53. Cybercrime costs HOW MUCH?

56: "Business is more afraid of the sheriff than the cybercriminal."

OH NO. "Business is more afraid of the sheriff than we are the cybercriminal." Overheard in our ongoing LACybersecure work from an attendee.   The point of entry isn't HELP - It's getting into TROUBLE.  What are we DOING??   For SMBs, the cavalry isn't coming. Even after a crime, the sheriff is going after the criminals. Don't count on asset recovery.  You have to take your security seriously, and get the guidance you need. If you're in Los Angeles, apply today [https://securethevillage.org/] to join us in our #LACybersecure pilot program for SMBs, nonprofits, IT-MSPs.   Outside of L.A.? The Cyber Readiness Institute's free, online program [https://cyberreadinessinstitute.org/] is designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises become more secure against today’s most common cyber vulnerabilities. As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy. SecureTheVillage is a proud recipient of the CIS Alan Paller Laureate Program, funding our LA Cybersecure Pilot. Learn more about how SecureTheVillage is working to make Los Angeles the cyber-safest metropolitan area in America for our small and midsize businesses, our nonprofits, and our families [https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/⁠]. SecureTheVillage: ⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/⁠⁠ [https://securethevillage.org/] ⁠ [https://securethevillage.org/how-hackable-are-you]Take the Test: ⁠How Hackable are you?⁠⁠ [https://securethevillage.org/how-hackable-are-you]

55: Do you have something cybercriminals want?

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” - H.L. Mencken We humans want simple solutions to complex problems. It's built into our neurology. And it makes it harder to manage cybersecurity. The computer and telecommunications revolution that we’re in the middle of is upending our world. A simple cybercrime example: In the old days at the end of the last century, if a criminal wanted to rob a bank, the criminal had to go to the bank.  No more. Now the criminal can steal money from people’s bank accounts over the Internet from anywhere in the world. Complex problems don’t get solved, they get managed. Let’s take a step back and ask what we can do to manage our security and privacy; in our homes, in our places of work, in our schools, and throughout our community. As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy. Please join us at: ⁠https://securethevillage.org/⁠ [https://securethevillage.org/] Mentioned in the Episode: ⁠How Hackable are you?⁠ [https://securethevillage.org/how-hackable-are-you] FREE SURVEY

54: When policy is YEARS behind today's digital world

“Unfortunately, the technology underpinning our critical infrastructure is inherently insecure because of DECADES of software developers NOT BEING HELD LIABLE for defective technology. That has led to incentives where FEATURES and SPEED to market have been prioritized AGAINST SECURITY, leading our nation VULNERABLE to cyber invasion. That has to stop,” Jen Easterly, CISA The policy we need is YEARS behind the current technology, and utterly inadequate to protect citizens against threats and scams. We lack protections and bear the brunt of the damage. Two clear examples - 1: SIM swapping. A bad actor was able to convince a telecommunications store to transfer a phone number to a new device by impersonating the owner. This allowed the criminal to: - Access private account information and steal money. - Gain all those 2FA codes sent via text message. - Gain access to their social media accounts, email accounts... what other apps are on your phone? Should telecom companies be held responsible for failures that enable financial crimes? 2: Deepfakes and nonconsensual graphic images. The growing threat of manipulated media - widespread technology usage to generate fake but realistic graphic images and no legal consequences. While Taylor Swift's massive fan base is championing federal penalties for these deepfake images, we drag our feet in spite of the urgent need for policy reforms to protect individuals from harmful uses of emerging technologies that currently have little oversight. Listen to this 15-min episode of #LiveOnCyber with Stan Stahl, PhD [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?nis=true#] and Julie Michelle Morris [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?nis=true#] and let's talk today's problems and potential solutions.

53. Cybercrime costs HOW MUCH?

Not a game we want to play - but let's do it anyway! Take a guess: (reported) Cybercrime rakes in more $ than how many U.S. states do in TAX REVENUE annually? (FY22 per Statista - and of course, this is only REPORTED crime). I think you know where we're going with this. It's bad - and getting worse. Policy won't stop it. It's on us. Benjamin Franklin said, "Distrust and caution are the parents of security." Businesses, people need to flex their distrust. No email trust. No text message trust. Everything gets questioned. We lock down what matters (check out our human-speak guide: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-for-individuals-families/). Tragically, it's a matter of life and death for some. Listen to our 10-min update on the latest scam tragedies that you and I need to be talking about. Share with a friend who could be at risk. Okay, let's be real - we all are at risk - so share, then share again.

52: Know Your Enemy

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War. We can’t control everything. We can, however, manage the things around threats to our digital security - and we must! Your awareness and keeping current is a crucial ingredient to success in 2024. Subscribe to SecureTheVilllage’s News of the Week, our top cybersecurity digest with all your need-to-know information on the latest in scams, cyber threats, cyber policy, and more. https://securethevillage.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9d32e680017d9ab0af1f68ff1&id=21426e8cd9