Live on Cyber

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” - H.L. Mencken We humans want simple solutions to complex problems.

It's built into our neurology.

And it makes it harder to manage cybersecurity.

The computer and telecommunications revolution that we’re in the middle of is upending our world.

A simple cybercrime example:

In the old days at the end of the last century, if a criminal wanted to rob a bank, the criminal had to go to the bank.  No more.

Now the criminal can steal money from people’s bank accounts over the Internet from anywhere in the world.

Complex problems don’t get solved, they get managed.

Let’s take a step back and ask what we can do to manage our security and privacy; in our homes, in our places of work, in our schools, and throughout our community.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

Please join us at:⁠https://securethevillage.org/⁠Mentioned in the Episode: ⁠How Hackable are you?⁠ FREE SURVEY

“Unfortunately, the technology underpinning our critical infrastructure is inherently insecure because of DECADES of software developers NOT BEING HELD LIABLE for defective technology. That has led to incentives where FEATURES and SPEED to market have been prioritized AGAINST SECURITY, leading our nation VULNERABLE to cyber invasion. That has to stop,” Jen Easterly, CISA

The policy we need is YEARS behind the current technology, and utterly inadequate to protect citizens against threats and scams.

We lack protections and bear the brunt of the damage.

Two clear examples -

1: SIM swapping.

A bad actor was able to convince a telecommunications store to transfer a phone number to a new device by impersonating the owner. This allowed the criminal to:

- Access private account information and steal money.

- Gain all those 2FA codes sent via text message.

- Gain access to their social media accounts, email accounts... what other apps are on your phone?

Should telecom companies be held responsible for failures that enable financial crimes?

2: Deepfakes and nonconsensual graphic images.

The growing threat of manipulated media - widespread technology usage to generate fake but realistic graphic images and no legal consequences.

While Taylor Swift's massive fan base is championing federal penalties for these deepfake images, we drag our feet in spite of the urgent need for policy reforms to protect individuals from harmful uses of emerging technologies that currently have little oversight.

Listen to this 15-min episode of #LiveOnCyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris and let's talk today's problems and potential solutions.

Not a game we want to play - but let's do it anyway! Take a guess: (reported) Cybercrime rakes in more $ than how many U.S. states do in TAX REVENUE annually?

(FY22 per Statista - and of course, this is only REPORTED crime).

I think you know where we're going with this.

It's bad - and getting worse.

Policy won't stop it. It's on us.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Distrust and caution are the parents of security."

Businesses, people need to flex their distrust.

No email trust.

No text message trust.

Everything gets questioned.

We lock down what matters (check out our human-speak guide: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-for-individuals-families/).

Tragically, it's a matter of life and death for some.

Listen to our 10-min update on the latest scam tragedies that you and I need to be talking about.

Share with a friend who could be at risk. Okay, let's be real - we all are at risk - so share, then share again.

If you haven't watched the video trailers of Live on Cyber on LinkedIn, you're missing out on Julie having difficulty looking serious.

Once, someone asked, "why is Julie smiling so much, talking about this very difficult, complex stuff?"

And it's because SecureTheVillage has found a mission point where we can powerfully affect change.

We are here to encourage and mobilize those with cybersecurity knowledge to do more to build the cyber resilience of our community.

Because our communities have no clue what awaits them in 2024.

How can you help?

Whether working with us to translate the cyber-speak to easy to understand concepts, helping build and mentor the cyber workforce, learning how to secure your small business and nonprofits, or are an IT/MSPs who knows their client need more cybersecurity, there's a place for you here at SecureTheVillage.

In 2024, we encourage you to become a vocal, thoughtful member of your community - even more than you already are - because it takes a village to secure the village™.

It's this work of translation and building community resilience that is on us to do.

And we are excited to do just that in 2024!

- ⁠Stan Stahl, PhD⁠ and ⁠Julie Michelle Morris⁠

APPLICATIONS OPEN!⁠⁠⁠

⁠SecureTheVillage⁠⁠ is addressing security for those without big IT teams. If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT/MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!  

What is resilience? It's like the old Timex ads, to "take a licking and keep on ticking."

As we sit here looking at 2024, it's not pretty what's coming our way:

* Our own SEC sued a CISO. (Didn't see that one coming.)

* We're facing burnout of our best and brightest in the cybersecurity sector.

* The attacks are intense. Infrastructure, schools, hospitals.

* Cybercrime? So lucrative.

It's coming at us on every conceivable front.

What does it look like to have a defensible posture against all of this, and survive 2024?

We believe its two things:

1. Personal resilience through connection to each other.

Connection opens the door to resilience for your health, your ability to show up again the next day, ready to fight the fight, run your business, do the work.

The latest research on mental health and loneliness shows what a powerful buffer connection is to keep us going.

And as we connect, let's share what we know -

Do you have an incident response plan? Can yours inform your peer's cybersecurity?

