How Attackers Are Bypassing Your Security With AUTHORITY

Stop Hackers from Exploiting Employee Locations!

If you don’t control your message—someone else will! What if your company’s private information suddenly became public—and you weren’t the one who shared it? In today’s episode of the Learn Online Security Podcast, Chris Howells, Director of IT and Head Instructor, explains how to take back control of your message when communication slips out of your hands. When unexpected events hit—like public announcements, travel plans, or emergencies—information can spread fast. Chris shows you how to stay ahead by creating clear communication policies, educating your team, and reducing opportunities for attackers to exploit confusion or chaos. You’ll discover how to: ✅ Build a communication plan that keeps your organization secure and professional ✅ Prevent social engineering attacks by controlling information flow ✅ Empower your staff and community to respond with consistency and confidence ✅ Develop “away policies” that protect both privacy and productivity ✅ Strengthen your company’s defense through proactive messaging and teamwork This video delivers practical cybersecurity strategy mixed with real-world communication planning. It's perfect for IT leaders, business owners, and security-conscious teams. Join our Learn Online Security community on Skool [https://www.skool.com/learn-online-security-4898] for deeper training, discussions, and tools to help you secure your organization’s communications from the inside out. What are my next steps? 📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here 🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes 🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees & business certification courses https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training Follow Learn Online Security: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com ⌚Time Stamps ⌚ 00:26 Introduction to Learn Online Security 00:39 When You Can't Control the Message 01:19 Planning for Emergencies and Worst-Case Scenarios 02:08 Educating Staff and Preparing in Advance 03:37 Regaining Control After Losing Information 04:06 Out-of-Office Messaging and Extended Absences 05:16 Empowering Surroundings and Preventing Social Engineering 07:01 Join Skool! 08:03 Reviewing Company Policies and Communication Procedures 10:03 Real-World Example: Medical Emergency Response and Lessons Learned #CyberSecurity #InformationSecurity #CrisisManagement #SocialEngineering

The Dangers of Donating Your Old Tech

Wondering what happens to your old devices when they’re recycled, upgraded, or passed down? In this video, Chris and Sarah Howells from Learn Online Security explain how laptops, phones, printers, gaming systems, and even smart home devices can hold sensitive information—and why scammers target them. Learn practical tips for wiping, factory resetting, and safely disposing of your devices to protect your personal and business data. Key topics we cover: 📌 Wipe or destroy end-of-life devices 📌 Business and home devices hold sensitive data 📌 Factory reset, remove memory, or physically destroy 📌 Children’s and seniors’ devices need extra care 📌 Include how you'd like your devices handled in your will What are my next steps? 📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here 🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes 🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees & business certification courses https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training Follow Learn Online Security: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com #DigitalSecurity, #LearnOnlineSecurity, #DeviceSafety

AI and Auto-Reply: A Social Engineer's Dream Come True

Scammers are using your out-of-office replies against you! In this video, Chris Howells from Learn Online Security breaks down the most common and preventable attack happening today. Learn how AI and social engineering make it easier than ever for attackers to impersonate authority and trick YOU or your team into sending money or gift cards. Protect yourself and your business by understanding the risks and implementing simple defenses. Defense tips: verify by voice, use security words/passphrases, and route requests through official channels Key Points Covered: 📌What an out-of-office attack is and why it’s so easy to prevent 📌How attackers use AI to identify who’s away and who has authority 📌The reversed attack: attackers posing as underlings to pressure the boss 📌Real-world example: a staffer almost tricked into buying gift cards while on vacation 📌Why email and text are risky channels for urgent requests Stay safe, stay alert, and remember: always verify before you act! What are my next steps? 📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here 🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes 🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees & business certification courses https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training Follow Learn Online Security: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com ⌚Time Stamps ⌚ 00:00 Out-of-Office Attacks: The Most Dangerous Scam 00:17 How Attackers Exploit Absence to Impersonate Authority 01:53 How AI Identifies Targets Through Out-of-Office Replies 03:04 Mapping the Organization: Targeting the Right Employees 04:45 Why Email and Text Are Risky Channels for Financial Requests 05:30 Real-World Example: Staffer Tricked While on Vacation 07:41 Slowing Down Scammers: Building Time to Protect Yourself 09:43 Unpredictable Responses: Disrupting Attacker Plans 12:22 Using Security Words and Passphrases to Safeguard Transactions 13:33 Removing Electronics: Safer Financial Communication #CyberSecurity #SocialEngineering #OnlineSafety

