Crossing The Firewall

This week, we are joined by Ruby Farr and Dr. Julia Davidson of the University of East London to discuss juvenile engagement in cybercrime and cyber deviancy. Their work with the Institute for Connected Communities (ICC) works to reduce involvement and harm from cybercrime. Learn more: https://www.uel.ac.uk/our-research/institute-connected-communities-icc ---- Interested in learning more about the...

Romance Fraud is committed by gaining someone's trust and using their romantic feelings to leverage monetary gain. To gain the victim's trust and to build these emotional "bonds" over time, fraudsters utilize linguistic tools. Today we are joined by Dr Elisabeth Carter, a criminologist and forensic linguist at Kingston University - London. Dr. Carter discusses how language is use...

Humans are social creatures, and we tend to take the opinions of those around us seriously. The reviews of people we don't even know can influence our decision to purchase a product, eat at a particular restaurant, and even determine how we do our job. This week, Dr. Brandon Van Der Heide joins us to discuss how Social Proof influences our decision-making and how this can be hijacked by bad ac...

This week's episode of Crossing The Firewall, we discuss Artificial Intelligence (AI), Government policy, and regulations. Can we regulate our way to a safe AI environment, or has the metaphorical train left the station and we are simply on the ride? Our guest Dr. Johannes Bauer is a Professor in the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University, and Quello Chair fo...

Join us for this phishing adventure with Michael Joyce, Executive Director of the Human-Centric Cybersecurity Partnership and host of the popular Cybercrimeology podcast! We discuss Phishing scams, the ethics of conducting cybercrime research, and what it takes for us to protect ourselves from scams that are becoming more sophisticated. Listen to the Cybercrimeology Podcast here: https://cybercrim...

Back in May 2025, we recorded a podcast with Dr. Roberta Liggett O'Malley addressing the recent spike in sextortion cases across the United States. Unfortunately, the audio and video files were lost through some mysterious circumstances (we blame our editor). However, the files have been uncovered and we can now publish the episode almost a year to the date of the original recording! Dr. Ligge...

This week we meet with Dr. Russell Brewer, a Professor in the School of Society and Culture at Adelaide University. Dr. Brewer is an expert on the human dimensions of cybercrime and how AI can help identify perpetrators of crime. One of Dr. Brewer's latest projects is developing a stack of AI tools that can help investigators combat CSAM. ---- Learn more about Dr. Brewer: https://researchers.a...

This week's episode of Crossing The Firewall features special guest Rebecca Taylor, a Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager at Sophos. Rebecca discusses how she got into a career in cybercrime and cybersecurity with a degree in English and how the field has evolved over the years. Rebecca is also a published author and podcast host with Amelia Hewitt. Follow their podcast "The Cyber Agony...

Can hackers use their skills for good? It depends on who you ask. However, Ethical Hackers are utilized by companies and governments to find weaknesses in their systems so they can increase their security. These hackers have varying perspectives on their roles, other hackers, and even what the term "hacker" means. We are joined by special guest Dr. Marleen Weulen Kranenbarg, an Assistant...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Suleman Lazarus, a Visiting Scholar at the Mannheim Centre for Criminology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, to discuss global perspectives on cybercrime. Dr. Lazarus conducts groundbreaking and interesting research on cybercrime, working to understand not only the crime being committed but the perpetrators and victims alike. ---- Learn more a...

We are excited to have our first return guest on Crossing The Firewall, Dr. Kevin Steinmetz! Join us this week as we discuss cybercrime in video games. From depictions of cybercrime in video games to actual cybercrimes being carried out through online video games. What are our favorite video games? What was the first video game to depict hacking? How do we protect ourselves and our children from c...

Happy New Year everyone! To kick of 2026, we decided to record a fun episode discussing our favorite movies featuring various types of cybercrime. We are joined by special guest Dr. Adam Bossler, a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology at Georgia Southern University. Dr. Bossler's research focuses on applying traditional criminological theories to various forms of c...