2. We need community resilience.

We want to know that our communities are aware of digital threats - scams, hacks, and know how to protect their digital health. Let's make sure we're sharing what we know with the people and organizations who have no clue the dangers that await them.

That's why we at SecureTheVillage exist - we care deeply about the community, and we believe you do too.

We're in this together. Support our mission this year to bring awareness to communities and gather cyber experts to inform the field.

Signing off for 2023 - See you in 2024!

- Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris

APPLICATIONS OPEN!⁠⁠⁠

⁠SecureTheVillage⁠⁠ is addressing security for those without big IT teams. If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT/MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!  

"This company should be in the Hall of Shame."
A major trucking company software vendor has developed such readily exploitable software that it could create a shutdown that would be felt nationwide.
We write the software. Russia and China exploit it.
There are cyber-nots in our supply chain. Our enemies know it, too.
Are we fostering a lucrative market for cybercrime?
In this #LiveOnCyber episode with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris, we talk about simple ways to join the fight for online safety!
Let's press for better standards and adoption so smaller organizations on the wrong side of the digital divide aren't eaten alive by cyber criminals.
APPLICATIONS OPEN!
SecureTheVillage is addressing security for those without big IT teams. If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT/MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee:

Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!

🚨 When Iran can look up your password on Google... "Think your default password is harmless? Think again," warns Julie Michelle Morris.

In this episode of #LiveOnCyber, Stan Stahl, PhD unpacks jaw-dropping cyber blunders, tiny oversights that lead to serious breaches, and must-do security tips for businesses flying solo on tech.

What are you doing to help secure the last mile?

Where are we sitting ducks for hacks and scams?

Check out our 1-min episode preview 👇 and share your thoughts!

Join Julie Michelle Morris and Stan Stahl, PhD in the fight for last-mile online safety: Sponsor cybersecurity guidance for small businesses and your community: https://securethevillage.org/partner-opportunities/

🎧 Hit subscribe on #LiveOnCyber for your weekly dose of Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris!

APPLICATIONS OPEN!

If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee. https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Smaller organizations, families, and individuals are on the wrong side of the digital divide, and they're getting eaten alive by scammers and cybercriminals.

How do we bridge the information gap from the experts to small businesses and nonprofits?

Are we just talking to ourselves in cybersecurity?

In this #LiveOnCyber episode, hear what brought Julie, a thought leadership expert, to SecureTheVillage and how SecureTheVillage is addressing security for those without big IT teams.

Want to join the fight for online safety? Learn how LA Cybersecure is helping: https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

APPLICATIONS OPEN! If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee. https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/ Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!

Subscribe to Live on Cyber for your weekly dose of cyber sense with Dr. Stan and Julie!

In our special replay episode, we revisit an essential May 2022 conversation with Nicole Perlroth, a leading cybersecurity journalist and New York Times bestselling author. This frank and alarming conversation is as relevant as ever:

Nicole Perlroth spent a decade as the lead cybersecurity reporter at The New York Times. Her reporting uncovered a host of cyber vulnerabilities in the U.S. for which there were no policy responses, such as Russia’s escalation of cyberattacks on the U.S. and Iran ramping up cyber espionage. She has covered Russian hacks of nuclear plants, airports, and elections; North Korea’s cyberattacks against movie studios, banks and hospitals; Iranian attacks on oil companies, banks and the Trump campaign; and hundreds of Chinese cyberattacks, including a months-long hack of The Times. A Bay Area native, Ms. Perlroth is a guest lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a graduate of Princeton University and Stanford University.

This event was created in support of a consortium of leading cybersecurity organizations: Automotive ISAC, Center for Internet Security, Cyber Readiness Institute, Cybercrime Support Network, Educause, The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation, Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA), Sightline Security, SecureTheVillage, Technology Association of Louisville Ky, and US Valor.

Thanks to our event sponsors Miller Kaplan, Beckage, California Lawyers Association Privacy Law group, and IEEE Orange County for their support.

Tune in to this episode of #LiveOnCyber for a compelling look at cybersecurity's most pressing issues, as discussed by one of the most influential voices in the field.

Subscribe for your weekly update on the latest in cybersecurity!

If you're starting your journey to secure your business, you're in the right place! Learn the Top 4 security steps every small business needs from the Cyber Readiness Institute's Starter Kit! Small and micro-businesses, build a strong foundation to prevent loss with these Four Core Cyber Issues: ✅ Super strong passwords that guard your personal and client data ✅ Backups that catch you if you fall ✅ Training to keep tricks and scams at bay ✅ A secure place for all your important info. If you’re ready to get started: 1️⃣ Appoint a leader 2️⃣ Implement the four policies 3️⃣ Train your staff 4️⃣ Prepare for a cybersecurity incident Make sure your business is safe online—without taking up all your time. It's a quick lesson in making sure your business is as safe online—without taking up all your time. If you're ready to level up, and you're a #smallbusiness, #nonprofit, or #ITMSP in Los Angeles, applications are open now for #LACybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee. https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/ Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for weekly updates that help keep your business safe with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris!

