Speakeasy Security

Join us as we kick off season 4 of Speakeasy Security! This week, our hosts take on the hot topic of vaccination passports. As travel begins to pick up and restrictions begin to ease, Tony and Ranson explain what vaccination passports are, the privacy implications and how they are being managed. Without realizing it many people may already be declaring openly that they have had certain vaccination...

How likely is it for a cybercriminal to hack your vehicle? Why is the UN involved and what are car manufacturers doing to help protect connected vehicles? This week on Speakeasy Security, Tony and Ranson take a look at how connected cars can be attacked and what the industry is doing to help. If you’re a gear head, a connected car owner, or simply interested in learning more, you won’t want to mis...

What is a non-fungible token, or NFT? Are these digital tokens the future of the art industry? This week our hosts dive into the world of NFTs and explain what the blockchain-based technology is all about. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode of Speakeasy Security so pour a cold beer and join us for this look into the interesting world of NFTs. Links Time - https://time.com/5947720/nft-art/ Thi...

Google has recently announced it will stop selling ads based on an individuals’ browsing history across sites and it has serious implication for the public. What does this change mean for the average person? How will this affect ads on social media? Ranson and Tony discuss this major development and more on this week’s episode of Speakeasy Security. Links: https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce...

Everyone’s talking about Clubhouse, the invite-only, audio app du jour is creating a lot buzz. However, are the members of this service trading in their privacy for access to the exclusive app? What happens to your contact list when you sign up for the service? Tony and Ranson tackle this trending topic on the latest episode of Speakeasy Security and explain what you need to know about Clubhouse....

Tony and Ranson uncover an unlikely, albeit true story this week on Speakeasy Security. An 11-year-old boy blackmails his own father while posing as a hacker from within their own home, or so the story goes. What did the child do, and did he actually get away with it? Our hosts discuss this incredible story and share a few lessons in this episode you won’t want to miss.   Links   Ubergizmo Article...

On this edition of Speakeasy Security, our hosts Tony and Ranson invite a special guest to the show to share her experience in the industry. Dominique West (CISSP) is an accomplished cyber security professional with an inspiring story. Having been named one of ESET’s Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship winners, she’s deeply passionate about cloud security and empowering women in the field of cybers...

Romance scams are everywhere. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, our hosts take a closer look at how these scams work and how to identify them. From flooding DM’s to invading dating apps, the recent rise of romance scams are creating big paydays for criminals and even bigger headaches for victims. Protect yourself, your loved ones and don’t get caught falling victim to one of the most prevalen...

On this episode of Speakeasy Security, our hosts celebrate Data Privacy Day and discuss its importance to both individuals and businesses. With this year’s theme of “Own Your Data”, Tony and Ranson help our listeners navigate this tricky topic. What information is being collected on the average consumer? Why are privacy policies so difficult to understand? How valuable is personal data to a compan...

Have you ever received an email from an executive at your company requesting you to wire money to an account? Then you’ve been affected by a Business Email Compromise, which the FBI has labeled as the number 1 threat to businesses. This week, our hosts take our listeners through the murky world of business email compromise and share examples of these sinister scams that may surprise the most cyber...

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is now in its 54th year and ESET is there to check out all the action. Our hosts Ranson and Tony invite ESET Security Researcher Cameron Camp to join the podcast and share some of the cool and innovative things he’s seeing at CES. From the 56-inch infotainment screen in the new Mercedes-Benz to the eye-popping advancements in robotics and computing power, this s...

ESET researchers have discovered connected sex toys can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. At least they were, until our team shared their findings with us on this podcast. So, what toys were found to be vulnerable and how can they be exploited? And what are the best ways to avoid risking an attack? Tune in to this episode of Speakeasy Security as our hosts speak directly with Cecilia and Denise, the...