Hacktivism: when individuals or groups utilize cyberattacks to promote political or social causes. Is it a justified use of hacking skills or just another example of cybercrime? The answer to that question may depend on who you ask, but our guest this week is Dr. Vasileios Karagiannopoulos (an expert in cybercrime and hacktivism) who will discuss motives, methods, and the rise of hacktivism. Dr. K...

Dr. Jesse Cale joins us for this episode of Crossing The Firewall to discuss sexual offending, gaming, and the dark web. Offenders are finding a variety of ways to target potential victims, ranging from utilizing the dark web to even targeting individuals on Roblox. ----Dr. Jesse Cale is an Associate Professor of Criminology at Griffith University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice in Qu...

This week's guest, Luuk Bekkers, discusses Money Mules and how they relate to cybercrime. No, they are not literal mules...the entire concept is way more interesting than that. Learn how Money Mules are used in fraud, money laundering, and whether or not Artificial Intelligence (AI) can actually allow this industry to scale or if AI can actually hinder its growth. All of this week's episod...

In this episode of Crossing the Firewall, we are joined by special guest Dr. Jack Whittaker to discuss non-delivery fraud. Dr. Whittaker discusses his research findings surrounding Pet Scams. Fraudsters are actually having fake websites created and are marketing themselves as Dog Breeders to lure potential customers. Once a down payment is placed, the victims become emotionally attached to the ide...

You arrive to your desk after a tiring commute where at least three people cut you off on the freeway and the coffee shop got your order wrong (again). That's okay, though, you made it in and are ready to start your day. The computer boots up, then flashes to a screen you haven't seen before. Now a message shows up on screen, "Access Denied." Panicked, you contact your IT Departm...

Children are interacting with digital devices younger than ever before. While there may be some benefits related to learning on digital devices, the risk of children being victimized online continues to rise. Predatory behavior targeted at children online is a parent's worst nightmare. How do we protect children from online predators? How do we stop these predators from engaging with children...

Concern about data privacy, security, and victimhood vary from person to person. How much we are willing to do to avoid being a victim of cybercrime also varies. Why? The Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) describes this phenomenon well and provides some answers about why or why not people will protect themselves from a particular threat. This week's guest Dr. George Burruss (Professor and Cha...

This week's episode of Crossing the Firewall examines the intersection of community policing, evidence-based policing, and cybercrime. With the internet being global, an international collaborative effort is required to combat the evolution of cybercrime. Michael Newman is a Detective Chief Inspector with over 30 years policing experience. Mike is currently an Intelligence Operations Manager c...

This special episode of Crossing The Firewall features not one, not two, but four guests! Rutger and Jin return for their second episode, while Thomas and Cassandra join our hosts for their first appearance on the podcast. In this episode, the team discusses Nation State Cyberattacks, Age Verification Laws, and parenting in the internet age. You wont want to miss this wide ranging discussion! ----...

Dr. Mark Button is a Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Portsmouth. Dr. Button is also the Director of the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime, which focuses on research, teaching and knowledge services in counter fraud and related issues. Learn more about Dr. Button: https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/mark-but...

The phrase "Dark Web" conjures images of shady websites, terrifying realities, and a criminal underground hidden away from the rest of the world. In some instances, this may be true. However, in most instances, the "Dark Web" is far from what Hollywood portrays. For example: can you really hire a hitman on the Dark Web? Probably not...those sites tend to be run by scammers or l...

Dr. Lisa Sugiura is an Associate Professor at the University of Portsmouth's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Dr. Sugiura's research expertise focuses on online gender-based violence and technology-facilitated sexual violence, specifically as it relates to women and girls. In this episode of Crossing the Firewall, Dr. Sugiura discusses the Incel subculture online and how it impa...

The key to any good magic trick isn't the prop, it is the deception. To trick the audience into believing what they see and ignore what they don't. Much is the same with hacking, cybercrime...and concerningly cyber terror. Dr. Max Kilger joins the hosts of Crossing The Firewall to discuss how the magic and allure of hacking created the Hacker Community and how that is evolved - and in many...