Shared Security Podcast

In this special episode of the Shared Security Podcast, host Tom Eston interviews Vivek Ramachandran, the founder of SquareX. Vivek shares his journey in WiFi security, recounting his introduction of the Cafe Latte man-in-the-middle attack and founding of Pentest Academy. He discusses his latest venture, SquareX, a company focused on browser security to protect employees from client-side attacks....

In this episode of the Shared Security Podcast, the team debates the Surgeon General's recent call for social media warning labels and explores the pros and cons. Scott discusses whether passwords should be stored in web browsers, potentially sparking strong opinions. The hosts also provide an update on Microsoft's delayed release of CoPilot Plus PCs due to security concerns and reflect on the und...

In episode 334, hosts Tom Eston, Scott Wright, and Kevin Johnson discuss two major topics. First, they explore the ongoing legal battle between Citizen Lab and the Israeli spyware company NSO Group. The courts have consistently blocked NSO's attempts to access Citizen Lab's documents to protect victim privacy. Second, they discuss Apple's new AI features announced at their developer conference, pr...

In episode 333 of the Shared Security Podcast, Tom and Scott discuss a recent massive data breach at Ticketmaster involving the data of 560 million customers, the blame game between Ticketmaster and third-party provider Snowflake, and the implications for both companies. Additionally, they discuss Live Nation’s ongoing monopoly investigation. In the ‘Aware Much’ segment, the rise of work-from-home...

In this episode host Tom Eston welcomes Jen VanAntwerp, founder of Sober in Cyber. Jen shares her journey in cybersecurity and marketing, and discusses the motivation behind creating alcohol-free networking events. Sober in Cyber provides much-needed alternatives to typical alcohol-centered industry events, fostering inclusive environments for both sober professionals and those simply seeking a di...

Episode 331 of the Shared Security Podcast discusses privacy and security concerns related to two major technological developments: the introduction of Windows PC’s new feature ‘Recall,’ part of Microsoft’s Copilot+, which captures desktop screenshots for AI-powered search tools, and Slack’s policy of using user data to train machine learning features with users opted in by default. Tom and Kevin...

In episode 330 Tom, Scott, and Kevin discuss the new features for iPhones and Android phones designed to warn users about secret trackers, possibly aiding in identifying stalkers. The hosts discuss Apple and Google’s collaboration on a technology called DOLT (Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers), aiming to improve user privacy by detecting Bluetooth trackers like Tiles and AirTags. They also high...

In this first-ever in-person recording of Shared Security, Tom and Kevin, along with special guest Matt Johansen from Reddit, discuss their experience at the RSA conference in San Francisco, including their walk-through of 'enhanced security' and the humorous misunderstanding that ensued. The conversation moves to the ubiquity of AI and machine learning buzzwords at the conference, questioning the...

In episode 328, Tom and Kevin discuss two major cybersecurity and privacy news stories. The first topic covers the FCC issuing fines to major US wireless carriers for sharing users' real-time location data, totaling nearly $200 million. They express surprise and skepticism over the carriers' actions and deliberate on whether the fines would be impactful or merely seen as the cost of doing business...

In episode 327 Tom, Scott, and Kevin discuss the findings from Mandiant's M-Trends 2024 report, highlighting a significant rise in traditional vulnerability exploitation by attackers while observing a decline in phishing. Despite phishing's decreased prevalence, it remains the second most popular method for gaining initial network access. Discussions include the impact of high-profile vulnerabilit...

In this episode Erin Gallagher, cybersecurity awareness lead at Fastly, discusses her journey into the field of security awareness and her unique approach to enhancing cybersecurity within tech companies. Erin shares her unconventional path from a communication major to leading security awareness programs at IBM and a large insurance company, before joining Fastly. She highlights the challenges an...

In episode 325, Tom and Kevin discuss a significant backdoor threat that nearly compromised Linux systems globally, stemming from an infiltration into an open-source project called XZ Utils by attackers who gained commit access and inserted a backdoor. The episode further delves into a cybersecurity incident where hackers stole 340,000 social security numbers from a government consulting firm, emp...

