In this insightful and comprehensive conversation, Ken Simpson, CEO of MailChannels, engages Steven Harroun, Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer at the CRTC, on a range of critical topics surrounding Canada's digital landscape. Harroun elucidates on the CRTC's role in protecting Canadians from online abuse, providing an in-depth overview of Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and the types of complaints received since its inception. He sheds light on their enforcement strategies, with a particular focus on spam, phishing, and other forms of cyber abuse, including the emerging challenges posed by artificial intelligence. The discussion also ventures into the CRTC's recent policies, its proactive approach towards telecom regulation, and its strategies for managing new threats such as botnet traffic. Harroun delves into the CRTC's efforts to maintain net neutrality, foster transparency, and promote public education on CASL, while also highlighting the complexities of navigating the evolving terrain of technology and communication platforms.

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:15) - Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
(05:30) - Commercial Electronic Messages
(08:45) - Malware, Botnets, and Viruses
(11:20) - Enforcement and Penalties
(14:10) - Scams and Fraudulent Activities
(17:05) - The Role of the CRTC in Protection
(20:00) - Changing Nature of Complaints
(23:15) - Consent and Email Overload
(26:30) - Phishing Scams and Government Impersonation
(29:45) - Seasonal Scams and Trends
(33:00) - Vulnerable Canadians and Scams
(39:00) - CRA Tax Scam and Deportation Threats
(45:12) - Blocking Emails with Malware and Botnets
(50:24) - Challenges of Jurisdiction and Awareness
(55:36) - Role of Big Telcos vs. Little Telco
(1:00:48) - Importance of Transparency and Reporting
(1:05:10) - Prevention and Educating Vulnerable Communities
(1:10:22) - Rise of Generative AI in Phishing
(1:12:34) - Potential of AI in Spam Calls
(1:15:46) - Verifying Information in Age of AI

In this engaging dialogue with Andrew Barrett of Spamhaus, we trace the organization's journey from its inception, discussing the initial vision, early challenges, and the adaptations required as the internet and cyber threats evolved. Highlighting key milestones, the conversation shifts to the present day where Spamhaus is recognized as an authority on IP and domain reputation data. Detailed insights are provided on the importance and management of IP and domain reputation, the impacts of a bad reputation, and recent trends observed in cybersecurity, including the role of artificial intelligence. The conversation concludes with a forward-looking perspective, exploring future challenges in the cybersecurity industry and how Spamhaus plans to address them. The evolution of public blocklists, the company's future vision, and the potential of AI in augmenting both cybersecurity measures and hackers' attacks are also discussed, offering a comprehensive and informative insight into the world of Spamhaus.

(00:00:00) - Introduction to AI and Spamhaus
(00:01:30) - The Legacy of Spamhaus
(00:03:45) - Andrew Barrett's Insights
(00:05:20) - The Early Days of Spam
(00:07:15) - Evolution of Internet Security
(00:09:00) - The Economics of Spam
(00:11:30) - Sophistication in Defense
(00:14:00) - The Battle Against Spam
(00:16:00) - The Advent of IP-Based DNS
(00:18:30) - Transformative Moments in Cybersecurity
(00:21:00) - Robust Authentication Protocols
(00:23:30) - Granular Assessments and Reputation
(00:26:00) - Defensive Measures Against Abusive Messaging
(00:28:30) - The Role of Infrastructure in Cybersecurity
(00:30:00) - Authentication Protocols and IP/Domain Verification
(00:33:15) - SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and ARC
(00:35:30) - Maintaining a Good Domain Reputation
(00:38:45) - The Role of Machine Learning in Traffic Analysis
(00:41:30) - The Importance of Network Security
(00:44:00) - AI and Cybersecurity
(00:47:15) - Ransomware, Phishing, and Mobile Banking Malware
(00:49:45) - The Future of Public Block Lists
(00:52:00) - Spamhaus' Vision for the Future
(00:54:30) - Reflecting on Spamhaus' Impact

Mike Jones, Senior Director of Product Management at Fortra Agari, joins Ken to discuss the past, present, and future of Agari’s fight against phishing. As the originators of DMARC, learn how Mike and the Agari founding team rallied the email industry around this new standard for domain name protection and built a highly successful business helping the world’s largest brands secure themselves against impersonation online. Learn about the impact of phishing attacks on businesses and individuals, highlighting the importance of email authentication and the role it plays in preventing malicious activities. Our conversation concludes with a discussion of the potentially frightening wave of phishing that will be enabled by large language models such as ChatGPT. Don’t miss this exciting and engaging episode!

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Background

Introducing "Collateral Dialogue," a MailChannels podcast.

Join CEO Ken Simpson and selected guests for a thought-provoking exploration of the computer and network security landscape—subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.