Talos Takes

In this episode of Talos Takes, Amy is joined by William Largent (Cisco Talos) and Lou Stella (Splunk) for a "double-header" discussion. With the recent release of the Cisco Talos 2025 Year in Review and the Splunk Top 50 Cybersecurity Threats report, we’re breaking down the most critical trends that shaped the security landscape last year — all based on Cisco telemetry, Talos' original research, and Talos Incident Response engagements.
From the professionalization of ransomware-as-a-service to the persistent challenge of decade-old vulnerabilities, this episode moves beyond the headlines to provide a practical roadmap for defenders. You’ll get tips on how to prioritize your defenses and reduce your attack surface for the year ahead.
Talos 2025 Year in Review: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2025yearinreview/
Splunk Top 50 Cybersecurity Threats: https://www.splunk.com/en_us/campaigns/top-50-security-threats.html

In this episode of Talos Takes, David Bianco from Cisco Foundation AI joins Amy to demystify the world of proactive cyber defense. We explore the evolution of the PEAK Threat Hunting framework and talk through how security teams can modernize their approach to identifying risks before they escalate. David also provides an exclusive look at a new open-source tool designed to help hunters navigate the "prepare" phase of PEAK with ease. 
Whether you are building a new program from scratch or looking to refine your existing strategy, take a listen for actionable advice to help you take that next step in your security journey.
PEAK Threat Hunting Assistant: https://blogs.cisco.com/security/introducing-peak-threat-hunting-assistant
GitHub: https://github.com/cisco-foundation-ai/PEAK-Assistant

Service providers are the backbone of modern connectivity — but why are they such attractive targets for cyber actors, and what happens when critical networks go down? In this episode, Martin Lee joins Amy to explore the shifting threat landscape for service providers, asking how defenders can spot silent intrusions, what trade-offs must be considered when patching, and how industry collaboration helps prevent widespread disruptions. Join us as we unpack real-world examples and offer practical insights into protecting the infrastructure that keeps our world connected.
Video: Footholds in Infrastructure: Protecting Service Providers

What separates organizations that successfully fend off ransomware from those that don’t? What were the top threats facing organizations? Can we (pretty please) get a sneak peek into the 2025 Year in Review?
Amy is joined by Dave Liebenberg, Strategic Analysis Team Lead, to break down key findings from Q4 2025's Cisco Talos Incident Response Quarterly Trends Report. From the top threats facing organizations — like the persistent exploitation of public-facing applications and the rise of new vulnerabilities such as Oracle EBS and React2Shell — to the unexpected drop in ransomware cases, this episode is packed with useful info. 
Episode resources:
Q4 2025 Quarterly Trends Report: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/ir-trends-q4-2025/
Qilin blog: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/uncovering-qilin-attack-methods-exposed-through-multiple-cases/
Cybersecurity on a Budget blog: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/cybersecurity-on-a-budget-strategies-for-an-economic-downturn/

Step into the fascinating world of cryptography. Host Amy Ciminnisi sits down with Yuri Kramarz from Cisco Talos Incident Response and Tim Wadhwa-Brown from Cisco Customer Experience to learn what encryption really accomplishes, where it leaves gaps, and when defenders need to take proactive measures.
Whether you’re picturing classic codebreakers or the latest quantum-proof ciphers, this episode unpacks the essentials: what encryption and hashing actually mean, why key management is a make-or-break factor, and how even the best algorithms can fall short if the basics aren’t handled right.
G7's "Coordinating the Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography in the Financial Sector" roadmap: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0355