Firewall Chats, Ep. 4: The Internet of Things

By | December 1st, 2015|Firewall Chats|

PodcastToday, our fourth episode of Firewall Chats is live! In this special edition, we put the spotlight on CSID’s own Chief Innovation Officer, Adam Tyler.

Tyler’s expertise spans far across the ever-changing security landscape. He speaks frequently around the globe on identity protection and fraud detection, cybersecurity trends, and evolving hacking and attack methods. Additionally, Tyler is a passionate expert on the Internet of Things…or rather, the security of the things.

According to Cisco, there are already 10 billion things that can connect to the Internet. This number is expected to grow substantially within the next few short years. It’s predicted that by 2020, the number of devices connected to the Internet will exceed 50 billion.

“The Internet of Things is an incredible concept,” Tyler said. “It’s about accessibility. It’s about making the whole of our homes connected and manageable remotely.”

With each new device, our lives have the ability to become more convenient, more efficient. We recently wrote about how music festivals are using smart technology to make the concert-going experience more seamless. New coffee makers and household appliances can learn your preferences. Our cars are quickly evolving to contain multiple in-vehicle services, and many may soon become driverless. Our wearable devices monitor our vital signs and share how we can eat better and sleep sounder.

While these advances are exciting, the convenience of these products brings great risk to the security of our information.

“The problem is these devices are being designed with functionality first and not security,” said Tyler. “Any device that we’re connecting to the Internet and making available to the outside world can be accessed, can be pinged, can be targeted by malicious acts.”

While our smart fridge may not hold any data, the connection it shares with other devices and the Internet can jeopardize our information. Tyler is passionate about making sure listeners are aware and wary of how their data is being collected and used within this rapidly evolving world.

In this episode, Tyler helps us separate IoT fact and fiction, discusses how hackers have already interfered with smart cars, and shares tips so we can protect our information today…and tomorrow. To hear it all, listen on www.CSID.com/FirewallChats, and reach out to us on Twitter and Facebook  to let us know what you think.

Save the Date: Our last episode in our pilot series will air on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and feature Encap Security’s Adam Dolby on the topics of scams, malware, and phishing attempts.

Firewall Chats, Ep. 1: Social Media Matters

By | October 13th, 2015|Firewall Chats|

PodcastEvery day we click, like, post, tag, and swipe our lives across our favorite social media channels. The big players, like Facebook and Twitter, provide a life-sharing platform for billions and billions of users. But new channels are constantly competing for our attention and information.

Social media is a fantastic way to keep in touch with friends and family, promote your brand, and engage with celebrities. But there are dangers. Can a careless post lead to identity theft and fraud? Can it damage our privacy and reputation?

In our debut Firewall Chats podcast episode, we sat down with Chris Crosby, CEO of Inflection Point Global and managing director of SociallyActive.com, to discuss the above and share tips for staying safe on social sites.

Crosby’s interest in social media was originally piqued after talking to friends and family members over their concerns with oversharing and cyberbullying. SociallyActive.com was created to be a resource for parents and families to chaperon their children online. Today, when you see services offering to help monitor your social media accounts, there’s a good chance Crosby’s software is powering that technology.

In today’s episode Crosby reminds listeners that malicious minds will use any available information to their advantage.

One simple tip he offers listeners is to constantly edit your friends or followers list online. Should everyone see pictures of your kids or know where you live and work? Probably not. Be thoughtful with your connections and the information you’re sharing.

“As a general rule, don’t put anything online that you don’t want to be seen by a billion people,” Crosby says. “We don’t know what this world is going to look like in five years and how this data is going to be used against us.”

Our expert also goes on to discuss what you should never share online, how to be mindful when using the latest social network startups, and social media guidelines in the workplace.

Listen to the entire episode here: www.CSID.com/FirewallChats. And let us know your feedback on our Firewall Chats Twitter and Facebook.

Save the Date: Our next episode will air on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and feature Passcode Editor Michael Farrell on the latest cybersecurity trends.

Welcome to Firewall Chats

By | October 9th, 2015|Firewall Chats|

PodcastWith all the excitement and hype surrounding podcasts like “Serial” and “This American Life,” we finally decided it was time we hosted an ear-bud friendly conversation of our own.

Next week, we are thrilled to debut a brand new podcast called “Firewall Chats.” Our pilot series explores five hot topics with five talented industry experts. Together, we weigh in on the latest conversations surrounding social media security, two-factor authentication, identity theft, privacy, and the ever-expanding Internet of Things.

In our debut episode, we’ll learn about the price of oversharing on our favorite apps and social platforms with Chris Crosby, managing director of SociallyActive.com. Can a Facebook post lead to identity theft and fraud? How do we stay safe on the latest networks, like Periscope and SnapChat? We’ll discuss tips to secure your favorite accounts and how to create a conversation at home about safe digital sharing.

Next, we dive into cybersecurity trends with our friends at Christian Science Monitor’s Passcode, one of the fastest growing cybersecurity publications online. Editor Michael Farrell gives listeners a glimpse of the on-going work inside Passcode to cover news in government, policy, and cyber threats.

Katie Stephens, the education program manager at The University of Texas’ Center for Identity, stops by in our third episode to give us all the facts on taking control of our privacy. Stephens addresses how consumers can adopt small, simple habits to help keep their most precious information safeguarded from cyber criminals.

Our fourth episode spotlights CSID’s own Adam Tyler. Our passionate colleague speaks frequently on our increasingly connected world, and the privacy and security challenges we can anticipate as we reach 50 billion connected devices in 2020. In this podcast, we explore the devices we welcome into our home and our garages. What data is being collected? What are the dangers? Find out a little later this fall.

Closing our pilot season is Encap Security’s Vice President of Business Development Adam Dolby, who takes time to chat with us about scams, malware, and phishing attempts. Did you know that there are roughly 156 million phishing emails sent globally every day? What are the warning signs of a scam? What is two-factor authentication and how do we implement in on our most important accounts? Listen to learn.

We are proud of this new channel and hope it serves as another great platform to share resources and timely news with both businesses and consumers. Have comments, questions? Want to see a topic addressed in a future episode? Let us know on our new Firewall Chats social channels on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for listening!

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