What happens when your admin's email gets hacked? You don't want to guess or waste time. Cybersecurity for the small and micro-business is crucial. But it has to fit YOU.

Think you're too small to be a target? Join us this week as we debunk myths and provide actionable insights specifically for small and micro-businesses. We'll break down what you really need to do to keep your business safe, without overburdening you or your team.

Don't leave your business vulnerable—learn what you can do today to start your cybersecurity journey.

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Learn more about SecureTheVillage's LA Cybersecure pilot program for small and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and IT MSPs in Los Angeles: https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Stay updated and secure. Subscribe to Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris!

The ⁠23andMe⁠ security lapse repercussions go beyond just the user's personal genetic data. With this breach, their relatives are at risk.
The data taken from 23andMe, likely through credential stuffing⁠ could cover more than HALF of the company’s 14 million customers, based on the number of people who have opted to make their data visible to relatives, including distant cousins (Washington Post).
Dive into a new episode of #LiveonCyber with Stan Stahl, PhD, and Julie Michelle Morris on the shortcomings of optional multi-factor authentication for critical online accounts. Is the industry doing enough?
Plus, get updates on LA CyberSecure, our pilot program boosting cybersecurity for local businesses and nonprofits.
Don't leave your digital life to chance!
Subscribe to Live On Cyber⁠ with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris for your weekly 15-min update!
Learn more and apply to join the LA CyberSecure pilot program today: https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

We believe that #MSPs and #ISPs are crucial players in securing our digital world. They are on the front lines with small to midsize businesses - how can we partner to equip them with the business development and security skills to better secure their clients?

What is their role in the LA CyberSecure Pilot, an initiative elevating the cyber readiness of small to midsize organizations with support from the Center for Internet Security (CIS)?

(Even though we were interrupted mid-podcast by the new federal alert system text messages, we carry on!)

Dive into a new episode of #LiveonCyber with Stan Stahl, PhD, and Julie Michelle Morris!

Be part of the revelation, the movement, the solution.

Subscribe to Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris, your weekly 15-min update on the latest in privacy and information security affecting your business and community!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Are small businesses and nonprofits ready for battle, or sitting ducks in cyber warfare? #Cybersecurity isn’t just about money - it’s about talent, time, and foundational cybersecurity measures. How do we bridge this digital divide of #cyberhaves and #cybernots?

This #LiveonCyber episode unveils LA Cybersecure! A groundbreaking pilot program funded by the Center for Internet Security's Alan Paller Laureate Program, LA Cybersecure led by SecureTheVillage will enable 50 small to midsize organizations to measurably improve their cybersecurity readiness.

Be part of the revelation, the movement, the solution. Learn more about the LA Cybersecure pilot and apply! https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Be part of the revelation, the movement, the solution! Subscribe to Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris, your weekly 15-min update on the latest in privacy and information security affecting your business and community!

The iconic casinos MGM and Caesars become the latest victims of cyber warfare.

A question: Was it reasonable for the security of such giants to falter?

From social engineering tactics, deepfakes, the future of AI in cyber warfare, the pressing need for businesses—both big and small—is a posture of proactivity in their defenses.

#CyberCitizens, the digital realm is a double-edged sword. As technology advances, so do the threats. How do we stay vigilant? How do we ensure that our defenses are adequate?

Tune in, subscribe, and be a part of this crucial conversation.

Dive deeper with Dr. Stan's News of the Week.

Subscribe to Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris, your weekly 15-min update on the latest in privacy and information security affecting your business and community.

Most (84%) of car manufacturers SHARE or SELL your data (Mozilla). The modern world has turned our vehicles into data-harvesting machines.

With startling revelations from The Mozilla Foundation's new report, we learn that almost every major car brand's new internet-connected models have become a data privacy nightmare. 

But the threat doesn't stop at our driveway. Join Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris for this week's episode of #LiveonCyber as they delve into the alarming findings on car data collection, the perils of data brokers, and the urgent need for stronger data protection measures.

#CyberCitizens, knowledge is power. It takes a village to secure the Village™. Tune in, subscribe, and be part of the solution!

In a landmark collaboration, the F.B.I. and international partners have dismantled a formidable botnet responsible for a staggering 30% of cybercrime, affecting businesses worldwide, from financial sectors to critical infrastructures.

Hear about Dr. Stan's 'urgent HELP!' text message from family, illustrating our collective need for cyber vigilance.

Tune into this episode of #LiveonCyber with Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Michelle Morris for commentary on the latest in cybersecurity and insights for business leaders navigating this complex landscape.

#CyberCitizens, awareness is key. Every alert is a signal.

Special kudos to the Los Angeles office of the F.B.I. and Supervisory Special Agent Michael Sohn. Beyond their exemplary work on Qakbot, members of the LA office have supported SecureTheVillage’s educational initiatives since our founding. Learn more about SecureTheVillage

In a world grappling with what the RAND Corporation calls 'Truth Decay,' the stakes for discerning truth from misinformation have never been higher.

