We all use technology. Things like internet browsers, search engines, instant messaging, and payment apps. But we aren’t always aware of the data being collected. This information can not only impact your privacy, but those around you as well.

Today’s guest is Carey Parker. Carey is the author of Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons, a step-by-step guide to computer security and privacy for non-techies. He also hosts a podcast by the same name. He recently retired from a career in software engineering to focus on teaching others how to defend their digital devices and protect their personal data.

• [0:53] - Carey shares his background and what provoked the motivation for a career shift.
• [4:07] - If we all did the small things that protect privacy, we would all be stronger.
• [5:20] - Even if you have already shared a lot of your information online, it is not hopeless and it’s not too late.
• [6:32] - Your security and privacy overlap with other people’s.
• [8:35] - We need to be protecting privacy for all of us, not just ourselves as individuals.
• [10:17] - Carey explains why and how apps and companies collect data.
• [11:48] - Foreign governments would love to get their hands on the data that is collected by countless companies and apps.
• [13:53] - Data is valuable to software developers for honest reasons. Collecting data isn’t inherently bad.
• [17:16] - When determining what connection to use, you are trading off who you trust - your ISP, the public wifi connection, or a VPN.
• [23:10] - Carey shares some easy things you can change right now to protect your privacy.
• [25:25] - Companies love to get your email address and your phone number. These become unique identifiers.
• [27:05] - Search engines collect data as well. This is important to remember.
• [28:05] - Payment apps are another obvious type of website that collects data. Which ones should you avoid?
• [30:32] - There is value in social media. Make sure the things you post are not public by default.
• [32:19] - Metadata and location tools are used on any social media image.
• [34:37] - Messaging apps collect data and share it. There is a gold standard app though that Carey suggests.
• [36:31] - Email is trickier because it is open standard. It wasn’t designed with encryption in mind.
• [38:55] - Carey discusses automated AI systems like Alexa.
• [41:26] - When using AI tools, assume that the information is collected and could be public.
• [42:35] - Car privacy is horrible and there is almost nothing you can do about it.
• [46:18] - It is not true that you need to give up privacy for security. Carey discusses the differences.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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Finding a solution to stop spam calls to you, your family, or your business isn’t easy. We may not win this war, but we don’t want the government making this decision for us. We can make it more manageable in the meantime.

Today’s guest is Aaron Foss. After winning the FTC Robocall Challenge in 2013, Aaron started Nomorobo. Since then, Nomorobo has stopped billions and billions of unwanted robocalls and spam texts from reaching our phones, and it was acquired by Applause group in August 2023. Aaron has been featured in The New York Times, Wired, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, and countless other media outlets. He has testified in front of Congress, not once, not twice, but three times.

• [1:14] - Aaron shares his background as a serial entrepreneur in the intersection of technology and business.
• [3:57] - At the beginning, Aaron didn’t even know what a robocall was.
• [6:47] - Robocalls have this negative connotation. They can actually be good. But there are many that are unwanted.
• [8:13] - There are different types of robocalls and there is a differentiation between spam and scam calls.
• [10:08] - Aaron explains why spam emails are easier to block than robocalls.
• [12:20] - There are some robocalls that are necessary and helpful for some people. That is one reason why not all robocalls can be blocked.
• [13:40] - Not answering the phone is not a plausible solution.
• [15:50] - Nomorobo is basically a series of bots talking to other bots.
• [16:50] - Aaron describes caller ID and how spoofing a number is possible.
• [19:42] - This is such a big problem because the barrier of entry is low.
• [21:08] - It is amazing that we can call anyone in the world. But that also means that scammers can, too.
• [22:53] - This is a complicated problem, and the future solution is a combination of government regulation, companies like Nomorobo, and AI.
• [26:29] - We are never going to win the war, but we can keep it manageable.
• [29:45] - What is the role of the carriers when it comes to robocalls?
• [31:47] - Keeping scammers on the phone does not make the problem go away.
• [33:52] - Some scams are seasonal and some are evergreen, like Medicare calls.
• [36:26] - Aaron explains the different ways these scams can be done and the range of damage they can do.
• [39:56] - At best, this is an annoyance. But there are people in our lives that are vulnerable and less protected.
• [44:42] - Sometimes, Nomorobo users have to turn it off for specific reasons and specific calls they’re waiting for.
• [47:56] - This problem is an example of “death by a thousand papercuts.”
• [49:30] - There are some red flags and things you might notice if you answer robocalls that could indicate that they are scams.
• [50:46] - This seems like an easy problem to solve, but it is far more complicated than most people think.
• [52:00] - Aaron describes what it was like to testify in front of Congress.
• [56:43] - Listen and educate yourself. Talk to other people about these things.

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Most businesses rely on some type of software, either for scheduling, payment, banking, customer lists, or something else. It’s important to know where this information is stored and what would happen if that software was hacked or you weren’t able to access it. Today’s guest is Kris Burkhardt. As Accenture’s Chief Information Security Officer, Kris leads a team of over 800 security experts charged with protecting company client and customer data.

• [0:49] - Kris describes his role at Accenture and what Accenture is known for in the security industry.
• [2:26] - Part of their program is sending phishing tests and Kris has failed one before as well. It happens, especially when we are in a rush.
• [5:39] - We are so highly connected that when something goes down, it impacts us in ways we never considered.
• [7:10] - Many small businesses rely on software service providers because there is a lot of good about them. But what happens when they go down?
• [9:56] - Defenders have to get it right all the time.
• [11:13] - The last ten years have seen an immense amount of growth in how we store data. We have to stay ahead of change when it comes to security.
• [13:59] - It is hard to understand how much we rely on technology.
• [17:34] - Kris describes a time when the CEO of Accenture was used in a deep fake and the threat actor was very clever.
• [21:17] - Kris believes that advances in technology will make it harder to pretend to be someone else.
• [23:20] - Children are growing up in a technological world and are naturally more skeptical and cautious as a result.
• [25:49] - Safety has always been an afterthought.
• [27:15] - Kris shares what he thinks scams and deep fakes will look like in the near future.
• [30:12] - Pay attention to things that don’t seem consistent.
• [32:57] - People feel like there is a trade off when it comes to efficiency and security.
• [39:37] - Having a plan ahead of time is absolutely beneficial in staying ahead of security problems.
• [44:25] - As deep fakes become more and more of a problem, Kris suggests having code words with family members.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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