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.

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