As the holiday season kicks into high gear, Black Friday and sales promotions are inescapable. Cybercriminals are taking note of the increase in online shopping this season, and our hosts Ranson and Tony share their tips for transacting safely. If you’re considering purchasing your gifts online this year, then you don’t want to miss this episode of Speakeasy Security.      Links:   https://www.btt...

Are people still falling for romance scams on social media? You would be surprised by the findings revealed in the latest report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Individuals have lost a reported $117 million to scams in the first six months of 2020, and with the holiday season rapidly approaching, there are no signs that point to a slow down. Join us on this week’s episode of Speakeasy Secur...

Join us this week on Speakeasy Security as Ranson and Tony discuss yet another development in biometrics, the Amazon One. Our hosts have a look at the new tech deployed by Amazon while also examine its commercial applications. We take a trip down memory lane and have a look back at the progress of biometrics in everything from fingerprint scanners to iris/retinal scanning. Grab a beer and enjoy th...

This week our hosts kick off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a special guest. Ranson and Tony welcome Kelvin Coleman, the executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) to discuss how his organization is taking the lead to educate and empower the global digital society. Kelvin shares details about this month’s theme, “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart” and how you can get involved...

Our hosts Ranson and Tony invite Kristin Judge, CEO and founder of Cybercrime Support Network (CSN) and Fraudsupport.org, to join this week’s episode of Speakeasy Security. With the spike in cybercrime activity, Kristin drops by the podcast to discuss what her organizations are doing to support victims of cybercrime. Whether you’re a victim of a cleverly executed romance scam or have been personal...

In this episode our hosts take on fitness devices, trackers and apps that record and capture health data and much more. Earlier this week Apple announced the Apple Watch 6, which features a bevy of new capabilities including a new sensor capable of measuring blood oxygenation levels. This comes on the heels of the Amazon Halo announcement which can also capture a variety of physical and health dat...

On this episode of Speakeasy Security, Ranson and Tony discuss how to prepare your digital devices in the event of an emergency evacuation. As fires continue to ravage communities across California and with other parts of the U.S. facing hurricanes and flooding, mandatory evacuations are forcing thousands of Americans to pack up and leave with little warning. What considerations should be made whe...

The school year is right around the corner and for many students this means the return of remote learning. Ranson and Tony discuss what returning to virtual classrooms means for the millions of students heading back to school. With students expected to spend more time learning online than ever before, our hosts discuss recent developments in California and across the US where getting connected is...

Ranson and Tony are back as Speakeasy Security returns for another season. This week, our hosts dig into a recent hack of Blackbaud that has affected universities, non-profits and charity organizations around the world...and the attackers nearly got away with it! What happened with this attack that Tony labels “Hostage-ware” and how did the attackers take only a subset of data? With data breaches...

With Twitter being hacked last week, Ranson and Tony analyze the latest develops in true Speakeasy Security style – over a cold beer! In this episode, our hosts uncover details about this landmark attack including how it happened, why the attackers selected high-profile Twitter accounts, and how the attackers made money from this hack. You don’t want to miss the season 1 finale of Speakeasy Securi...

This week our hosts discuss cutting the cord, specifically the cable TV cord. Increasingly, US citizens are abandoning cable and switching to streaming services. What are the security implications of ditching cable? Is it possible to eliminate cable and save money at the same time? What is a mesh network of routers and how to set one up? Tony and Ranson discuss their cable-free home setups and inv...

Traveling this summer? It’s a good idea to do a quick check of your digital devices to ensure they’re protected against cybercriminals. Our hosts Ranson and Tony discuss how to safeguard your devices prior to traveling and provide great tips for when you’ve reached your destination. Grab a beverage and learn how you can be prepared to travel on this week’s Speakeasy Security podcast. Safe travels!...

On this episode of Speakeasy Security, Ranson and Tony discuss the sensitive topic of parental controls. What do parental controls really accomplish? How can you ensure they are blocking inappropriate content, monitoring online behavior or setting limits on a child’s screen time? What is the recommended ratio of tech to education when it comes to keeping your kids safe online? Our hosts answer the...