The Bid Picture with Bidemi Ologunde

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde discussed a relatively new development about a bulk surveillance program by an agency of the Department of Homeland Security that tracked the money transfer records of some Americans without a warrant.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble. 

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde talked about how being on social media makes us vulnerable and what we can do about it; the nature of the complicated relationship between professional sports and social media; how social media is causing burnout and mental fatigue for musicians; U.S. prosecutors’ probe into the harm that social media platforms cause for kids. I wrapped up with parting thoughts on the safety considerations of virtual worlds for kids.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble. 

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde talked about how the pandemic has changed the nature of work in terms of job qualifications, applicants’ educational requirements, work experience, drug tests, background checks, so on. In addition, there is an emerging trend whereby more companies are seeking diverse tech teams based on all these factors.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with Stefany Velasquez, an investigations analyst at a cryptocurrency exchange platform. She shared how she initially enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in Criminology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, but later switched her major to Fraud Examination, which is essentially Forensic Accounting. There, she quickly became fascinated with investigating discrepancies in bank account statements, and at a point, she traveled to Italy for a Study Abroad Program, where she worked with Italy’s Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, also known as DIA. The DIA is an Italian multi-force investigation agency, similar to the U.S. FBI, and its main task is to tackle mafia-related organized crime in Italy.

Stefany shared how some of the things she learned during her undergraduate degree helped her learn to slow down and see the big picture when working on investigations; her opinions about education and experience; what her typical workday looks like, including some of her interesting interactions at the gym after a long day; her advice for anyone trying to develop a career in forensic accounting; some of her favorite TV shows that basically describe what she does for work, such as Ozark and Breaking Bad; her favorite quote; and more.

You can also get in touch with Stefany on Instagram: @stefvelasquez

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with a long-time friend, Yabi Demissie, who works as an assistant director of alumni engagement at Emory University, as well as a professional photographer during her spare time. She shared how she was initially interested in Criminology at the University of South Florida, but after an emotional visit to a prison facility during her first year, she decided to change her major to public health. After her bachelor’s degree, she decided to explore her other interests in education, student development, and event planning. She then got her master’s degree in higher education at Nova Southeastern University.

We talked about how social media and other online tools can be used to promote student engagement; the recent trends in declining attention spans (something about goldfish brains); the need to devote time for immersive learning, instead of just watching a quick 3-minute video on TikTok; her thoughts on phishing emails in the workplace and why many people still fall for them; her sources of motivation, especially during the pandemic; the most rewarding and challenging aspects of her job, our analysis of Hulu’s Abbott Elementary, and more.

You can also get in touch with Yabi on her personal Instagram: @yah_bee, and her photography page: @demi_visualz

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with Crasis Zannah, a long-time friend, brother, and former colleague. He works as a penetration tester with Focal Point and has been one of the co-organizers of DC813, a hacking group based in the Tampa Bay area, of which I’m also a member. He shared how he became familiar with computers from a very early age, and then entered the information technology field after his first enlistment in the U.S. Army by acquiring a few certifications, but could not get an IT job due to his lack of relevant experience. So, he re-enlisted in the Army and opted for an IT-related Military Occupation Specialty (MOS), which enabled him to transition into a security position afterward.

Crasis shared his opinions about the gaps in the typical approaches to learning about cybersecurity topics and concepts. For instance, while programming is not required for most entry-level penetration testing roles, it is most certainly beneficial. He also mentioned some of the valuable skills that have served him well as a penetration tester, the importance of mentorship within cybersecurity, some of the things that motivate him to do great work consistently, what his typical workday looks like, and much more.

The DefCon813 group can be reached on Twitter @DefCon813, by email: [email protected], and also on MeetUp: https://www.meetup.com/Defcon813/

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with a long-time friend, Vicky Qiu. Vicky has served in the U.S. Army for about ten years, first as a Patriot Missile operator while on active duty, and now as a Chaplain’s Assistant in the Army Reserves. She also works as a Senior Academic Advisor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she advises students, including military veterans. She has a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice, and she briefly worked as an IT specialist while on active duty in the Army. She shared how she initially planned to become a police officer with the NYPD, but got kicked out of college, joined the military, learned about structure and discipline while in the military, and then went back to school to finish her bachelor’s degree. Now she is very passionate about her civilian job because she has had the benefit of perspective to evaluate her life and goals before and after joining the military.

We talked about the nature of cybersecurity within school systems, how people make common mistakes with email accounts, passwords, misinformation on social media, and the adverse effects of poor cyber hygiene, including doing things that could potentially sabotage future security clearances, mental health issues, trauma, and so on. Vicky shared how she motivates herself daily, what she likes to do outside of work, her favorite podcasts, TV shows, and a powerful and inspiring poem from the miniseries 11.22.63 by Stephen King.

Vicky can also be reached on Instagram: @_chewyyx

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde addressed a listener’s email question regarding what exactly threat intelligence is and what a CTI analyst actually does.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde discussed how lost-item trackers such as the Apple AirTag work, and the security risks associated with them.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the U.S. by calling 1-800-799-7233, or by visiting www.thehotline.org, or by texting START to 88788.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde spoke with Bridgette Boody, a good friend and former colleague. She shared the interestingly long route she took to transition into cybersecurity from her days of dealing poker. She started by attending physical security talks at NolaCon, an infosec conference, in 2016, then she volunteered at several cybersecurity conferences such as BSides, The Diana Initiative, and others. Later on, she tried her hands on data science and compliance internships in the Tampa area. In 2019, she signed up for a 9-week tuition-free cybersecurity training called New Skills for a New Fight, which was organized by the University of South Florida and The Florida Center for Cybersecurity, also known as Cyber Florida.

She also talked about how her soft skills have played a significant role in her current position in terms of effective and direct communication; how her feelings of self-doubt and impostor syndrome are actually very common, and what she has been doing about them since she started her current role, such as having helpful and supportive people around. She also shared the interaction between her education and experience, how she motivates herself using self-affirmations and calming music, what a typical workday looks like, including the fact that nothing is mundane, some advice for anyone trying to get into cybersecurity, and some of her favorite things to do outside of work.

Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).

Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.