Call of the Cyber Duty (A Global Cyber Challenge)

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, hostlinkedin.com/in/sherroddegrippo/Sherrod DeGrippo (linkedin.com/in/sherroddegrippo) is joined by Henning Rauch (linkedin.com/in/henning-rauch-adx), to discuss Call of the Cyber Duty (detective.kusto.io/register) is a 42-hour global cybersecurity challenge hosted by Microsoft’s Kusto Detective Agency. The competition runs from 12:00 AM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on June 8, 2025, and ends at 12:00 AM UTC on June 18, 2025, at 10:00AM UTC. Once a team member opens the first case, they have 42 hours to complete it.Participants will solve a series of investigative puzzles using Kusto Query Language (KQL) — no prior Kusto experience required.

This free, gamified threat-hunting experience is open to individuals and teams, with a $10,000 grand prize, an interactive mystery plot, and a Hall of Fame for the top solvers. Expect fun twists, real-world security skills, and even a surprise appearance by mentalist Lior Suchard or the illusive Professor Smoke!

Later in the episode, Sherrod is joined by security researchers Anna Seitz (linkedin.com/in/anna-seitz-65a41b88) and Rebecca Light (linkedin.com/in/rebecca-light/?trk=public_prof…) to explore two evolving cyber threats. Anna breaks down the unprecedented collaboration between Russian state-affiliated threat actors Aqua Blizzard and Secret Blizzard, who are combining efforts to target Ukrainian military systems. Rebecca dives into the resurgence of DarkGate malware—this time delivered through a deceptive technique called ClickFix, which uses fake CAPTCHA-like prompts to trick users into activating malicious payloads.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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What Kauzar V2 malware is and how it enables long-term remote access and data theft

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How Russian threat groups Aqua Blizzard and Secret Blizzard are collaborating

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Why DarkGate malware remains relevant thanks to its adaptability and evasion tactics

Some questions we ask:

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Are Russian threat actors adopting cybercriminal tactics like initial access brokers?

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How does Kauzar V2 malware function, and why is it significant in this campaign?

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What is ClickFix, and how does it differ from typical malware delivery methods?

Resources:

View (linkedin.com/in/henning-rauch-adx)Henning Rauch on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/henning-rauch-adx)linkedin.com/in/henning-rauch-adx

View Rebecca Light on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/rebecca-light/?trk=public_prof…)

View Anna Seitz on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/anna-seitz-65a41b88)

View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/sherroddegrippo)

🕵️‍♀️ Register for the challenge (free!)
detective.kusto.io/register

🎬 Official trailer featuring Lior Suchard
youtu.be/sPmTX0ZrnE

🌐 Event homepage (info hub)
detective.kusto.io

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

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Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson (afternooncybertea.com)

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The BlueHat Podcast (bluehatpodcast.com)

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Uncovering Hidden Risks (uncoveringhiddenrisks.com)

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts atnews.microsoft.com/podcasts/https://news.micro…

Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider (nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=ht…)

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.