Can You REALLY Trust AI? The Cybersecurity Risks Explained

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world—but can it also put you at risk? In this episode of the Learn Online Security Podcast, Richard Bankert (Social Engineering Expert & CEO) and Chris Howells (Director of IT & Head Trainer) break down the hidden dangers of AI in cybersecurity. From data scraping and deepfakes to AI-powered scams and emotional manipulation through AI avatars, this conversation explores how cybercriminals are already using AI to launch faster, smarter, and more convincing attacks. You’ll learn: ✅ How AI supercharges data collection & online profiling ✅ Why old accounts (like Myspace or forgotten Facebook posts) are goldmines for attackers ✅ How cybercriminals use AI for spear-phishing, romance scams, and fake business emails ✅ The real risks of AI avatars, deepfakes, and misinformation campaigns ✅ Why human error is still the #1 vulnerability in cybersecurity ✅ Steps you can take: digital deep dives, stronger policies, and employee training 💡 Key Takeaway: AI itself isn’t evil—but it gives attackers more powerful tools than ever before. Protecting your data starts with awareness, digital hygiene, and critical thinking. 🔒 Stay Protected: 👉 Learn more about our Digital Deep Dive Service. Our digital footprint product is a professional service done by real experts who analyze and help you secure your online presence.🔍 https://learnonlinesecurity.com/training/digital-footprint What are your next steps? 📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here 🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes 🏢 Learn more about Learn Online Security's social engineering training for employees & business certification courses https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training Follow Learn Online Security: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com Here's a video from  @ScammerPayback  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCC9EjyMN_hx5NdctLBx5X7w] that we think you should watch! Social Engineer: YOU are Easier to Hack than your Computer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEdZwLRJttQ] (It is a long video and if you don't have time to watch it all at least catch timestamp 31:39) ⌚Time Stamps ⌚ 0:00 – Introduction to AI as a Tool 1:18 – AI Supercharging Data Scraping 2:57 – Forgotten Accounts & Digital Footprints 5:01 – Digital Deep Dives & Data Cleanup 7:37 – Misinformation & Deepfakes 10:40 – Smarter AI-Driven Scams 13:14 – Real-World Case: Corporate Phishing 15:40 – Internal AI Risks & Employee Training 17:15 – Emotional Exploitation Risks 22:55 – Key Takeaways & Closing Who this video is for: Small business owners, IT managers, and data-handling professionals: learn how AI, deepfakes, and phishing scams put your company at risk—and practical steps to protect employees, sensitive data, and digital hygiene. #AI #OnlineSafety #DataPrivacy

How Attackers Are Bypassing Your Security With AUTHORITY

You’re not alone in underestimating how easily authority can be faked! In this episode of the Learn Online Security Podcast, Richard Bankert and Chris Howells expose the hidden world of authority-based social engineering attacks — a psychological tactic hackers use to bypass security by posing as trusted figures. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: 📌What social engineering really is and why authority plays a key role 📌Real-life stories of penetration tests where attackers walked out undetected 📌The psychology behind why employees hesitate to question authority 📌How scammers use urgency and fake credibility (Boss Gift Card Scam) to trick staff 📌Practical security awareness tips to protect your business, team, and yourself from attacks 💡 Key Takeaways: ✔ Always verify authority before granting access ✔ Train employees to recognize urgent manipulation tactics ✔ Reduce attacker “time to operate” by questioning credentials ✔ Build a security-conscious workplace culture 🎯 Perfect for: Small business owners • IT professionals • Corporate security teams • Anyone wanting to protect themselves from cybercrime & social engineering scams What are my next steps? 📖 Start learning for free [https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here]! 🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel [https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes]! 🏢 Learn more about our business certification courses [https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training] Follow Learn Online Security: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity], Rumble [https://www.rumble.com/c/c-7699801] Learn Online Security Website [https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com] Links referenced in this episode: * learnonlinesecurity.com [https://learnonlinesecurity.com]