22 The Internet Plumber

The Computer Exorcist Podcast

Today we introduce a new special guest, Jim the Internet Plumber. He knows a lot about the pipes of the Internet and discusses how people keep the flow of information as safe as they can.

We start out discussing small business and protecting them from Big Tech prying and expensive overkill services. We then discuss Marc's new suspicion that the industry is ruled by a handful of in-bred monopolies because "computer dudes" give knee-jerk recommendations and don't stop to think of alternative companies.

We then shame yet another scammer who mailed me a letter trying to get me to sign up for a fake "Domain Listing" service for $289/year.

Next, we discuss more of the impact of the SolarWinds breach, where bad guys broke into SolarWinds, and subsequently broke into all the "security appliances" that SolarWinds controls. (Basically, they gained access to most large organizations.) One of their higher-profile hijinks was breaking into Microsoft's HQ computers and viewing the source code for some of their products. (They may have modified it, and either Microsoft corrected it, or didn't realize it!)

Finally, we explore the reasons why data breaches happen, and why update attacks usually fix 1 thing and break 10 more.

It's a dive under the hood of the Internet - hope you learn a lot!

As always, thanks for buying my book for all your friends.