In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr Malcolm Davis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence strategy and capability senior analyst, to unpack the strategic shockwaves emerging from the United States' 2026 National Defense Strategy.

The trio examine what Washington's shift towards an offshore balancing posture means for Australia, including renewed pressure to lift defence spending, the implications of deterrence by denial along the first island chain, and the risks of assuming unconditional US support in a rapidly deteriorating Indo-Pacific security environment.

They also explore the growing assertiveness of China, the fine line between stabilisation and accommodation, and whether Australia is approaching a modern-day version of World War II's "1939 tipping point moment" that demands greater self-reliance, expanded defence industrial capacity, and difficult conversations with the Australian public.

Finally, the discussion turns to force structure, autonomous systems, guided weapons, and the hard choices facing government as Australia seeks to balance immediate readiness, AUKUS, and long-term strategic resilience in an era of uncertainty.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines the importance of running regular tabletop cyber security exercises, the dangers of shadow AI, and employees stealing data – even accidentally – as a threat to your business.

In this episode, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss tabletop cyber security exercises and how they can be a game changer for boosting the cyber resilience of any business.

The two then summarise the pitfalls of shadow AI in the workplace and how sensitive company data should be kept away from unauthorised use of platforms like ChatGPT.

Finally, the pair finish up with a look at employee data theft and how companies may be hemorrhaging data whenever they let an employee go.

Enjoy the show,
The Cyber Daily team

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro discuss the murky world of employee data theft, look at a pair of ransomware attacks – one local, one a touch further afield – and take a look at the new cyber security strategy announced by the NSW government.

The podcast opens with research that suggests the new year, and January in particular, is a prime time for employees to make off with important business data, either by accident or accidentally on purpose.

In cyber security news, World Leaks has taken responsibility for hacking athletics giant Nike, while the Anubis operation has shared passports and legal documents it stole from a New Zealand law firm. Hollingworth also breaks down a cyber security tabletop exercise he recently took part in, and why they are an essential part of any organisation's cyber resilience strategy.

Finally, the eSafety Commissioner is asking people to dob in kids getting around the social media ban, while the pair share some insights from the experts for World Data Privacy Day.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the fallout from the US' arrest of Nicolas Maduro, America's claims to Greenland, and the potential for regime change in Iran.

The trio unpack the success and complexities of the US' raid in Venezuela and the intricacies surrounding the mission, the fallout of the "Donroe Doctrine" in action, and its relations intersecting with the 2025 US National Security Strategy's emphasis on the western hemisphere.

They also discuss the mounting US pressure over Greenland and what is driving US interest in the island nation, which presents a significant risk of rupturing NATO at a time of mounting geopolitical upheaval.

Finally, they also discuss the US military build-up surrounding Iran and the potential for decapitation strikes against the Iranian regime, seemingly backed by the ousted shah and implications for broader global security.

In this episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines the importance of the healthcare industry securing patient data from cyber criminals and how employers can ensure their employees can identify and report scams before they lead to compromise.

In this episode, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss how AI has transformed the threat landscape faced by the healthcare industry, as threats and regulations evolve.

The two then summarise the benefits you may not consider when hiring legal counsel in the wake of a cyber attack, having spoken with Atmos Group's Reece Corbett-Wilkins.

They then finish by discussing how businesses can ensure their staff aren't vulnerable to scams, outlining the latest in employee scams.

Enjoy the show,
The Cyber Daily team

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are still talking about Grok's nudity woes, OpenAI's turn to ads, the potential compromise of a major rack hardware maker, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's calls for more government transparency.

The pair kick things off once again with Grok and its struggles in producing sexual abuse material and OpenAI's move to introduce ads into ChatGPT.

In cyber security news, the Everest ransomware group claims to have stolen vital hardware data from ASRock Rack, with the potential for some serious downstream impacts and further cyber attacks. Plus, hackers who have been named and in court, and 2025 in cryptocurrency crime.

And finally, some good news – search engine DuckDuckGo says NO to AI, and the OAIC looks to boost government transparency around automated decision making.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the Australian government's legislative efforts to combat anti-Semitism, hatred, and violent extremism in Australia.

The trio unpack the legislative proposal and political considerations that have shaped the Albanese government's Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026, developed in the aftermath of the terrorist shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, Sydney, which resulted in at least 15 deaths and over 40 injuries on 14 December 2025.

The trio also discuss the fine line between balancing national security, freedom, protesting and religious liberties as a democracy and the different requests identified by the opposition, Greens and other minor parties ahead of the debate.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground Team

For the second episode of The CISO Brief, the Cyber Daily team outlines the lessons businesses can learn from major cyber attacks, including those targeting government agencies, the importance of acting fast post-cyber incidents, and what businesses can do as AI scams rear their head.

In this episode, hosts Liam Garman and Daniel Croft discuss the impacts and lessons learnt from the Victorian government schools cyber incident, in which all 1,700 schools were impacted.

The two then discuss the importance of the first few hours following a cyber attack when it comes to incident response and how to maximise the efficacy of legal counsel.

They then talk about a new Australian Signals Directorate guide to combating AI scams and the greatest lessons it provides for businesses combating AI-powered cyber crime.

Enjoy the show,
The Cyber Daily team