. and EU cybersecurity regulations take fundamentally different approachesThe importance of collaboration across OEMs, suppliers, and regulators From RF relay attacks to software-defined vehicles with decade-long lifecycles, this episode highlights why cybersecurity is no longer an add-on but a core design decision shaping the future of mobility.

    33 min
  6. When Open Source Gets You Into Hot Water: Copyleft Risk in Embedded Systems

    12/11/2025

    When Open Source Gets You Into Hot Water: Copyleft Risk in Embedded Systems

    Open source accelerates development in embedded systems, but hidden license obligations can quickly create legal and operational risk. In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders and Salim Blume, Director of Security Applications, for a look at how copyleft risk emerges and why compliance in embedded products is more challenging than many teams expect. Salim breaks down how restrictive licenses, such as GPL and AGPL, can force the disclosure of proprietary code, interrupt product shipments, or create exposure long after devices are deployed in the field. Joe shares why accurate SBOMs, automated license checks, and enforcing policy at build time are critical to preventing surprises in downstream products. The discussion also touches on the ongoing Vizio case, where the TV manufacturer faces litigation that could compel public release of source code under the GPL, highlighting how open source obligations can surface years after products hit the market. Together, Paul, Joe, and Salim explore: How copyleft obligations can require source-code disclosureWhy embedded environments complicate license complianceReal-world cases where unnoticed GPL dependencies caused major issues, such as Vizio’s GPL lawsuit and Cisco’s WRT54G router familyThe growing implications of AGPL for SaaS and connected servicesHow build-time SBOMs and automated controls reduce long-term risk Whether you're building connected devices, managing software supply chain compliance, or protecting proprietary IP, this episode offers practical guidance to reduce copyleft risk before it becomes a costly problem.

    30 min
  7. The Asymmetric Advantage: How Cybersecurity Can Outpace Adversaries

    12/04/2025

    The Asymmetric Advantage: How Cybersecurity Can Outpace Adversaries

    In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin sits down with RunSafe Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders to explore why the future of cyber defense depends on disrupting attacker economics rather than racing to keep up with every new threat. Joe breaks down how organizations can gain an asymmetric advantage by reducing exploitability across entire classes of vulnerabilities, especially persistent memory safety flaws that continue to expose critical systems. He shares why adding lightweight, automated protections at build time is one of the fastest ways to shift the cost curve onto attackers without forcing massive code rewrites or slowing development teams down. Together, Paul and Joe discuss: Why attackers’ resource advantage requires a new defensive mindsetThe power of “patchless” protection in embedded and OT environmentsWhy memory safety flaws persist and how to neutralize them at scaleThe risks of AI-generated code and how to prevent silent vulnerabilitiesHow Secure by Design practices improve resilience for critical infrastructure If you're responsible for securing embedded systems, OT assets, or long-lived devices where patch cycles are slow and risk is high, this episode offers a new mindset that gives defenders the upper hand.

    27 min
  8. Smarter Vulnerability Management in OT Systems: Building Resilience

    11/20/2025

    Smarter Vulnerability Management in OT Systems: Building Resilience

    As OT environments face rising geopolitical tensions, ransomware threats, and aging infrastructure, vulnerability management has never been more complex. In this episode of Exploited: The Cyber Truth, host Paul Ducklin is joined by RunSafe Security CEO Joe Saunders and Stuxnet expert Ralph Langner, Founder and CEO of Langner, Inc. Ralph shares from his decades of firsthand experience defending industrial control systems and explains why traditional CVE-focused vulnerability management falls short in OT. He breaks down the three major categories of OT vulnerabilities—design flaws, feature abuse, and configuration errors—and reveals why competent attackers often ignore CVEs entirely. Joe highlights how memory-based vulnerabilities continue to threaten critical systems and why eliminating entire vulnerability classes can create an asymmetric advantage for defenders. Together, Ralph and Joe explore: Why most OT equipment remains insecure by design and why replacement will take decadesHow features, not bugs, often become the real attack vectorThe growing role of ransomware and IT-side weaknesses in OT compromisesPractical steps OT defenders can take today to incrementally improve resilienceThe value of class-level protections, better architectures, and secure development processes Whether you secure energy infrastructure, manufacturing systems, or mixed IT/OT networks, this episode delivers experience-driven guidance for strengthening cyber-physical resilience.

    28 min
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About

Exploited: The Cyber Truth is a hard-hitting, no-fluff podcast exposing the realities of today’s cyber threat landscape and risks to critical infrastructure. Through candid conversations with top cybersecurity experts, industry leaders, and frontline defenders, the show breaks down recent high-profile vulnerabilities and exploits and covers innovative strategies used to stop them. To keep critical infrastructure safe, defenders need the upper hand. Tune in and get the cyber truth.

Information

  • Creator
    RunSafe Security
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Exploited: The Cyber Truth
  • Show Website
    Exploited: The Cyber Truth