The Internet of Things (IoT) has added internet connections to lots of home devices. Each and every one of those devices runs software on a computer chip. Almost all software has bugs and those bugs may be exploitable by bad guys. We’re going to take another look at protecting our home networks using a simple, logical methodology. Step one: SCAN. That is, first of all, we need to understand the scope of the problem by enumerating all of the devices on your home network. I’ll explain how to do that.

In other news: Apple re-releases security update after web glitch; EV chargers are vulnerable to hacking which could have significant impacts; tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data with Meta; Meta’s new Threads service collects tons of personal info and employs dark patterns to hook you in; France passes law giving law enforcement access to private device cameras, mics and locations; police are collecting and selling personal info, bypassing the 4th Amendment and sharing across state lines; Massachusetts weighs outright ban on selling user location data; printers and printing services may be mining your documents for data.

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After lengthy negotiations and revisions, the White House has finally released its National Cybersecurity Strategy document, outlining it’s priorities and goals. It’s a wide-ranging and ambitious document consisting of five major areas of focus, or “pillars”. What’s new here? What will it mean for businesses and critical infrastructure? And what does this mean for you and I? Today I’ll cover all of that and more with Josh Corman from I Am the Cavalry and formerly with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

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You’re using a password manager. You’re even using two-factor authentication. Great! When done properly, this will keep the bad guys out. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful, it may also keep you out. If you forget your master password or lose access to your 2FA device, you’ll be in real trouble… unless you have an access backup plan. This same plan can also help your spouse or next of kin to access your accounts should you die or become incapacitated.

In the news: CISA issues a DDoS warning after multiple attacks; LetMeSpy stalkerware maker suffers a data breach of collected data; researchers use LED power light flicker to break cryptographic keys; Australian PM recommends citizens to power cycle their phones once a day; several artists boycott venues that use facial recognition; Brave browser introduces new localhost access permission; Proton unveils new password manager; Dear Carey questioner asks about PDF readers.

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Right now there are thousands of satellites orbiting above our heads performing crucial tasks. At the end of the day, they’re just computers running software – albeit at thousands of miles up and thousands of miles per hour. Can they be hacked? What are the dangers? Aaron Myrick and the Hack-A-Sat team are trying to answer those questions. And they’re doing it by launching an actual satellite into low earth orbit for this year’s DEF CON hacking contest and asking talented hackers from around the world to take their best shot.

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I launched my mission to improve people’s privacy and security almost ten years ago now. It’s been quite a journey and I’ve learned a lot in that time. One thing I’ve realized is that there’s only so much I can do on my own. And so I’ve encouraged the more technically savvy members of my audience to help others where they can. One downside to being a podcaster is that I don’t have much insight into the effectiveness of my exhortations. I have no idea how many people are going forth to do good deeds nor what those deeds are. So today I’m launching a new campaign to solicit stirring stories of good deeds and every quarter or so I will select the most inspiring deed-doers and reward them with one of my dragon challenge coins!

In the news: Clop ransomware gang lists first victims of MOVEit supply chain hacks; firmware bug in Gigabyte motherboards has a fix now; US Congress and intelligence agencies debate reform for mass surveillance program; tissue and fluid samples are being abused by law enforcement for DNA scans; check washing scams are on the rise; how to avoid being scammed by virtual kidnapping schemes; 1Password announces beta support for browser passkey extension; bold new plan for 311 cyber support line.

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At some point, when you care enough about a particular cause, you shift from following the issue to actually trying to advance the issue – to make a difference. The easiest way to do this is to find groups that are already working for this cause and supporting them with donations of your time and/or money. But what do you do if you can’t find such a group, or maybe there’s no local chapter? Well, you can start your own! It’s not as hard as it sounds – and in fact, there exist organizations that can help you. Today I’ll speak with Rory Mir from the Electronic Frontier Alliance along with leaders from two successful EFA-affiliated groups: Freddy Martinez from Lucy Parsons Labs and Chris Bushick from PDX Privacy.

Two weeks ago, I told you about the availability of two new top-level domains that also happen to be popular file name extensions: .zip and .mov. The ambiguity will undoubtedly be exploited by ne’er-do-wells to trick people into doing something they shouldn’t do. There are clever ways to manipulate website addresses that would trick even tech-savvy people into clicking malicious links. Today I’ll tell you how these tricks work and explain you can avoid all of these issues by simply blocking these new domains.

In other news: iTunes for Windows patches a nasty bug; Android malware downloaded over 420 million times; Android phones vulnerable to fingerprint brute-force attacks; Luxottica exposes 300 million customer records; free VPN service SuperVPN exposes 360 million user records; Amazon gets slap on the wrist for Ring video doorbell private data access; KeePass “master password crack” not as bad as it sounds; Twitter adding Content Notes ‘fact checks’ to images; Microsoft now scanning inside password-protected zip files; drone pilot is NOT killed by drone; AI is NOT likely to cause human extinction; and Brave introduces new Off The Record browsing mode. Plus my Dear Carey question: recommended cheat sheet for computer safety.

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Modern cars are more like smartphones on wheels. Like our cell phones, they are chock full of sensors, computer chips and software, and they’re connected to the internet 24/7 via cellular modems. What data is being collected? Who owns this data? How secure is your data? Who is it being shared with? And most importantly, what – if anything – can you do about it? Since we last spoke with Privacy4Car’s Andrea Amico, his company has released a powerful new Vehicle Privacy Report tool that aims to answer at least some of these questions and help you to be a more informed car buyer. Today we’ll delve into the murky world of car data collection and privacy.

Andrea Amico is one of the nation’s leading authorities on vehicle privacy and cybersecurity. He is also the founder of Privacy4Cars, the first and only privacy-tech company focused on identifying the challenges posed by vehicle data.

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Everyone hates dealing with passwords. This has led to a mad search for ‘password-killer’ technology. After several failed attempts, there’s finally a worthy contender: passkeys. The technology has been around for years – it’s the basis for hardware keys like YubiKey. But no one wanted to have to carry the little things all the time. With passkeys, you get the same phishing-proof, passwordless goodness but tied to a device you always have: your smartphone. Websites are slowly rolling out the ability to secure your accounts with passkeys, and Apple, Google and Microsoft are building support for passkeys into their operating systems. But I would caution you to wait a bit before jumping on the bandwagon – I’ll explain why in today’s show.

In other news: update all your Apple devices; FBI and NSA break the notorious Snake malware; Intel deploys microcode security update; location data on 2M Toyoya customers exposed for years; new .zip and .mov domains are dangerously ambiguous; new crafty Chinese router malware; online age verification will cause serious problems; Apple will allow you to ‘bank’ your voice soon.

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In the book “1984” (published in 1949), George Orwell envisioned a Big Brother that would control the media and dictate what was “truth”. But Orwell didn’t predict that “telescreens” would fit in our pockets or that we would willingly carry them with us 24/7, even to the bathroom. He also didn’t foresee that we would willingly subscribe to sources of mis- and disinformation in the form of social media. Today I speak with the co-author of the book “Ministry of Truth”, Vincent Hendricks, about the current state of social media and its influence on democracy and society.

Vincent F. Hendricks, author of THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH: BigTech’s Influence On Facts, Feelings And Fictions, is Professor of Formal Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen. He is the Director of the Center for Information and Bubble Studies (CIBS) funded by the Carlsberg Foundation.

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