CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS IMAGE & COLOR IT IN!Inside: An OAuth breach where the narrative mattered as much as the attack path, mass hysteria caused by settings as clear as mud, and Ally’s gates swing open so you can forge your first TTX for free.
Vercel, a cloud platform for frontend deployment and hosting, recently sounded the alarm on a breach where exposed OAuth tokens slipped through an integration with AI tooling and analytics platform Context.ai. This calamity highlights how third-party OAuth access can lead straight into the heart of the kingdom.
Vercel spoke first, sending word across the realm and naming the upstream source before the dust had settled. Context.ai followed soon after with its own account, tightening the borders of impact and reshaping the tale. These two tellings of the same breach cast different lights on the path the intruder took, and their separate timing heavily swayed public perception.
For cybersecurity paladins, the key takeaway lies in how to respond when bandits take this attack path. Once OAuth apps are granted passage, they are rarely revisited. When one is compromised, the breach becomes a matter of how deep the intruder can travel, and who can trace their steps first.
This has the makings of a great tabletop exercise, so I used Ally to craft the scenario pictured below.
We don’t actually use these vendors, yet the names matter little. Swap in your own alliances and tools for [Vercel] and [Context.ai], and you can spin up a quest tailored to you in minutes using Ally’s Build tool.
The parties who train on attack paths like this level up the skills needed to close them. When Ally cuts down on the time it takes to build your scenario, you can spend more time honing those skills.
Your allies in IR,
Rob & Scout
The ShinyHunters band is at it again, this time stealing a trove of user data from global education scribe McGraw Hill. It’s a reminder to reinforce third-party integrations, and train teams on how to navigate in the dark if a third-party ally is breached. Read the scroll
Lovable stirred the realm this week when unclear settings made users believe their data was more exposed than intended. Yet another tale highlighting the importance of rolling a successful persuasion check and managing crises through communication, even when no breach occurred. Peruse the post
A band of cunning raiders struck deep into the heart of Decentralized Finance, siphoning coins from crypto coffers in one of the grandest heists of 2026. This breach highlights the importance of hasty response, as well as how quickly a cyber curse can cascade across protocols. Investigate the report
Taking place October 8 – 10 in Colorado Springs, this conference calls practitioners to the table, blending emergency management and cyber crisis response into a live, game-driven proving ground. A worthy gathering for Facilitators seeking to hone their edge. Answer the summons
Devised by Stacey
Curious about how Ally can level up your facilitation game, but not keen on pledging gold or binding yourself before seeing the tool in action? Then we have an epic gift just for you.
A free Ally account is live. Step into this low-stakes proving ground to explore the tools and draft your first quest without oath or obligation.
With free access, you can:
Whether you’re testing the waters or polishing your approach, this is your chance to turn curiosity into capability.
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P.S. If you’re ready to delve deeper and unlock Ally’s full potential, reach out to Rob or Scout for a complete trial.
And that’s that! We’ve explored the power of comms during times of crisis, revealed a free variant of Ally, and rounded up the most stirring tales circulating the cyber realm. Until next time, fellow adventurer!
Robert Henley is the Co‑Founder of Ally Security and brings over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity strategy, corporate development, and incident response. He’s passionate about helping organizations run more effective tabletop exercises.
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About Ally Security
Ally is here to support TTX Facilitators in creating a virtuous cycle where exercises run more swiftly and frequently, deliver greater value, and bring organizations closer to true preparedness.
Dear Asa is your anonymous scroll to share triumphs, tribulations, and “you had to be there” moments. No names. No judgement. Just true incident response tales forged in the heat of battle.
