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. Y…

“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 exam…

“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 st…

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 Frankl…

“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 …

Are you a disaster movie fan? If you’re reading this, it’s likely you work in the cybersecurity field, or are interested in cybersecurity as a right-now issue. You may be a CTO, a CISO, an entrepreneur, a lawyer, a CEO. And it might be YOU that prevents the movie that we never want to see: Iran targets a local water district. A hacker accesses equi…

If you haven't watched the video trailers of Live on Cyber on LinkedIn, you're missing out on Julie having difficulty looking serious. Once, someone asked, "why is Julie smiling so much, talking about this very difficult, complex stuff?" And it's because SecureTheVillage has found a mission point where we can powerfully affect change. We are here t…

What is resilience? It's like the old Timex ads, to "take a licking and keep on ticking." As we sit here looking at 2024, it's not pretty what's coming our way: * Our own SEC sued a CISO. (Didn't see that one coming.) * We're facing burnout of our best and brightest in the cybersecurity sector. * The attacks are intense. Infrastructure, schools, ho…

"This company should be in the Hall of Shame." A major trucking company software vendor has developed such readily exploitable software that it could create a shutdown that would be felt nationwide. We write the software. Russia and China exploit it. There are cyber-nots in our supply chain. Our enemies know it, too. Are we fostering a lucrative ma…

🚨 When Iran can look up your password on Google... "Think your default password is harmless? Think again," warns Julie Michelle Morris. In this episode of #LiveOnCyber, Stan Stahl, PhD unpacks jaw-dropping cyber blunders, tiny oversights that lead to serious breaches, and must-do security tips for businesses flying solo on tech. What are you doing …

Smaller organizations, families, and individuals are on the wrong side of the digital divide, and they're getting eaten alive by scammers and cybercriminals. How do we bridge the information gap from the experts to small businesses and nonprofits? Are we just talking to ourselves in cybersecurity? In this #LiveOnCyber episode, hear what brought Jul…

In our special replay episode, we revisit an essential May 2022 conversation with Nicole Perlroth, a leading cybersecurity journalist and New York Times bestselling author. This frank and alarming conversation is as relevant as ever: Nation-state cybercrime dynamics and retaliation strategies The alarming shift of hacker targets to smaller entities…

"It's a brutal reality check," says Dr. Stan. "Small businesses are especially vulnerable and the consequences can be crippling."Julie notes, "This story isn't just alarming, it's a wake-up call. Protecting your business online is not optional, it's essential."Dive into a real-life cyber horror story with in this episode of Live on Cyber. They disc…

What are the implications when a nation-state attacks a private company? 🟢 At the same time we see the #Biden-Harris administration, #NIST, #CISA, #DoJ and other government entities - along with non-government organizations like #CIS, #CRI, Sightline Security, #DDN, and SecureTheVillage - in a concerted, intentional effort to help equip American co…

If you're starting your journey to secure your business, you're in the right place! Learn the Top 4 security steps every small business needs from the Cyber Readiness Institute's Starter Kit! Small and micro-businesses, build a strong foundation to prevent loss with these Four Core Cyber Issues:✅ Super strong passwords that guard your personal and …

What happens when your admin's email gets hacked? You don't want to guess or waste time. Cybersecurity for the small and micro-business is crucial. But it has to fit YOU. Think you're too small to be a target? Join us this week as we debunk myths and provide actionable insights specifically for small and micro-businesses. We'll break down what you …

In the name of convenience, are we compromising security? This week on #LiveOnCyber, Dr. Stan reveals how 'easy access' WiFi at a hotel exposed a glaring gap in their cybersecurity measures. Don't let the danger of unmonitored network traffic be the downfall of your digital safety. Learn through this example why your organization should be patching…

The ⁠23andMe⁠ security lapse repercussions go beyond just the user's personal genetic data. With this breach, their relatives are at risk. The data taken from 23andMe, likely through credential stuffing⁠ could cover more than HALF of the company’s 14 million customers, based on the number of people who have opted to make their data visible to relat…

We believe that #MSPs and #ISPs are crucial players in securing our digital world. They are on the front lines with small to midsize businesses - how can we partner to equip them with the business development and security skills to better secure their clients? What is their role in the LA CyberSecure Pilot, an initiative elevating the cyber readine…

