DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches
by Proofpoint
DISCARDED: Tales from the Threat Research Trenches is a podcast for security practitioners, intelligence analysts, and threat hunters looking to learn more about the threat behaviors and attack patterns. Each episode you’ll hear real world insights from our researchers about the latest trends in malware, threat actors, TTPs, and more.
Welcome to DISCARDED
© 2026 DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches
May 12, 2026Recent reviews on Apple Podcasts (5)
Love this pod!
Selena and Crista dives into intriguing topics that are often overlooked, serving up fresh insights in a compelling manner. It feels like a refreshing conversation with a wise friend, always leaving you eager for the next episode. From Bona and Team Capsho
Bona and Team Capsho ·
Great Podcast
Very good podcast Brian a lot from listening to it.
JonDvid ·
Cyber! Cyber! Cyber!
This is the best podcast by CTI practitioners diving into detail about current threats. This podcast would win a fight against other similar podcasts. Let’s have a podcast fight club. Oops this pod is already the champ.
GPSWKEKT1640 ·
Top Notch
Timely and informative content!
ASVPGLES ·
Top Cyber Threat Podcast
This podcast has some of the smartest people I’ve ever heard talk about computers. True thought leaders that are titans in the industry bringing the hottest cyber threats to your ears. Highly recommend.
JM123456789123456789 ·
Episodes (103)
A Device Code Explosion: The New Era of AI-Enabled Phishing
May 12, 202653m#101
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Sunbeams! Host Selena Larson is joined by guest host, Sarah Sabotka as they chat with Jake Gionet to unpack one of the fastest-growing threats in today’s cyber landscape: device c
Champagne with Our Campaigns: A 100th Episode Happy Hour
Apr 28, 20261h 0m#100
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals, Cyber Centaurs, Cyber Stars, and listeners who have been with us for 100 episodes! It’s our 100th episode—and we’re raising a glass to celebrate. 🥂 Host Selena Larson is jo
Magic Packets & Stealth Backdoors: The Art of Detection Engineering
Apr 14, 202633m#99
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Daffodils! Host Selena Larson, and guest Host, Tim Kromphardt, sit down with Stuart Del Caliz, Senior Threat Detection Engineer at Proofpoint, to unpack the stealthy world of back
Regional Threats, Global Impact: A TA2725 Case Study
Mar 26, 202638m#98
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! Guest host Sarah Sabotka sits down with Senior Threat Researcher Jared Peck to unpack one of the most dynamic and persistent cybercrime groups operating today: TA2725, also
TrustConnect RAT: Inside a Vibe-Coded Malware Ecosystem
Mar 10, 202642m#97
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! Host Selena Larson and co-host, Tim Kromphardt, chat with Tommy Madjar, Senior Threat Researcher from Proofpoint, to unpack one of the strangest malware investigations of th
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: Malware Research in the Age of LLMs
Feb 26, 202650m#96
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! Host Selena Larson and co-host, Sarah Sabotka, chat with Kyle Cucci, and Dr. Chris Wakelin, Threat Researchers from Proofpoint. They unpack how artificial intelligence is sh
Snowball Learning: Getting Real About Cybersecurity Training
Feb 10, 202642m#95
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! Host Selena Larson and co-host, Sarah Sabotka, chat with Dr. Bob Hausmann, Lead Cognitive Scientist of Human Risk Management at Proofpoint. They have a timely conversation o
Emerging Threats in 2026: Inside Proofpoint’s Detection Playbook
Jan 29, 202645m#94
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! Host Selena Larson and co-host, Tim Kromphardt, chat with Rich Gonzalez, Director of Emerging Threats at Proofpoint, to kick off 2026 with a behind-the-scenes look at how em
Operation EndOfYear: New Malware, Popular Tactics, and Where AI Is Taking Us
Dec 31, 202556m#93
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Elves! Host Selena Larson chats with Daniel Blackford, Vice President of Threat Research at Proofpoint, for an end-of-year look at how the cyber threat landscape evolved—and what
Ho-Ho-Hold Up—Is That Message Real? Bad Santas Are Sending Seasonal Scams
Dec 9, 202533m#92
Send us fan mail! Happy Holidays to all our Cyber Pals! Host Selena Larson, and co-guest ho-ho-ho hosts, Tim Kromphardt & Sarah Sabotka unwrap the surprising (and sometimes clever) ways cybercriminals use seasonal themes
From Toasters to Botnets: Securing Everyday IoT
Nov 18, 202537m#91
