S4 - Episode 007 – Reality Distortion is so Freakin’ Real! (w/ Winn Schwartau)

In this riveting episode of Cyber Distortion, hosts Kevin Pentecost and Jason Popillion sit down with none other than Winn Schwartau — the legendary cybersecurity pioneer and provocateur known for pulling no punches when it comes to the truth.

A trailblazer in information warfare and the original mind behind DEFCON Jeopardy, Winn dives deep into the murky waters of misinformation, disinformation, and the global implications of distorted digital realities. From nation-state psyops to corporate manipulation campaigns, we explore how the war over truth is being waged on battlefields both virtual and real.

But it wouldn't be Cyber Distortion without a twist. We wrap the episode with our own chaotic spin on Cyber Distortion Jeopardy, putting Winn — the Godfather of DEFCON Jeopardy himself — back in the hot seat. Expect sharp insights, dark humor, and plenty of digital distortion as we challenge Winn’s wit and memory.

Whether you're a cybersecurity veteran or just starting to question what's real in your feed, this episode will leave you thinking twice about the information you trust.

Jason Popillion is a CISSP and serves as a CIO/CTO of a SaaS company and Kevin Pentecost is a CISSP, CISM, CEH, CPT, MPCS, MCSE, CCA, ITIL-F and serves as the Information Security Director for a Manufacturing company.

 

🔹 Winn Schwartau – Official & Contact

• Personal website & contact – Connect directly: “Wanna prove me wrong?” rsaconference.com+10winnschwartau.com+10infoworld.com+10
• Biography & writings – Details on his books, timeline, awards: thesecurityawarenesscompany.com
• LinkedIn-like presence via KnowBe4 – Founder & CVO of The Security Awareness Company (now part of KnowBe4): iwc-3.com+2thesecurityawarenesscompany.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2

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🔹 Essential Articles & Background on Winn

• Wired (1996) – Classic article Information Warrior describes his perspective on national cyber threats and “magnetic bombs”: wired.com
• InfoWorld & Network World – Opinion pieces by Winn on global info‑war and cyber defense: infoworld.com+1networkworld.com+1

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🔹 Books by Winn Schwartau

• Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway – seminal work on cyberterror thesecurityawarenesscompany.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5dynamicspeakers.com+5
• Cybershock, Time Based Security, Terminal Compromise, Analogue Network Security, The Art & Science of Metawar – full catalog available via ThriftBooks rsaconference.com+6thriftbooks.com+6en.wikipedia.org+6

Here’s a direct link where you can purchase Winn Schwartau’s newest book The Art & Science of Metawar, available in paperback:

• The Art & Science of Metawar (paperback) – listed around $25 used/new‑low via eBay/AbeBooks.
• You can also purchase or preview it through these official sources:
• Amazon Paperback & Kindle — Paperback
• AbeBooks — Used paperback editions, ISBN 0996401946, published August 30, 2024 by Winn Schwartau LLC thriftbooks.com+2abebooks.com+2

 

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🔹 Broader Reading on Misinformation & Disinformation

• Technology‑Enabled Disinformation (arXiv, 2018) – a rich survey of digital disinformation mechanics and defense strategies: arxiv.org
• Cambridge Handbook (Chapter: Misinformation, Disinformation & Online Propaganda) – analysis of spread dynamics and trust erosion: cambridge.org+1reddit.com+1
• Political Behavior (2020) – study on how misinformation‑warnings can backfire (the “tainted truth” effect): link.springer.com
• Love Letter to America (PDF) – Read it here.
• Severance (2022) – The show revolves around employees of the mysterious biotechnology corporation Lumon Industries, who have undergone a surgical procedure called "severance" that separates their work memories from their personal life. This means their "innie" (work self) has no knowledge of their "outie" (personal life) and vice versa.

Watch it on AppleTV.