ANNOUNCEMENT: Are small businesses and nonprofits ready for battle, or sitting ducks in cyber warfare? #Cybersecurity isn’t just about money - it’s about talent, time, and foundational cybersecurity measures. How do we bridge this digital divide of #cyberhaves and #cybernots? This #LiveonCyber episode unveils LA Cybersecure! A groundbreaking pilot …

The iconic casinos MGM and Caesars become the latest victims of cyber warfare. A question: Was it reasonable for the security of such giants to falter? From social engineering tactics, deepfakes, the future of AI in cyber warfare, the pressing need for businesses—both big and small—is a posture of proactivity in their defenses. #CyberCitizens, the …

Most (84%) of car manufacturers SHARE or SELL your data (Mozilla). The modern world has turned our vehicles into data-harvesting machines. With startling revelations from The Mozilla Foundation's new report, we learn that almost every major car brand's new internet-connected models have become a data privacy nightmare. But the threat doesn't stop a…

In a landmark collaboration, the F.B.I. and international partners have dismantled a formidable botnet responsible for a staggering 30% of cybercrime, affecting businesses worldwide, from financial sectors to critical infrastructures. Hear about Dr. Stan's 'urgent HELP!' text message from family, illustrating our collective need for cyber vigilance…

In a world grappling with what the RAND Corporation calls 'Truth Decay,' the stakes for discerning truth from misinformation have never been higher. Social media platforms are retreating from their watchdog roles. Geopolitical foes like Russia and China are intensifying their AI-driven disinformation campaigns. As the 2024 elections loom, the burde…

Today’s #cyber landscape is evolving, and so is the threat to small organizations. The balance of power has shifted, and the bad actors are increasingly sophisticated. From the 'Play' Ransomware Group targeting Managed Service Providers (#MSPs) and thereby endangering midsized businesses across the globe, to hackers seamlessly integrating into plat…

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber Security Framework 2.0 will make waves in the cyber world, for all the right reasons. The integration of a novel 6th function—Governance—and a spotlight on cybersecurity supply chain risk management are transformational. With action-guided Implementation Examples, an exclusive Improvem…

When we leave our digital front doors unlocked, what do we expect will happen? With 300,000+ cybersecurity roles unfilled nationwide, we're fighting a losing battle against well-funded, highly skilled cybercrime operations. The Biden-Harris Administration's ground-breaking National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES) aims to combat the o…

IBM's eye-opening Annual Cost of a Data Breach Report reveals a disturbing trend. Companies often choose to burden their customers with the financial fallout of cybercrime, rather than bolstering their cybersecurity. As #cybercriminals leverage #AI to heighten their attacks and laws increasingly mandate #cybersecurity controls, the risk of ignoring…

Join Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Morris as they delve into the critical issue of China's alleged cyber espionage activities against the US, including breaches of Department of State and Department of Commerce email systems, and the targeting of high-ranking officials. This seemingly routine espionage by nation-states poses a significant threat to busi…

In this episode of "Live on Cyber," hosts Dr. Stan Stahl and Julie Morris delve into the alarming issue of personal tax information being sold and sent to tech giants Google and Meta by companies like H&R Block, TaxAct, and Extra Layer. We explore the role of GDPR, the California Privacy Rights Act, and other privacy laws in protecting consumer dat…

Stan and Julie take a deep dive into the intricate interplay between encryption and privacy in our ever-evolving digital landscape. Taking the Signal app as an example, they grapple with the conundrum faced by we the people when as we strive to give law enforcement the technology tools they need to prevent crime while we strive to protect our indiv…

Suffering the loss of personal information from a cyber breach is bad. It’s even worse when your information was stolen because someone had installed surveillance software on your phone, software that hid itself from you so you didn’t even know it was there. That’s what happened to the innocent victims of a widely used phone surveillance app called…

Cybercrime is out of control. If you don't believe us just look at the MOVEit disaster. Join Stan and Julie for a no-holds-barred discussion of how the market encourages poor security and the things we the people can do about it. We're talking market forces, consumer pressure, and the need for sensible regulations. We're talking making "Security by…

Dr. Stan Stahl, fresh from Portugal, offers an intriguing comparison: Douro Valley vineyards and cybersecurity. He unpacks their shared complexities and team dynamics. We delve into the recent "MoveIt" breach, a supply chain attack reminding us of the criticality of security protocols such as credit freezing and vendor assessment. We conclude with …