Social media platforms are retreating from their watchdog roles. Geopolitical foes like Russia and China are intensifying their AI-driven disinformation campaigns. As the 2024 elections loom, the burden is increasingly on us. Are we prepared?

In this episode of #LiveonCyber, Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Morris tackle the disconcerting rise of misinformation and its far-reaching implications on cybersecurity and society.

Learn how to sift through the noise and fortify your digital universe. It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Tune in, subscribe, and be part of the solution!

Engage with Dr. Stan Stahl: LinkedIn and Connect with Julie Morris: LinkedIn

Today’s #cyber landscape is evolving, and so is the threat to small organizations. The balance of power has shifted, and the bad actors are increasingly sophisticated. From the 'Play' Ransomware Group targeting Managed Service Providers (#MSPs) and thereby endangering midsized businesses across the globe, to hackers seamlessly integrating into platforms like Slack and Trello—small organizations find themselves at the frontline of an escalating digital battle. And if that wasn't enough, the rise of generative AI technologies now poses newer, unpredictable threats. But with knowledge, comes power. 

Join Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris in this episode of #LiveonCyber as we dive deep into the escalating cyber threats facing small organizations and ways to reinforce digital defenses.

#Smallbusinesses, it's time to ramp up - use these insights to help safeguard your business and keep your doors open. In cybersecurity, unity is strength. It takes a village to secure the Village™.
 Tune in, subscribe, and become a part of the solution!
 Learn more about the latest cyber threats: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-news-of-the-week-august-20-2023/
 Engage with Dr. Stan Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/
 Connect with Julie Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber Security Framework 2.0 will make waves in the cyber world, for all the right reasons. 

The integration of a novel 6th function—Governance—and a spotlight on cybersecurity supply chain risk management are transformational. 

With action-guided Implementation Examples, an exclusive Improvement Category, and a spotlight on policy refinement, NIST is setting the stage for an empowered cyber future.

Dive into this episode of Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD, and Julie Michelle Morris as we dissect the Top 3 monumental shifts in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0.

Organizations, gear up! Start leveraging this draft framework to fortify your cybersecurity walls.

Knowledge is the shield against cyber threats. It takes a village to secure the Village™.

🔥 Rate, subscribe, and spread the cyber wisdom!

📖 Dive deeper into NIST 2.0: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-news-of-the-week-august-13-2023/

🔗 Connect with Dr. Stan Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/

🔗 Engage with Julie Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

When we leave our digital front doors unlocked, what do we expect will happen?  With 300,000+ cybersecurity roles unfilled nationwide, we're fighting a losing battle against well-funded, highly skilled cybercrime operations. The Biden-Harris Administration's ground-breaking National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES) aims to combat the onslaught - it's not just about filling roles; it's about empowering every American in our digital realm.

On this episode of Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD, and Julie Michelle Morris, we break down the NCWES, its game-changing implications, and the pressing call for cyber-vigilance among organizations and individuals alike.

Remember, securing the future is a collective mission. It takes a village to secure the Village™.

🔥 Rate, subscribe, and amplify our message!

🔗 Connect with Dr. Stan Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/

🔗 Engage with Julie Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

IBM's eye-opening Annual Cost of a Data Breach Report reveals a disturbing trend. Companies often choose to burden their customers with the financial fallout of cybercrime, rather than bolstering their cybersecurity. As #cybercriminals leverage #AI to heighten their attacks and laws increasingly mandate #cybersecurity controls, the risk of ignoring these digital defenses is spiraling.
In this episode of Live on Cyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris, we're shedding light on this appalling strategy, and our Top 3 Egregious Findings in IBM’s annual report.
It takes a village to secure the Village™.
Rate, subscribe, and share our podcast to help raise cybersecurity awareness!
Read more on today’s topic: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-news-of-the-week-july-30-2023/
Follow Dr. Stan Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/
Follow Julie Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris

Join Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Morris as they delve into the critical issue of China's alleged cyber espionage activities against the US, including breaches of Department of State and Department of Commerce email systems, and the targeting of high-ranking officials. This seemingly routine espionage by nation-states poses a significant threat to businesses and individuals alike.

They advocate for robust cybersecurity practices, including proactive defense strategies and vigilant protection of business IP, to counter the escalating cyber threats.

Remember, "It takes a village to secure the Village™." Rate, subscribe, and share our podcast to help raise cybersecurity awareness!

Read more on today’s topic:

https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-news-of-the-week-july-23-2023/

Follow Dr. Stan Stahl:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/

Follow Julie Morris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

In this episode of "Live on Cyber," hosts Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Morris delve into the alarming issue of personal tax information being sold and sent to tech giants Google and Meta by companies like H&R Block, TaxAct, and Extra Layer.

We explore the role of GDPR, the California Privacy Rights Act, and other privacy laws in protecting consumer data, the urgent need for stricter regulations and penalties.

Listeners, raise your voices and demand better data protection - privacy should not be compromised for profit.

