Cybersecurity Training from Boring to Engaging With Howard Goodman
Release Date: 01/29/2025
Hidden Dangers of AI in Cybersecurity
Easy Prey
Everyone’s talking about AI these days, especially in cybersecurity. Sure, artificial intelligence can boost your defenses, but cybercriminals have noticed too. Now they're crafting phishing emails so believable it’s scary and finding clever paths around spam filters while zeroing in on vulnerabilities you didn’t even realize were there. Today, Aviad Hasnis joins the show. He's the CTO of Cynet Security and spent years running cybersecurity missions for the Israeli Defense Forces. Aviad’s here to help us figure out what the changing threat landscape really means, whether...
info_outline
Author Scams Exposed
Easy Prey
Writers pour their hearts into their work, but unfortunately, that passion can make them prime targets for scams. From fake agents and vanity publishers to slick marketing schemes and social media impersonators, the tactics have only gotten more sophisticated over time. In this episode, we dig into the murky world of publishing scams and how they work and who they target. Along with why even experienced authors can get caught off guard. Today’s guest is Victoria Strauss. Victoria is the author of nine fantasy and historical novels for adults and teens, and she’s also the co-founder of...
info_outline
Tricked by Followers and Badges
Easy Prey
What if your social media success was built on deception, and it was working? In today’s episode, we hear from someone who knows exactly how that happens. Tim O’Hearn is a former software engineer and the author of Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media, a book that pulls back the curtain on how follower factories, automation, and persuasive technologies have shaped the online world we now take for granted. Tim doesn’t just theorize, he built these systems himself. Tim walks us through how his small side gig growing Instagram accounts evolved into a lucrative business, one...
info_outline
Only 10 Seconds to Expose a Scam
Easy Prey
What if you could stop a scam in real-time before the damage is done? In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Stapleton, an investigative journalist and the face behind Scam Interceptors, the BAFTA award-winning BBC series that exposes online fraud and steps in to protect victims as scams unfold. Nick brings a decade of undercover documentary experience to his current mission: fighting digital deception and empowering everyday people to stay safe. He shares jaw-dropping stories from the front lines, including the near miss that almost caught him off guard, and breaks down the complex...
info_outline
Gambling, Lies, and Millions Stolen from Celebrities
Easy Prey
What happens when the drive to succeed masks deep emotional wounds and addiction? In this episode, Jonathan Schwartz shares a powerful and painfully honest account of how his life unraveled. Once one of Hollywood’s most trusted financial advisors, Jonathan worked with icons like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. On the surface, he had it all. But underneath the success was a secret struggle with gambling and drug addiction that led him to steal millions from the very clients who trusted him most. His fall from grace was dramatic and public, ending in a prison sentence...
info_outline
Human Side of Fraud: Empathy, Education, & Evolution
Easy Prey
People used to think fraud was something that happened in the shadows, rare, distant, and mostly affecting big companies. But after talking to PJ Rohall, it’s clear that fraud is evolving fast, and it’s showing up in places most of us don’t even think to look. In this episode, I sit down with PJ Rohall, Head of Fraud Strategy and Education at SEON and co-founder of About Fraud. PJ’s work is all about staying ahead of scammers and helping businesses and individuals understand how fraud actually works. From synthetic identities and AI-powered scams to account takeovers and refund fraud,...
info_outline
Identity Is The New Security Perimeter
Easy Prey
Sometimes it feels like every new technology we adopt comes with a new risk we didn’t see coming. From AI and data breaches to phishing scams and ransomware, it's clear we live in a time when cybersecurity isn’t just a tech issue, it’s a human issue. In this episode, I talk with Jeff Reich, Executive Director of the Identity Defined Security Alliance. Jeff has been in the cybersecurity world since the early days, with decades of experience helping organizations protect what matters most. His passion for identity security and risk management runs deep, and he brings a thoughtful...
info_outline
Your Car Is Spying On You What It’s Collecting and Who It’s Telling
Easy Prey
I used to think of my car as just a tool to get from point A to point B. But after this conversation, I can’t help but see it as something else entirely, a powerful data collection device that knows far more about me than I realized. From where I go and who I text to how I drive and even what’s on my phone, today’s vehicles are gathering a staggering amount of personal information. In this episode, I talk with Andrea Amico, the founder of . Andrea is one of the leading voices in automotive data privacy and someone who’s spent years uncovering the hidden ways cars collect, store,...
info_outline
Why Everyone’s A Target
Easy Prey
Some scams are so convincing, they’re almost impossible to spot. With phishing emails that look like they’re from your bank, deep fake videos that mimic real people, and AI-generated messages that feel personal, it’s getting harder to know what’s real and what’s a trap. In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Hempel, a security operations specialist at Exabeam and a current law student at Purdue University. Gabrielle brings a sharp perspective shaped by years in cybersecurity, a master’s in cybersecurity and global affairs from NYU, and hands-on experience navigating everything...
info_outline
Child Exploitation Cyber Investigations
Easy Prey
Technology is a double-edged sword. It can empower us, connect us, and solve problems, but it can also be used to exploit, manipulate, and harm. When it comes to protecting children online, that line gets especially thin. Digital forensics, AI-powered image classification, and global law enforcement collaboration are now essential tools for keeping families safe in a world that moves faster than most of us can keep up. Debbie Garner knows this world intimately. She’s a retired Special Agent in charge with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and former commander of the state’s Internet...
info_outlineThe landscape of cybersecurity training and collaboration is changing, interactive education sessions and cross team communication is key. Building a security culture and staying ahead of the modern threats has never been more important. Today’s guest is Howard Goodman, Senior Technical Director at Skybox Security.
With over 20 years of experience Howard has become a well known figure in the cybersecurity world, he combines strategic planning with hands-on application across many industries. In this episode we talk about; security culture, the evolution of cybersecurity training and how Howard got phished during COVID. We also cover organisational challenges, best practices and the future of cybersecurity.
Show Notes:
- [00:48] Howard has a doctorate in cyber operations from Dakota State University. Besides working for Skybox Security, he's also an adjunct professor teaching graduate courses about cyber security.
- [01:48] Howard shares a phishing experience when he and his wife were selling on eBay during COVID.
- [03:34] If the pros can fall for something, regular people can too. We need to be on our game 100% of the time.
- [04:53] We talk about opportunities for adversaries to get in when companies have large cybersecurity teams with a lot of moving parts.
- [05:29] A lot of people ignore phishing attempts instead of reporting them.
- [06:04] It comes down to organizations training their people properly. Cyber security training is becoming more interesting, because the boring stuff just doesn't hold people's attention.
- [10:13] When talking about threats, they focus on the exposure side and the exploitability side. With most businesses, functionality comes before security.
- [12:47] Formal testing is required before upgrading security patches to make sure that they don't break down the whole system.
- [13:47] The importance of being able to leverage other security controls while testing patches. Teams need to be able to communicate and act fast.
- [14:52] Knowing about potential risk is the only way to be proactive.
- [16:36] Looking at costs and gaps in technology. Failures are often due to a breakdown in communication.
- [19:33] The approach of starting out security first.
- [25:08] Best practices include cross-training. Working together and training together. Organizations need to run simulations and see how they react as an organization.
- [31:06] Skybox talks to organizations about gaps in security.
- [35:57] We discuss the loss that can happen from not having proper security measures in place.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.