In this episode of Live on Cyber, Julie Morris is joined by Wendy Betts, CISSP, CCSP who shares her journey into cybersecurity and discusses the workforce gap in the industry. She emphasizes the need for a wider path for talent in cybersecurity and challenges the traditional requirements of a bachelor's degree, advocating for a focus on passion and…

Join Julie in an insightful discussion with Kimberly Pease, CISSP, Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Maryman & Associates, as they explore the world of cybersecurity forensics. Gain practical insights into incident response, protecting valuable information, and effective measures to enhance cybersecurity practices in this engaging episode of "…

Discover the alarming truth about the unauthorized collection and sale of your private physical health, mental health, genetics, and fitness data. This event sheds light on the concerning practices of profiling and targeted marketing, as well as the potential weaponization of personal data without consent. This episode is an enlightening discussion…

In this special episode of Live on Cyber, Julie Morris interviews Heather Spilsbury, the Chief Operating Officer of 50/50 Women on Boards. Explore the inspiring journey of 5050 Women on Boards, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in corporate board service. Learn how the organization prioritizes safeguarding digital assets and data protection,…

Join Dr. Stan and Julie this week as they take a deep dive into the origin and purpose of SecureTheVillage, born out of a need to enhance cybersecurity practices among small and mid-sized organizations. Stan and Julie outline the pressing need for improved cybersecurity practices and discuss SecureTheVillage's approach towards combating cybercrime,…

This week Stan and Julie announce some exciting news. SecureTheVillage is a recipient of an inaugural grant of the Center for Internet Security’s Alan Paller Laureate Program. The grant will be used to launch a Cybersecurity Pilot Program to measurably improve the cybersecurity practices of small to mid-sized organizations in the greater Los Angele…

While Julie’s away, Stan and his guest SecureTheVillage Board Member Alexa McCulloch, riff on the security of our health and wellness information. Whether it’s the data on your Fitbit or the search terms you enter on a hospital’s website, a lot of our private health and wellness information isn’t protected by HIPAA … and even what is, may still end…

This week Stan and Julie riff on a key component of the National Cybersecurity Strategy: Secure by design. Secure by default. How it’s a long-term strategy. How we don’t have time to wait. Someday security will be built into our computers and applications the way safety is built into cars. But not now. Not yet. Now we’re back in the 1930s without s…

This week Stan and Julie riff on the cybersecurity and privacy things individuals can control. Application developers can issue an update but it’s of no value unless the user installs it. The update - and the vulnerability it protects against - is outside the user’s control. Updating that program is within the user’s control. Stan and Julie discuss…

This week’s news brought another story that our private health information is far less private than we might think. Join Stan and Julie as they riff on how the use of third-party tracking code on hospital websites ends up with our personal health information in the databases of Alphabet, Meta, and an unknown number of data brokers who buy and sell …

John F. Kennedy said that a crisis represents both danger and opportunity. And so it is with the rush to embed large language models into everything. What a great opportunity for Stan and Julie to riff on the complex challenges of the cyber-incunabula. An example: In the old days - like last year - we warned people to look for spelling errors as a …

TikTok has been all over the news this week as their CEO testified to a hostile Congress amid increasingly loud calls to ban it. What a great opportunity for Stan and Julie to riff on the complex challenges of the cyber-incunabula. The opportunity TikTok gives the Chinese government to spy on Americans, even people who don’t use it. TikTok’s opport…

Ben Franklin famously said, “Distrust and caution are the parents of security.” Join Stan and Julie as they riff on distrust and caution. In Ben’s time, among the residents in his town of Philadelphia. Among the alliances required to unite the colonies in our war of Independence, while weeding out the spies amongst them. And as Ben also said, “Be c…

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its annual Internet crime report last week. Not surprisingly the report continued to show continued growth in cybercrime . Join Stan and Julie as they riff on the IC3 report. What it says. What it means … both to the nation’s economy and to its victims. And how cybercrime is an inevitable unint…

The White House released its National Cybersecurity Strategy this week. The most controversial part of the strategy revolves around the needs for shifting liability for software products and services. Glenn Gerstell, the former general counsel of the National Security Agency, described it as follows. “In the rush to market you can’t cut corners on …

SecureTheVillage is on a mission to make Los Angeles the cyber-safest city in America. Join Stan and Julie as they riff on SecureTheVillage’s big hairy audacious goal. Why it’s needed … from the Boardroom to the living room … and how SecureTheVillage is organizing the village to accomplish it. This episode is somewhat more personal than most as Sta…