Hacking Humans

From the intrusion kill chain model, a malicious code delivery technique that allows hackers to send code of their choosing to their victim’s browser. XSS takes advantage of the fact that roughly 90% of web developers use the JavaScript scripting language to create dynamic content on their websites. Through various methods, hackers store their own malicious javascript code on unprotected websites....

Selena Larson and Tim Utzig discussing research titled "Twitter Scammers Stole $1,000 From My Friend—So I Hunted Them Down." Joe and Dave share a bit of follow up this week, they discuss Hawaii fire scams, and listener Steve writes in regarding some comments about the recent scammer quiz Joe and Dave took, lastly listener John writes in and shares his thoughts on a discussion a couple weeks ago re...

From the intrusion kill chain model, the first part of an exploitation technique where the hacker tricks their victims into revealing their login credentials. In the second part of the technique, hackers legitimately log into the targeted system and gain access to the underlying network with the same permissions as the victim. Hackers use this method 80% of the time compared to other ways to gain...

Blair Cohen from AuthenticID joins Dave to discuss how generative AI and authentication go hand in hand. Joe and Dave share some follow up from listener Robert who discusses an ad for a device that uses ChatGPT to record phone calls on your device. Dave helps his dad out with his computer and shares the tale. Dave also shares a story this week on the FBI warning against scammers who are posing as...

An authentication process that requires two different factors before granting access. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/two-factor-authentication

Dave Baggett from INKY joins Dave to dive into the latest phishing trends and discuss a broader view of how AI is being used by both the good guys and the bad guys. Joe's story this week dives into the APT with an entirely too cool name, Midnight Blizzard, that has been conducting targeted social engineering towards the popular Microsoft Teams. Dave's story this week follows a Facebook Market user...

From the intrusion kill chain model, the delivery of a “lure” to a potential victim by pretending to be some trustworthy person or organization in order to trick the victim into revealing sensitive information. According to Knowbe4, the word “phishing” first appeared in a Usenet newsgroup called AOHell in 1996 and some of the very first phishing attacks used AOL Instant Messenger to deliver fake m...

Thanks for joining us again for another episode of fun project brought to you by the team of Hacking Humans, the CyberWire's social engineering podcast. Hacking Humans co-host Dave Bittner is joined by Rick Howard in this series where they view clips from their favorite movies and television shows with examples of the social engineering scams and schemes you hear Dave and co-host Joe Carrigan talk...

Raj Ananthanpillai from Trua joins Dave to discuss privacy concerns and what you shouldn't share with ChatGPT. Dave and Joe share some listener follow up from Clayton who shares some comments on a previous episode where Dave discusses bomb threats to retail stores for ransom. Dave's story follows Google rapidly trying to correct bogus airline phone numbers that were discovered this week. Joe's sto...

A cloud based sensitive information management system that allows users access across multiple devices. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/icloud-keychain Audio reference link: Ellen’s Tips For iOS, 2022. How To Master iCloud Keychain to Keep Your Passwords Safe and Secure [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl3E29iUvgE 

Perry Carpenter joins Dave to discuss his book "The Security Culture Playbook: An Executive Guide To Reducing Risk and Developing Your Human Defense Layer." Joe and Dave share some listener follow up on messing with scammers, and how dangerous that actually can be. Joe's story follows hackers trying to steal your secrets using infected USB drives. Dave's story is on a tech executive and how they f...

A subset of the internet where communications between two parties or client-server transactions are obscured from search engines and surveillance systems by layers of encryption. The U.S. Navy designed the original Darknet by developing The Onion Router network, or TOR, back in the 1990s. Roger Dingledine and Nick Mathewson deployed the first alpha implementation in 2002 with some initial funding...

Mallory Sofastaii, consumer investigative reporter from WMAR TV, is discussing animal rescue organizations on Facebook pages being taken over by hackers. Listener George writes in to share how his bank is not doing enough to protect against fraud going on. Dave's story follows scammers using new tricks, across the nation, to receive bitcoin and gift cards after threatening stores with bomb scares....

1. A wireless access point installed by employees in an office or data center environment as a convenience to connectivity without the consent or the knowledge of the network manager. 2. A wireless access point, sometimes called an Evil Twin, installed by a cyber adversary in or near an office or data center environment designed to bypass security controls, gain access, and/or surveil the network...

Guest Jane Lee, Trust and Safety Architect from Sift joins Dave to discuss the rise of fraudulent online content and fake crypto platforms. Dave and Joe share some listener follow up regarding the debate over "mum" versus "mom" and who speaks which pronunciation more. Dave has two stories this week, one story follows a Twitter thread about a man who shared his story about selling a desk on Faceboo...

A network mapping tool that pings IP addresses looking for a response and can discover host names, open communications ports, operating system names and versions. Written and maintained by Gordon Lyon, a.k.a. Fyodor, it is a free and open source software application used by both system admins and hackers alike and has been a staple in the security community for well over two decades. CyberWire Glo...

Our UK correspondent Carole Theriault is talking with London insurance market CISO Thom Langford about insider threats. Joe and Dave share some listener follow up from Waldo who writes in to share a video explaining how bad guys are able to hack users. Joe shares a report from Verizon, one of the industries leading phone companies, about social engineering. Dave's story follows a gentleman who was...

A cyber threat intelligence analysis model that defines relationship pairs between four core components in the shape of a diamond of adversary playbook activity across the intrusion kill chain: the adversary, their capability, the infrastructure used or attacked, and the victim. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/diamond-model Audio reference link: “Diamond Presentation v2...

Guest Sean Gallagher, Principal Researcher with Sophos Xops team, joins us to discuss "'FleeceGPT' mobile apps target AI-curious to rake in cash. Joe shares some listener feedback from Jon about "No Stupid Questions" podcast. Dave's story is from Reddit about a free piano scam. Joe's got a story on a woman pleading with her bank to stop a fake wire transfer, but they were too busy. Our Catch of th...

A US Department of Homeland Security agency tasked with supporting cyber and physical security for US critical infrastructure. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency Audio reference link: CISA, 2021. CISA Director Jen Easterly’s Keynote at Black Hat USA 2021 [Video]. YouTube. URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bu-L-m4K4.

Unsolicited, unwanted, and sometimes malicious electronic messages indiscriminately transmitted to a large number of people. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/spam Audio reference link: zumpzump, 2007. Monty Python - Spam [Video]. YouTube. URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE.

Toby Pischl, Head of Information & Email Security at Broadcom, sits down with Dave to discuss how Slack and Microsoft Teams phishing is an open door into businesses. Joe and Dave share some follow up regarding a case of a woman claiming to have cancer to receive over $37,000 from donors on GoFundMe. Joe has the terrible story out of Michigan where a high schooler committed suicide after a sextorti...

A US Department of Homeland Security agency tasked with supporting cyber and physical security for US critical infrastructure. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency Audio reference link: CISA, 2021. CISA Director Jen Easterly’s Keynote at Black Hat USA 2021 [Video]. YouTube. URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bu-L-m4K4.

This week, Jeremy Fuchs from Avanan joins Dave to discuss how hackers are using replier attacks. Replier attacks are attacks in which hackers change the reply-to address to send emails from what appears to be a reputable company, when in reality it's a spoofed account. Joe and Dave share some follow up from listeners Wayne who writes in with some comments on episode 245, and listener Michael, who...

The act of searching through an organization's trash for discarded sensitive material.  CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/dumpster-diving Audio reference link: “Better Call Saul jimmy digs in the Sandpiper trash scene,” uploaded by Robert Bowersock, 18 September 2022.