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Squirrels! Host Selena Larson, and guest host, Tim Kromphardt sit down with Tony Robinson — Senior Security Research Engineer and “rule magician” from Proofpoint’s Emerging Threat
Elect More Hackers: Tech Skills for Real-World Change
Nov 4, 202554m
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Squirrels! Can hackers make great public servants? Host Selena Larson, and co-guest hosts, Sarah Sabotka and Tim Kromphardt sit down with Andrew Brandt, Founder and Executive Dire
From Web Injects to Info Stealers: How Cybercriminals Stay Ahead
Oct 21, 20251h 0m#89
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Sleuths! Host Selena Larson, and guest host, Sarah Sabotka take you behind the scenes of the ever-changing world of cybercrime—where attackers innovate, scams evolve, and staying
When Being Aware of Cybersecurity Means Knowing You're Human
Oct 8, 202548m#88
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Pumpkin Spice Cyber Friends! It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month — and what better way to kick it off than with a deep dive into the human side of cyber threats? In this episode host Sel
Hot sauce and hot takes: An Only Malware in the Building special
Sep 23, 202534m#87
Send us fan mail! Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building — but this time, it’s not just another episode. This is a special edition you won’t want to miss. For the first time, our hosts are together in-s
Freighty Cats: RFQ Phishing Comes to A Warehouse Near You
Sep 9, 202535m#86
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Stars! In this episode host Selena Larson welcomes back guest and part-time co-host Tim Kromphardt, fresh from DEFCON, to explore the world of request-for-quote (RFQ) fraud—a grow
Direct Send Exploitation & URL Rewrite Attacks: What Security Teams Must Know
Aug 26, 202543m#85
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Squirrels! In this extra-packed episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson welcomes Proofpoint Principal Research Engineer Jason Ford for his first appearance on the show. Together
Phish, Chips & Voldemort: Inside China’s Cyber Targeting of Taiwan
Aug 12, 202542m#84
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Panda Bears! In this extra-packed episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson and guest host, Sarah Sabotka reunite with Staff Threat Researcher Mark Kelly to dive deep into China-a
Threat Actor Theater: TA2541, TA558, and the Cyber Heist Crew TA582
Jul 29, 202537m#83
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our cyber pals! In this episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson and co-host, Tim Kromphardt, are joined by Joe Wise, Senior Threat Researcher at Proofpoint for a deep dive into the chaoti
10 Things I Hate About Attribution: A Clustering Conundrum
Jul 15, 202556m#82
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our cyber detectives and pedantic CTI friends! In this episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson is joined by Greg Lesnewich, Staff Threat Researcher at Proofpoint for a behind-the-scenes l
Comic Sans and Cybercrime: Inside North Korea’s Global Cyber Playbook
Jul 1, 202552m#81
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Pals! In this episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson and co-host Sara Sabotka are joined by Saher Naumaan and Greg Lesnewich, teammates on the espionage threat research team at
Signatures and Surprises: Inside the Emerging Threats Team
Jun 18, 202543m#80
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Masked Vigilantes! In this episode of Discarded , host Selena Larson and co-host Tim Kromhardt are joined by James Emery-Callcott, a Security Researcher on Proofpoint’s Emerging T
DBIR Deep Dive: Identity, Access, and the Expanding Attack Surface
Jun 4, 202551m#79
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Stars! Join host Selena Larson, and guest host, Sarah Sabotka, as they sit down with Alex Pinto, Associate Director of Threat Intelligence at Verizon Business and the lead author
The ClickFix Convergence: How Threat Actors Blur the Lines
May 14, 202535m#78
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Spring Chickens! Join host Selena Larson, and guest host, Sarah Sabotka, as they chat with Saher Naumaan, Senior Threat Researcher at Proofpoint, for a deep dive into how modern e
The Art of the Innocent Ask: How Threat Actors Use Benign Conversations
Apr 29, 202558m#77
Send us fan mail! Hello to all our Cyber Spring Chickens! Join host Selena Larson and guest hosts, Tim Kromphardt and Sarah Sabotka, both Senior Threat Researchers at Proofpoint. These top sleuths crack open Proofpoint’s