Easy Prey22 Jun 2022

The Constantly Evolving Subject of Cyber Security with Stephen Cobb

There's always risk when using technology, but your perception of the exposure will determine how active you are at minimizing the danger. Today's guest is Stephen Cobb. Stephen is a best-selling author and award winning technologist with over 30 years experience in digital security and data privacy. He has authored more than a dozen textbooks on PC and LAN security as well as software usage. As a CISSP since 1996, he co-founded two successful security startups and earned a Master's in security and risk management. Stephen now researches harm caused by the abuse of digital technology.

Show Notes:

[1:02] - Stephen shares his background and how he wound up in the world of cyber security.
[3:17] - In the earlier days of his career, he learned the niche of the risks of technology.
[6:13] - Privacy violations were becoming a HIPPA category.
[9:14] - Stephen shares more about the companies he worked for and his experience in cyber security.
[10:44] - Stephen continues researching risk perception.
[12:01] - Understanding the limits of technology and human behavior have helped guide his research.
[13:02] - Covid was a very eye opening experience in that it revealed who was willing to exploit and who was willing to come together.
[14:26] - The new ideas of solving problems are coming out of smaller companies.
[15:41] - Growth of security is evolving but is it keeping up with the use and diversity of technology?
[17:23] - Different countries have a different approach to tracking cyber crime.
[19:05] - The data isn't accurate as much cyber crime goes unreported.
[20:23] - Stephen believes the amount of monetary loss from cyber crime can be doubled in individual wellbeing.
[21:41] - The effect of being targeted has led to health problems.
[24:30] - Some countries are doing a better job cracking down on cyber crime, but many kinds of scams, particularly romance scams, continue to go unreported.
[25:50] - Crypto currency has been abused since it's onset.
[26:51] - Tech support scams are also going strong.
[27:25] - Crypto scams are cumulative. They don't replace a scam, they add to existing ones.
[31:48] - People aren't thinking about what a mess that malware will create in upcoming technology.
[34:08] - Cyber crime is now organized crime.
[37:04] - Stephen describes his experience showing NPR the industry of the Dark Web.
[38:52] - People continue to be shocked and amazed by how organized the industry of cyber crime is.
[40:10] - There has been a drop in enthusiasm and trust in technology companies from the general public.
[44:10] - When we push technology on people who do not have a lot of experience with it, security becomes complicated and it becomes an ethical dilemma.
[46:39] - Nothing has been done to make these ethical issues become morally reprimanded.
[48:10] - Cyber crime is a huge challenge that is a relatively recent phenomenon.
[50:40] - Although foreign scammers cannot be arrested in your country, Stephen still thinks they should be sought after.
[52:08] - We need growing economies and full employment in all countries.

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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