Creating habits of healthy skepticism when receiving texts or emails can prevent you from clicking on phishing links. Everybody is vulnerable online, especially when distracted or in a hurry. But cultivating critical thinking and self-awareness can enhance protection against manipulation.

Today’s guest is Perry Carpenter. Perry is an award-winning author, podcaster, and speaker with over two decades in cybersecurity, focusing on how cyber criminals exploit human behavior. As the Chief Human Risk Management Strategist at KnowBe4, Perry helps build robust, human-centric defenses against social engineering-based threats. His latest book FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions, tackles AI’s role in deception.

• [1:02] - Perry shares his background and what his career has entailed.
• [4:01] - Regardless of how much people say, spend, or do on security-related issues, the people side of things is hard to control.
• [5:25] - Perry has always been interested in deception and misdirection.
• [6:59] - Even as a security professional, Perry has experienced enough distraction to click a phishing email.
• [9:43] - It is easier to be distracted and not follow usual healthy security habits than being on a computer.
• [12:24] - We fall into habits easily, especially when the behavior is simple and easy.
• [16:00] - Technology based deception is more available to anybody than in any other time in history.
• [18:10] - Security professionals and often pushed in the roles of giving advice.
• [19:40] - Reflection questions like “Why is this in front of me?” might prevent someone from falling victim to a scam.
• [26:58] - Everybody is vulnerable. Even though cybersecurity professionals know more on the topic than some others, it is still possible for them as well.
• [30:40] - Pig butchering and crypto scammers sometimes actually do send money back as a tactic to earn trust and increase hope.
• [34:42] - We have to have a healthy skepticism of the information environment that we live in.
• [36:39] - There are very few situations in life where you won’t benefit from slowing down and thinking things through.
• [38:41] - Perry suggests a family activity that will help boost understanding of pressure tactics.
• [40:17] - The narratives or tells that work for someone might raise a red flag to others.
• [43:25] - As a society, we’ve gotten to a point where we don’t like to introspect.
• [45:59] - Perry discusses the content of his most recent book and how it is information without the “easy way out”.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

• Podcast Web Page
• Facebook Page
• whatismyipaddress.com
• Easy Prey on Instagram
• Easy Prey on Twitter
• Easy Prey on LinkedIn
• Easy Prey on YouTube
• Easy Prey on Pinterest
• FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions by Perry Carpenter
• Perry Carpenter on LinkedIn

In a world of cybersecurity and online privacy, anonymity seems to be the key. VPNs are often promoted as the cure-all to our internet needs. Let’s talk about some of those misconceptions.

Today’s guest is Lance Cottrell. Lance founded Anonymizer in 1995 and is an internationally recognized expert in cryptography, online privacy, and internet security. He is the principal author on multiple internet privacy and security technology patents. Lance stayed on as Chief Scientist as Anonymizer was acquired by Intrepid, and now advises start-ups through his platform.

• [1:09] - Lance shares his background and how he spent the start of his career and into founding Anonymizer.
• [3:03] - To continue destigmatizing being a victim of a scam, Lance shares his own experience as a victim himself.
• [5:38] - In-person scammers are very believable. They learn through building a relationship the things that you want.
• [9:47] - There are two reasons why people commit treason - revenge and justice.
• [10:42] - Prior to founding Anonymizer, Lance had fantastic access to the internet in the early 90s and became involved in the open-source community.
• [13:58] - Lance describes how Anonymizer did business-wise and where it capped.
• [17:40] - There are different types of customers for Anonymizer, general consumers as well as government entities.
• [20:30] - There were certainly times where someone would come to Anonymizer and they had done something that was really pretty dire.
• [23:28] - Anonymizer was able to develop some new technologies that Lance describes.
• [25:35] - If you need to trust someone, research who that someone is and understand if you can.
• [27:11] - The biggest mistake is thinking your IP address is the important thing.
• [29:19] - Actually achieving anonymity or pseudonymity and maintaining overtime is incredibly challenging.
• [31:09] - Human behavior tends to give away anonymity.
• [33:47] - People don’t think anywhere near enough on the threat model.
• [34:58] - When are VPNs actually beneficial?
• [37:32] - Be very specific about what you want to protect.
• [40:05] - Obsession and trying to run your life around trying to be anonymous is not helpful.
• [41:41] - Lance discusses some of the interesting aspects of the psychology of criminals.
• [43:10] - Lance shares some parting advice and the basic things to do to stay protected.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

• Podcast Web Page
• Facebook Page
• whatismyipaddress.com
• Easy Prey on Instagram
• Easy Prey on Twitter
• Easy Prey on LinkedIn
• Easy Prey on YouTube
• Easy Prey on Pinterest
• Lance Cottrell on LinkedIn
• Lance Cottrell Website
• Feel the Boot - The Science of Startups

Cybersecurity is more crucial than ever. It’s essential that we proactively safeguard our data and recognize that no one is immune to attacks. We are all vulnerable. As malicious actors continually enhance their tactics, we must stay one step ahead by consistently improving our defenses.

Today’s guest is Vincent LaRocca. Vincent is the CEO of CyberSecOp with the commitment to protecting sensitive data and mitigating cyber threats. With over two decades of experience, Vincent has successfully steered CyberSecOp to become one of the world’s fastest growing managed security providers, specializing in cybersecurity assessments, breach management, and risk management consulting.

• [1:15] - Vincent shares his background and how he found himself working in cybersecurity.
• [2:40] - Even the experts are vulnerable. Vincent shares an experience he had with fraud at his bank.
• [4:16] - Cyber threat trends are moving to AI.
• [6:19] - As consumers, we need to be aware of how AI is using our data and what we give it permission to have access to.
• [8:19] - AI isn’t going anywhere. It will continue to grow and develop.
• [9:16] - Threat actors are unfortunately usually one step ahead of defenses. They are using AI to exploit vulnerabilities.
• [11:54] - AI gives threat actors even more reach. The number of incidents and scams are extremely high and will multiply.
• [13:59] - Small organizations and business owners are hit pretty hard by breaches since they often do not have a cybersecurity team.
• [16:09] - Vincent shares some of the traits and qualifications that are good to look for in cybersecurity professionals for small businesses.
• [19:07] - Defenses are built against things that we know about, not things we don’t know about.
• [21:27] - There are things that can be done that are free or more cost-effective.
• [23:40] - There’s no point in putting a fancy lock on the front door if there’s nothing protecting the back door.
• [27:06] - Even if an organization has invested in cybersecurity and knows how to keep data safe, if their partners or vendors do not, it means very little.
• [28:31] - There are so many breaches that have happened that we don’t even know about and our data is out there mixed in with so much more.
• [30:31] - We are a part of an AI revolution currently and the landscape of AI will be completely different in just a few years.
• [33:58] - The tools for cybersecurity, including machine learning, are improving every day as well.
• [37:09] - Don’t turn a blind eye and assume you can’t afford protection.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

• Podcast Web Page
• Facebook Page
• whatismyipaddress.com
• Easy Prey on Instagram
• Easy Prey on Twitter
• Easy Prey on LinkedIn
• Easy Prey on YouTube
• Easy Prey on Pinterest
• Vincent LaRocca on LinkedIn
• CyberSecOp Website