Join Stan and Julie as they navigate the complexities of digital privacy, offering invaluable insights and recommendations along the way.

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Please rate, subscribe, and share our podcast, helping to spread the word on cybersecurity awareness!

SecureTheVillage’s weekly news:

https://securethevillage.org/news/

Follow Dr. Stan Stahl:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/⁠

Follow Julie Morris:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

Stan and Julie take a deep dive into the intricate interplay between encryption and privacy in our ever-evolving digital landscape. Taking the  Signal app as an example, they grapple with the conundrum faced by we the people when as we strive to give law enforcement the technology tools they need to prevent crime while we strive to protect our individual privacy rights. Join Stan and Julie as they navigate the complexities of digital privacy, offering invaluable insights and recommendations along the way. Join Stan and Julie as they navigate the complexities of digital privacy, offering invaluable insights and recommendations along the way.

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and share our podcast, helping to spread the word on cybersecurity awareness!

SecureTheVillage’s weekly news:
https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-news-of-the-week-july-9-2023/
Follow Dr. Stan Stahl:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/
Follow Julie Morris:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

Suffering the loss of personal information from a cyber breach is bad. It’s even worse when your information was stolen because someone had installed surveillance software on your phone, software that hid itself from you so you didn’t even know it was there.

That’s what happened to the innocent victims of a widely used phone surveillance app called LetMeSpy where a hacker stole victims’ messages, call logs and locations. LetMeSpy is specifically designed to stay hidden on a phone’s home screen, making it difficult to detect and remove. Shameful.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and wisdom in a thoughtful conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Rate, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread cybersecurity awareness!

Sources and Websites:

SecureTheVillage: 

https//www.SecureTheVillage.org

Follow Stan Stahl, PhD:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/
Follow Julie Morris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

Cybercrime is out of control. If you don't believe us just look at the MOVEit disaster. Join Stan and Julie for a no-holds-barred discussion of how the market encourages poor security and the things we the people can do about it. 

We're talking market forces, consumer pressure, and the need for sensible regulations. We're talking making "Security by Design" and "Security by Default" requirements for software just like brakes and seat belts are required in the cars we buy. 

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Rate, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread cybersecurity awareness!

SecureTheVillage: 

https//www.SecureTheVillage.org

Follow Stan Stahl, PhD:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/

Follow Julie Morris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

Dr. Stan Stahl, fresh from Portugal, offers an intriguing comparison: Douro Valley vineyards and cybersecurity. He unpacks their shared complexities and team dynamics. We delve into the recent "MoveIt" breach, a supply chain attack reminding us of the criticality of security protocols such as credit freezing and vendor assessment. We conclude with a call for a technological landscape marked by security by design, privacy by default, and our collective engagement in bolstering national cybersecurity! 

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Rate, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread cybersecurity awareness!

Sources and Websites:

SecureTheVillage: 

https//www.SecureTheVillage.org

Follow Stan Stahl, PhD:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanstahl/
Follow Julie Morris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris/

In this episode of Live on Cyber, Julie Morris is joined by Wendy Betts, CISSP, CCSP who shares her journey into cybersecurity and discusses the workforce gap in the industry. She emphasizes the need for a wider path for talent in cybersecurity and challenges the traditional requirements of a bachelor's degree, advocating for a focus on passion and drive instead, and the implementation of apprenticeship programs, highlighting organizations like i.c. stars that successfully train individuals for cybersecurity roles.

Stay tuned for more episodes as Julie and special guests while Dr. Stan enjoys his summer break. 

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Rate, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread cybersecurity awareness!

Sources and Websites:

Follow Kimberly Pease on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendybetts/

WiCyS Women in Cybersecurity: https://www.wicys.org/

i.c. stars in Chicago - BUILD A CONSTELLATION OF TALENT: https://www.icstars.org/

SecureTheVillage: https//www.SecureTheVillage.org

Join Julie in an insightful discussion with Kimberly Pease, CISSP, Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Maryman & Associates, as they explore the world of cybersecurity forensics. Gain practical insights into incident response, protecting valuable information, and effective measures to enhance cybersecurity practices in this engaging episode of "Live on Cyber."

Stay tuned for more episodes as Julie and special guests while Dr. Stan enjoys his summer break. 

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Rate, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread cybersecurity awareness!

Sources and Websites:

Connect with Kimberly

LinkedIn: 

linkedin.com/in/kimberly-pease-cissp-2641a4

Maryman & Associates: maryman.com

SecureTheVillage: SecureTheVillage.org

Discover the alarming truth about the unauthorized collection and sale of your private physical health, mental health, genetics, and fitness data. This event sheds light on the concerning practices of profiling and targeted marketing, as well as the potential weaponization of personal data without consent.

This episode is an enlightening discussion that lasts 90 minutes, featuring expert insights and a Q&A session. Gain essential knowledge about the following key aspects:

Data Collection: Understand who has access to your data and its widespread distribution.

Data Monetization: Learn about the entities profiting from the sale of your personal information.

