Libsyn Directory

Understanding Ransomware and Defense Strategies

Release Date: 04/09/2025

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,...

Identity Is The New Security Perimeter

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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...

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,...

Why Everyone’s A Target

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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...

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...

Reclaiming the Internet

Easy Prey

We may not always understand the evolution of the internet and how tech monopolies exist, but having digital freedom fighters is vital to making conscious change. Today's guest is Cory Doctorow. Cory is a science fiction author, activist, and journalist. He is the author of many books and most recently, Picks and Shovels, The Bezel, and The Lost Cause, a solar punk science fiction novel of hope amidst the climate change emergency. His most recent nonfiction book is the internet con How to Seize the Means of Corruption, a big tech disassembly manual. Other recent books include Red Team...

Security Gaps Hackers Exploit

Easy Prey

Scammers aren’t just phishing your inbox anymore—they’re impersonating your voice, your face, and even your coworkers. Deep fakes and social engineering have moved beyond clever tricks and become powerful tools that bad actors are using to infiltrate businesses, breach accounts, and dismantle trust at scale. What used to take a hacker hours and expensive tools can now be done in minutes by anyone with a Wi-Fi connection and a little malicious intent. Our guest today is Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag, a company leading the charge in next-generation identity verification. Aaron’s...

Cyber Warfare

Easy Prey

Cyber warfare is no longer something that happens behind closed doors or in some far-off digital corner. It's happening now—and reshaping the rules of conflict in real time. Drone strikes controlled by apps, ransomware attacks on hospitals—today's battleground is just as likely to be online as on the ground. That science fiction scenario is now a critical, constant threat-the kind that affects us all globally. I'm really excited to introduce you to Dr. Chase Cunningham. He's a retired Navy chief cryptologist with a wealth of experience in cyber operations for the NSA, CIA, FBI—and more....

DDoS Attacks

Easy Prey

Scammers are getting smarter, understanding the psychology behind social engineering and the challenges companies face every day can help keep networks secure. This episode will show how to anticipate these threats and secure networks against ever-changing vulnerabilities. We’ll focus on practical, real-world solutions to protect data and trust. Dr. Jared Smith joins us to share his insights from his role leading research and development at SecurityScorecard. He also co-founded UnCat, a B2B accounting technology company serving thousands of customers and teaches as an adjunct professor at...

Safe AI Implementation

Easy Prey

Red models associated with AI technologies highlight real-world vulnerabilities and the importance of proactive security measures. It is vital to educate users about how to explore the challenges and keep AI systems secure. Today’s guest is Dr. Aditya Sood. Dr. Sood is the VP of Security Engineering and AI Strategy at Aryaka and is a security practitioner, researcher, and consultant with more than 16 years of experience. He obtained his PhD in computer science from Michigan State University and has authored several papers for various magazines and journals. In this conversation, he will shed...

More Episodes

When it comes to cybersecurity, most people think about firewalls, passwords, and antivirus software. But what about the attackers themselves? Understanding how they operate is just as important as having the right defenses in place. That’s where Paul Reid comes in. As the Vice President of Adversary Research at AttackIQ, Paul and his team work to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals by thinking like them and identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

In this episode, we dive into the world of cyber threats, ransomware, and the business of hacking. Paul shares insights from his 25+ years in cybersecurity, including his experience tracking nation-state attackers, analyzing ransomware-as-a-service, and why cybercrime has become such a highly organized industry. We also talk about what businesses and individuals can do to protect themselves, from understanding threat intelligence to why testing your backups might save you from disaster. Whether you're in cybersecurity or just trying to keep your data safe, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Show Notes:

[00:58] Paul is the VP of Adversary Research at AttackIQ.
[01:30] His team wants to help their customers be more secure.
[01:52] Paul has been in cybersecurity for 25 years. He began working in Novell Networks and then moved to directory services with Novell and Microsoft, Active Directory, LDAP, and more.
[02:32] He also helped design classification systems and then worked for a startup. He also ran a worldwide threat hunting team. Paul has an extensive background in networks and cybersecurity.
[03:49] Paul was drawn to AttackIQ because they do breach attack simulation.
[04:22] His original goal was actually to be a banker. Then he went back to his original passion, computer science.
[06:05] We learn Paul's story of being a victim of ransomware or a scam. A company he was working for almost fell for a money transfer scam.
[09:12] If something seems off, definitely question it.
[10:17] Ransomware is an economically driven cybercrime. Attackers try to get in through social engineering, brute force attack, password spraying, or whatever means possible.
[11:13] Once they get in, they find whatever is of value and encrypt it or do something else to extort money from you.
[12:14] Ransomware as a service (RaaS) has brought ransomware to the masses.
[13:49] We discuss some ethics in these criminal organizations. Honest thieves?
[16:24] Threats look a lot more real when you see that they have your information.
[17:12] Paul shares a phishing scam story with just enough information to make the potential victim click on it.
[18:01] There was a takedown of LockBit in 2020, but they had a resurgence. It's a decentralized ransomware as a service model that allows affiliates to keep on earning, even if the main ones go down.
[20:14] Many of the affiliates are smash and grab, the nation states are a little more patient.
[21:11] Attackers are branching out into other areas and increasing their attack service, targeting Linux and macOS.
[22:17] The resiliency of the ransomware as a service setup and how they've distributed the risk across multiple affiliates.
[23:42] There's an ever growing attack service and things are getting bigger.
[25:06] AttackIQ is able to run emulations in a production environment.
[26:20] Having the ability to continuously test and find new areas really makes networks more cyber resilient.
[29:55] We talk about whether to pay ransoms and how to navigate these situations.
[31:05] The best solution is to do due diligence, updates, patches, and separate backups from the system.
[35:19] Dealing with ransomware is a no win situation. Everyone is different.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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