N2K Networks

Hacking Humans

News EN ↓ 821 episodes

Deception, influence, and social engineering in the world of cyber crime.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: thecyberwire.com

Author

N2K Networks

Category

News

Podcast website

thecyberwire.com

Latest episode

Oct 22, 2026

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Episodes

How little data reveals a lot. 11.09.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Maria's story...

MITRE ATT&CK (noun) [Word Notes] 09.09.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures established and maintained by the MITRE Corporation.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/mitre-attck⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠Attack Frameworks - SY0-601 CompTIA Security+ : 4.2⁠,” Professor Messer, YouTube, 29 April 2021.

When your AI gets scammed. 04.09.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. This week’s follow-up br...

Hot sauce and hot takes: An Only Malware in the Building special. [OMITB] 02.09.2025

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building — but this time, it’s not just another episode. This is a special edition you won’t want to miss. For the first time, our hosts are together in-studio — and they’re turning up the heat. Literally. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠, along with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Netwo...

DevOps (noun) [Word Notes] 02.09.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. The set of people, process, technology, and cultural norms that integrates software development and IT operations into a system-of-systems. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/devops⁠ Audio reference link: "⁠10+ Deploys Per Day: Dev and Ops Cooperation at Flickr⁠," by John Allspaw and Paul Hammond, Velocity 09, 25 July 2009.

Social engineering served sunny-side up. 28.08.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, this...

Waterfall Software Development Method (noun) [Word Notes] 26.08.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A software development model that relies on a series of sequential steps that flow into each other, like a series of waterfalls.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/waterfall-software-development⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠Creating Video Games - Agile Software Development,⁠” by Sara Verrilli, MIT OpenCourseWare, YouTube, 10 December 20...

Scammers hit the right notes in the wrong way. 21.08.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up from Chris Martin, a long...

Agile Software Development Method (noun) [Word Notes] 19.08.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A software development philosophy that emphasizes incremental delivery, team collaboration, continual planning, and continual learning  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/agile-software-development⁠ Audio reference link: "⁠Velocity 09: John Allspaw and Paul Hammond, "10+ Deploys Pe,⁠" John Allspaw and Paul Hammond, 2009 Velocity Conf...

This scam is now in session. 14.08.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Joe's story is on WhatsApp rolling out new anti-scam tools,...

Pegasus (noun) [Word Notes] 12.08.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. The flagship product of the controversial Israeli spyware vendor, the NSO Group, use for remotely hacking mobile devices, most notably iPhones, via zero-click exploits. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/pegasus⁠ Audio reference link:⁠“Cybersecurity beyond the Headlines: A Conversation with Journalist Nicole Perlroth⁠,” Kristen Eiche...

Yeti or not, it’s a scam. 07.08.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow-up on an Arizona woman sentenced to over ei...

Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting Conformance (DMARC) (noun) [Word Notes] 05.08.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. An open source email authentication protocol designed to prevent emails, spoofing in phishing, business email compromise or BEC, and other email-based attacks.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/pegasus⁠ Audio reference link:"⁠Global Cyber Alliance's Phil Reitinger talks DMARC adoption⁠" “Global Cyber Alliance’s Phil Reitinger Talks...

Work from home, malware included. [OMITB] 05.08.2025

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by her co-hosts ⁠⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠D...

Click for a pay bump? 31.07.2025

In this special episode of Hacking Humans, while Joe and Maria take a well-earned summer break, we’re joined by a special guest host: Rob Allen, Chief Product Officer at ThreatLocker. Rob dives into the tactics and profile of the cybercriminal group known as Scattered Spider—a crew that’s gained notoriety for its cunning use of social engineering over traditional hacking techniques. Known for bein...

Shields Up (noun) [Word Notes] 29.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A condition announced by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to draw attention to a temporary period of high alert, associated with expectation of a connected wave of cyberattacks prompted by either a widespread vulnerability or an unusually active and capable threat actor. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossa...

The delusional side of AI therapy. 24.07.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We've got some follow-up from listener Kajetan, who recalled a run-in with a sc...

Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM) (noun) [Word Notes] 22.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A prescriptive open source software security maturity model designed to guide strategies tailored to an organization’s specific risks. Audio reference link: "⁠⁠OWASPMSP - Pravir Chandra: Software Assurance Maturity Model (OpenSAMM)⁠⁠." by Pravir Chandra, OWASP MSP, 2009.

It’s all glitter, no gold. 17.07.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Our hosts share some follow-up, including a Rick Roll after the last episode. They also h...

Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) (noun) [Word Notes] 15.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. An open standard for hardware authentication tokens that use the universal serial bus, or USB, near-field communications, or NFCs, or Bluetooth to communicate one factor in a two-factor authentication exchange. Cyberwire Glossary link: ⁠⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/u2f⁠⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠⁠Rise of the Machines: A Cybernetic History⁠⁠,” by Thomas...

Convinced, compromised, and confirmed. 10.07.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with a ton of follow-up—from a sextortion scam that triggered a bot frenzy on Facebook, to...

adversary group naming (noun) [Word Notes] 08.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A cyber threat intelligence best practice of assigning arbitrary labels to collections of hacker activity across the intrusion kill chain.

Brushed aside: The subtle scam you didn't order. 03.07.2025

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, as Joe shares with us a complaint he has with Vanguard. Maria’s story is on McA...

BSIMM (noun) [Word Notes] 01.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A descriptive model that provides a baseline of observed software security initiatives and activities from a collection of volunteer software development shops.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/bsimm⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠OWASP AppSecUSA 2014 - Keynote: Gary McGraw - BSIMM: A Decade of Software Security⁠.” YouTube Video. YouTub...

The RMM protocol: Remote, risky, and ready to strike. [Only Malware in the Building] 01.07.2025

Please enjoy this encore of Only Malware in the Building. Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Sele...

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