Data Aggregation: Explore the process of consolidating and analyzing collected data.

Utilization of Data: Discover how this information is utilized by various stakeholders and the potential risks involved.

Furthermore, the implications of this data exploitation are far-reaching and raise numerous pressing questions:

Legal Consequences: Could your data be used against you in legal proceedings or impact your insurability?

Commercial Interests: How are pharmaceutical companies targeting advertisements and influencing medical decisions?

Personal Disputes: What are the implications for custody battles, power of attorney disputes, and inheritance matters?

Genetic Infringement: How might your genetic information be misused or infringed upon?

Lack of Transparency: Why is there a lack of awareness regarding the extent and implications of data collection?

Here you have the opportunity to gain valuable insights from our distinguished panel of experts:

Moderator:

Alexa McCulloch

Entrepreneur & Investor in Privacy & Cybersecurity; Board Director, SecureTheVillage

Panel:

René Quashie

VP, Digital Health Consumer Technology Association

Felix Bustos III

CEO and Co-Founder, ZB Tech (HelenHealth)

Sarah Robinson

Former Global Head of Trust, Meta (Facebook, Instagram)

In this special episode of Live on Cyber, Julie Morris interviews Heather Spilsbury, the Chief Operating Officer of 50/50 Women on Boards. Explore the inspiring journey of 5050 Women on Boards, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in corporate board service. Learn how the organization prioritizes safeguarding digital assets and data protection, and gain insights into practical cybersecurity measures and the importance of behavior change and awareness from their board of directors to staff and volunteers.

Stay tuned for more episodes as Julie and special guests explore cybersecurity issues, while Dr. Stan enjoys his summer break. 

It takes a village to secure the Village™.

Sources and Websites:

5050 Women on Boards - https://5050wob.com/

SecureTheVillage - https://securethevillage.org/

This week Stan and Julie announce some exciting news. SecureTheVillage is a recipient of an inaugural grant of the Center for Internet Security’s Alan Paller Laureate Program.

The grant will be used to launch a Cybersecurity Pilot Program to measurably improve the cybersecurity practices of small to mid-sized organizations in the greater Los Angeles area. 

Join Stan and Julie as they look back on Alan Paller's vital role in information security and how proud they are of the opportunity SecureTheVillage has to build on his legacy. 

Stan and Julie comment on the program’s importance, illustrating it with all too sad stories of how devastating cybercrime can be for smaller organizations and the impact it has on families.  

They outline SecureTheVillage’s innovative village-based approach toward meeting the special challenges of smaller organizations and how it builds on the groundbreaking work of others. 

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in an engaging conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy. 

"It takes a village to secure the Village" -Secure the Village

Website Links:

 Center for Internet Security

Cyber Readiness Institute

Sightline Security

While Julie’s away, Stan and his guest SecureTheVillage Board Member Alexa McCulloch, riff on the security of our health and wellness information. Whether it’s the data on your Fitbit or the search terms you enter on a hospital’s website, a lot of our private health and wellness information isn’t protected by HIPAA … and even what is, may still end up in the hands of the data brokers.

This week’s podcast is a preview of a hard-hitting webinar Alexa will be moderating on May 25th titled Invasion of the Body & Mind (Data) Snatchers.  With her guests René Quashie, Vice President, Digital Health at the Consumer Technology Association and Felix Bustos, CEO and co-founder of ZB Technologies,  Alexa will probe how our most sensitive and private information slips through the cracks in our privacy. 

Join Alexa and Stan for an overview of some of the challenges we the people have keeping our information private in a system with little regulation, with consumers forced to accept Terms and Conditions full of dense legal jargon, and with a thriving market for the collection and sale of health and wellness data. 

And please register for SecureTheVillage’s webinar Invasion of the Body & Mind (Data) Snatchers, moderated by  Alexa McCulloch. The webinar airs May 25th at 11AM PT.

This week  Stan and Julie riff on a key component of the National Cybersecurity Strategy: Secure by design. Secure by default. How it’s a long-term strategy. How we don’t have time to wait.

Someday security will be built into our computers and applications the way safety is built into cars. But not now. Not yet. Now we’re back in the 1930s without seatbelts, without collapsible steering wheels, without padded dashboards. Even without safety glass.

The lack of built-in security in our digital lives pushes security responsibility on to us, the end users. CISA head Jen Easterly describes it this way: “As a nation, we have allowed a system where the cybersecurity burden is placed disproportionately on the shoulders of consumers and small organizations and away from the producers of the technology and those developing the products that increasingly run our digital lives.”

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom about the steps we can take to protect our cybersecurity and privacy while we wait for our cybersecurity Nirvana.

Reference: 

Secure by Design, Secure by Default: It's time to build cybersecurity into the design and manufacture of technology products. Find out here what it means to be secure by design and secure by default. https://www.cisa.gov/securebydesign

This week Stan and Julie riff on the cybersecurity and privacy things individuals can control.