Episode 324 features discussions on a significant AT&T data breach affecting 73 million customers and a sophisticated thread jacking attack targeting a journalist. Co-host Scott Wright joins the discussion, highlighting how millions of AT&T customer account passcodes, along with personal information, were compromised due to a leak discovered by a security researcher and reported by TechCru...

In episode 323, the hosts discuss two prominent topics. The first segment discusses a significant vulnerability discovered in hotel locks, branded as 'Unsaflok,' affecting 3 million doors across 131 countries. The vulnerability allows attackers to create master keys from a regular key, granted access to all doors in a hotel. The co-hosts also discuss the vulnerability's relation to legacy systems...

In this episode, special guest Alyssa Miller joins the hosts for an insightful and entertaining conversation covering a broad range of topics from social engineering anecdotes involving Kevin Johnson to Alyssa's journey in aviation and being a pilot. They discuss the challenges within the cybersecurity industry, including the transition to cloud computing and the neglect of on-prem data centers. A...

In episode 321, the hosts discuss how connected cars are sharing driving data with insurance companies, potentially leading to increased rates for drivers. They also talk about the anti-TikTok bill passed by the House, which could force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in app stores. The episode also covers a significant update to Signal, allowing users to use usernames instead of phone numb...

In episode 320, Tom and Scott discuss the contentious issue of who is accountable when Facebook or Instagram accounts are hacked, discussing potential failings on both the user's and Meta's part. They explore the possibility of inadequate security measures on these platforms and the implications of Meta potentially profiting from fraudulent ads. The episode also covers a Wired article regarding 41...

In Episode 319, Tom and Kevin discuss the potential data privacy risks associated with having an AI 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend' and why one should refrain from sharing their personal data with such AIs. They engage in a humorous conversation about the unusual advertisements these AI companions attract, while expressing concerns over their deceptive and sensitive data gathering. The episode also ex...

In episode 318, we discuss the trending 'get to know me' posts on social media platforms like Instagram and the potential risks of sharing personal information publicly, particularly in light of potential misuse for password resetting. We recount a similar trend observed years ago when social media was in its infancy. The second topic covers Ring's decision to discontinue its 'Request for assistan...

In episode 317, the Tom and Kevin discuss a reported deepfake scam that allegedly led to the theft of 25.6 million from a multinational company and Canada's attempt to ban the Flipper Zero device, believing it plays a role in auto thefts. They critique the Canadian government's understanding of the device and its capabilities, questioning whether the move is political posturing rather than a measu...

In episode 316, we have the pleasure to chat with Jason Haddix, a prominent influencer in the cybersecurity community. With an intriguing career path, from being a 'computer kid', venturing into the nascent dark web, to becoming a respected figure in the Bug Bounty space, his journey is nothing short of inspiration. We dive into the evolution and the current state of Bug Bounty, the emergence of c...

In this episode of the Shared Security Podcast, we discuss the concerning issue of victim-blaming in cybersecurity with special guest, Andra Zaharia, host of the Cyber Empathy and We Think We Know podcasts. Key topics include the societal issues within cybersecurity, the role of empathy in business and cybersecurity, leadership's role in empathy and the recent 23andMe data breach. We discuss how c...

In this episode, host Tom Eston provides a detailed explanation of the 'Stolen Device Protection' for iPhones - a new security feature by Apple. This feature triggers enhanced security factors such as Face ID, Touch ID, and an hour-long security delay for critical actions when the phone is away from familiar locations. Tom also provides guidance on how to enable and disable this feature on iOS 17....

In Episode 313, hosts Tom and Scott discuss the world of scambaiting, discussing what it is, the tactics used, and its effectiveness in stopping scammers. They talk about popular channels like Scammer Payback and Kitboga that show these scams in progress. Then they switch to the best practices to prevent social media account takeovers, highlighting a guide written by Rachel Tobac. Lastly, they sha...

In episode 312, Tom and Scott discuss the implications of a new law in Ohio that may require parental consent for children under 16 using social media, including the pros and cons of this legislation. They also discuss Meta's new link history feature and the repercussions it might have on ad targeting on Facebook and Instagram. The episode concludes with a discussion on a court case in Ottawa, whe...