Application developers can issue an update but it’s of no value unless the user installs it. The update - and the vulnerability it protects against - is outside the user’s control. Updating that program is within the user’s control.

Stan and Julie discuss this and other ways users can make them less hackable by taking control of the things that they are in control of Keeping software up to date; freezing your credit; being careful on email; backing up files; using strong unique passwords, etc... 

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in an engaging conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

This week’s news brought another story that our private health information is far less private than we might think. 

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on how the use of third-party tracking code on hospital websites ends up with our personal health information in the databases of Alphabet, Meta, and an unknown number of data brokers who buy and sell our extremely sensitive private information for their profit. We the people have neither privacy nor transparency. 

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in an engaging conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

Link: Study finds ‘ubiquitous’ third-party tracking on hospital websites, compromising user data

John F. Kennedy said that a crisis represents both danger and opportunity. And so it is with the rush to embed large language models into everything. 

What a great opportunity for Stan and Julie to riff on the complex challenges of the cyber-incunabula. An example: In the old days - like last year - we warned people to look for spelling errors as a sign of a phishing attack. What was once good advice is now no-where-near sufficient as ChatGPT can write grammatically correct phishing emails structured to appeal to the reader’s emotions. As we discussed in podcast #10, “Distrust and caution are the parents of security.” Now more than ever.

And what are we to make of a Chatbot that writes an opinion piece recommending that the way to solve the problem of homelessness is to shoot unhoused people. AI’s risk to society — to democracy — is profound. That’s why it’s so important we the people get our arms around it before it gets its artificial arms around us.  

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

TikTok has been all over the news this week as their CEO testified to a hostile Congress amid increasingly loud calls to ban it. 

What a great opportunity for Stan and Julie to riff on the complex challenges of the cyber-incunabula. 

The opportunity TikTok gives the Chinese government to spy on Americans, even people who don’t use it. TikTok’s opportunity to deliver misinformation and disinformation to affect the 2024 election. The impact of TikTok and other social media platforms on the well-being of our youth. The First Amendment. 

Stan and Julie discuss the challenges We the people have as we navigate the cyber-incunabula. And as we discussed in podcast #3, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” 

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

Ben Franklin famously said, “Distrust and caution are the parents of security.”

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on distrust and caution. In Ben’s time, among the residents in his town of Philadelphia. Among the alliances required to unite the colonies in our war of Independence, while weeding out the spies amongst them. And as Ben also said, “Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.”

We have the same need for “distrust and caution” in our own time when identities on the Internet are so easy to fake and security is so poor. The wiring instructions from the escrow company may be from hackers who have broken into the escrow company’s computers.  The Facebook “friend” you follow may be part of a botnet from  China or Russia spewing misinformation and disinformation. The person you’ve fallen in love with online may be a scammer who will steal everything you’ve got. Distrust and caution indeed.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its annual Internet crime report last week. Not surprisingly the report continued to show continued growth in cybercrime . 

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on the IC3 report. What it says. What it means … both to the nation’s economy and to its victims. And how cybercrime is an inevitable unintended consequence of the cyber-incunabula, just like the increases in fraud and misinformation resulting from the invention of the printing press.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy. 

Sources and Links from Episode:

Cyber Readiness Institute - https://cyberreadinessinstitute.org/

The Center for InternetSecurity - https://www.cisecurity.org/

The Global Cyber Alliance - https://www.globalcyberalliance.org/

 Sightline Security - https://sightlinesecurity.org/

The White House released its National Cybersecurity Strategy this week. The most controversial part of the strategy revolves around the needs for shifting liability for software products and services.   Glenn Gerstell, the former general counsel of the National Security Agency, described it as follows. “In the rush to market you can’t cut corners on safety. That’s why builders of apartment houses that collapse and makers of baby strollers that crumple are liable when people get hurt. Now we’re doing that for cyber.”

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on the need to shift responsibility - and liability - for security mishaps to those best positioned to do something about it, and how doing so will require building security and privacy into how we manage technology.

In an analogy for today, they discuss how Buick Motor in 1916 tried to sidestep liability for defects, claiming they weren’t the ones selling cars to the public. The courts thought differently.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

SecureTheVillage is on a mission to make Los Angeles the cyber-safest city in America.

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on SecureTheVillage’s big hairy audacious goal. Why it’s needed … from the Boardroom to the living room …and how SecureTheVillage is organizing the village to accomplish it.

This episode is somewhat more personal than most as Stan shares parts of his own life’s journey that brought him to founding SecureTheVillage more than seven years ago.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

(*) If you’re new to the BHAG concept, please visit Jim Collin’s website:  https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/bhag.html.

Describing cybersecurity can look a lot like the story of the blind men and the elephant. One grabs the trunk and says “This is a snake." Another reaches to the elephant’s ear and says it’s a fan. One feels the tusk and says it’s a spear. And so on, each believing that they - and only they - know the elephant..

To many, cybersecurity is IT managing the network. To others, it’s complying with laws and legal obligations. Others see it as a risk management matter to be managed with insurance. Others see it as an operational risk-reduction challenge. Yet to others, cybersecurity is a workforce challenge or the challenge of protecting seniors from romance and other scams. Truth be told, cybersecurity is all of these things along with matters of war and peace … as the cyberwar playing out in Ukraine demonstrates.

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on the opportunities to improve our collective cybersecurity - get our arms around the whole cyber-elephant so to speak - by breaking down the silos, listening to each other, and co-creating opportunities to collaborate … to make 1 + 1 = 1,000 as we say at SecureTheVillage..

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

For a 90-second introduction to the Cyber-Elephant please watch our SecureTheVillage video.

Albert Einstein famously said: “We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”

Bill Gates clearly articulated the thinking that got us into our cybersecurity mess when he wrote in his 1999 book Business@The Speed of Thought: “How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose.”

Where are cybersecurity and privacy in Bill’s prediction, you ask? Exactly!! They’re not. They’re missing. Cybersecurity and privacy did not make it into Bill’s level of thinking until 2002.

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on the level of thinking required for cybersecurity and privacy.

We like to drive our cars fast. So we ensure they have good brakes, safety and crash systems, and drivers. And we need our vehicles to provide safety and performance feedback to the driver. A high-performance car without these is a danger. So we require car manufacturers to build safety and crash systems.

Central to this new level of cybersecurity and privacy thinking is the “driver’s” need for transparency in what applications are doing with the information we entrust to them … and the pitfalls waiting for companies failing to include security and customer privacy in their level of thinking. (We’re talking about you, GoodRX!!)

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.”   Strother Martin to Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke.

A related quote often attributed to George Bernard Shaw “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Join Stan and Julie as they riff on this all-too common challenge that what we say doesn’t always convey what we mean.

In cybersecurity the failure to communicate finds a home in leadership failures and technology mishaps. The leader who sends mixed messages, telling staff to take security seriously while starving the security team of needed budget. The technology manager whose failure to be specific about required security controls results in an application with dangerous vulnerabilities. Ambiguity is built into language, as Stan and Julie demonstrate in their analysis of “This sentence is false.” Is it true” Is it false?

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy. For an excellent read on avoiding ambiguity see Alan Alda’s witty book ”If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating.”

For more information, please visit https://securethevillage.org/

Noted author and satirist H.L. Mencken is famous for pointing out that  “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

Join Dr. Stan and Julie as they riff on this all-too-common human desire for simple solutions to complex problems. How it’s built into our neurology. How it makes it harder to manage cybersecurity. And even how it manifests in the conspiracy theories that drive our political discontent.

The computer and telecommunications revolution that we’re in the middle of is upending our world in ways we haven’t begun to imagine.

A simple cybercrime example: In the old days at the end of the last century, if a criminal wanted to rob a bank, the criminal had to go to the bank.  No more. Now the criminal can steal money from people’s bank accounts over the Internet from anywhere in the world.

Let’s understand that complex problems don’t get solved, they get managed. So let’s take a step back and ask what we can do to manage our security and privacy; in our homes, in our places of work, in our schools, and throughout our community.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

Please join us at:https://securethevillage.org/

Mentioned in the Episode: How Hackable are you? FREE SURVEY

Tom Stoppard, in his play "Arcadia" describes the scientific ferment of the 1820s as follows: "A door like this has cracked open five or six times since we got up on our hind legs. It's the best possible time to be alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong."
 
This is part of the way I feel about where we are today.…

Everything we thought we knew is wrong.
 
• What are facts? What is true?
 • The implications of climate change
 • The permanence of "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."
 • The belief that we were secure in our information and our privacy
 
Yes; it's scary. Yes; It's sad. Yes; It's dangerous.
 
But it's also exhilarating.

It's Teddy Roosevelt charging up San Juan Hill.

It's us discovering/creating new forms to secure the village.

No one's done this before. No one's had to do this before.

And now we're part of a community of interested people and organizations working together to create a secure private world.

How cool.

This is the long-term view.

In cybersecurity, We're being told "Don't trust. Verify." 

This makes the cybersecurity industry an unwilling active participant in the breakdown of trust in society.

And yet, Francis Fukuyama, award-winning Stanford Professor, contends in his book “Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity” that “in an era when social capital may be as important as physical capital, only those societies with a high degree of social trust will be able to create the flexible, large-scale business organizations that are needed to compete in the new global economy.”

Simply put, we need to rebuild the bonds of trust if our economy is to remain competitive. 

Julie and Stan discuss this challenge in the context of America’s clearly inadequate cybersecurity where China, Russia, and others are stealing our intellectual property while costing our economy more than $1,250,000, 000,000 per year, more than 6% of GDP. 

Central to the discussion is an observation CISA Chief of Staff Kiersten Todt made: “People don’t trust institutions. People trust people.” 

We explore how this idea leads to community and how it maps to what others are doing to heal America, like the Aspen Institute’s Weave Project.