23andMe's Data Debacle and the Signal Chat Security SNAFU

Welcome back CyberDudes! After a couple of weeks off, we're diving straight into two major cybersecurity concerns.

First, we break down the implications of 23andMe's bankruptcy and the uncertain fate of your personal DNA data. Then, we tackle the Signal chat controversy involving government officials and classified information – a security blunder of epic proportions.

First up, 23andMe has gone bankrupt, leaving users in a lurch. We'll discuss the serious risks of your genetic data falling into the wrong hands and what you can do to try and protect your privacy.

If you've used their services, this is a must-listen!

Then, we dissect the Signal chat scandal, or "Signalgate," involving top U.S. government officials.

We cover how classified information was shared on a consumer-grade app, why that's a massive no-no, and who's to blame. We also discuss the implications of using a non-secure platform for sensitive government communications.

Join us for a deep dive into these critical cybersecurity fails and why serious people need to be in charge of this stuff!

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Russia’s Election Meddling, AI-Powered Phishing, and Malvertising Scams

Welcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re breaking down some of the most concerning cybersecurity threats making headlines. Together, we’ll explore how Russia continues to interfere in global elections, the rise of AI-powered phishing scams, and why millions of devices have been infected through malicious online ads.

We start with Russia’s long-running cyber influence campaigns, which show no signs of slowing down. From Kosovo to Germany, Moscow’s election meddling tactics remain as aggressive as ever. We discuss why offensive cyber operations are a necessary part of defense and why the idea of purely reactive security is outdated.

Next, we dig into an AI-powered Netflix phishing scam that’s nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. With machine-generated emails and cloned branding, cybercriminals are lowering the technical barrier for large-scale fraud. We break down why AI is making phishing more dangerous and how to avoid falling victim.

Finally, we dive into Microsoft’s warning about a massive malvertising campaign that has infected over a million devices. With cybercriminals embedding malware into fake ads and even using GitHub to host payloads, this attack highlights the growing complexity of modern cyber threats.

Join us for all this and more—including why illegally streaming fights might cost you more than just the pay-per-view price—on CyberDudes!

Chapters

00:00:07 Intro

00:01:26 Cyber Threats and Political Tensions in the Middle East

00:03:11 Cyber Warfare and Political Implications

00:06:00 The Art of Keeping the Other Team Honest: A Discussion on Offensive and Defense Tactics

00:09:12 Impact of AI and Misinformation in Media

00:14:35 Importance of Legitimacy and Preventing Malvertizing Campaigns in Online Streaming

00:18:49 Data Brokering and Data Deletion Concerns

00:20:09 Security Threat of Chinese-Made Internet Routers

00:25:47 Cybersecurity Risks and Controversies of tp-Link Devices

00:30:48 Education and Misinformation

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Mentioned Offer: Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Zero fees on international money transfers up to $600 with Wise: https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/robint316

#cybersecurity #podcast #ai #cyber #russia #electioninterference #databrokers #netflix #scams

Dr. Eric Cole on AI, Data Privacy, and National Security RisksWelcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re sitting down with cybersecurity expert Dr. Eric Cole for a deep dive into AI, data privacy, and the growing risks of government data consolidation. From Elon Musk’s access to U.S. Treasury data to the lack of federal privacy laws in the U.S., we explore how unchecked technology is reshaping security threats and what it means for both individuals and businesses.Dr. Cole shares his insights on the biggest cybersecurity challenges of the next decade, including the rapid evolution of AI-driven attacks, the failure of lawmakers to keep pace with emerging threats, and why privacy is becoming a luxury rather than a right. We discuss the fine line between convenience and security, the dangers of over-trusting cloud services, and why the push for centralized identity systems could become a national security nightmare.He also breaks down what companies and individuals can do to take control of their digital footprint before it’s too late. From reducing data exposure to implementing stronger security habits, we get into the practical steps that actually make a difference in an era of constant surveillance and AI-powered threats.Before that, we cover a few major news stories, including the continued dismantling of CISA as political interference guts its leadership and the disturbing rise of cyber slavery in Burmese pig butchering scams.Join us for all this and more—including why your phone might be tracking far more than you realize—on CyberDudes!Chapters:00:00:00 Cyber Dudes: A Discussion on Cybersecurity and Personal Security00:02:49 International Relations and the Impact of Cyber Threats00:10:08 Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Dynamics00:15:10 The Dark Side of Human Trafficking and the Need for International Intervention00:20:03 Apple's Stance on Data Protection and Government Surveillance00:27:54 Cybersecurity and AI: A Discussion on the Impact of AI and malware00:32:59 Cybersecurity Issues and Accountability at Disney00:43:00 Cybersecurity, AI, and Government Efficiency in the United States00:49:54 The Impact of Digital World and Data Privacy on American Law00:58:10 The Power of Asking the Right Questions: A Discussion on Cybersecurity01:01:38 The Intersection of Technology: Efficiency, Security, and Cost01:08:38 The Impact of Location Tracking and the Need for Personal Privacy Legislation01:15:22 Importance of Cybersecurity and Personal Awareness01:24:35 Cybersecurity: Prevention, Detection, and the Importance of Legal and Business Understanding01:31:44 The Limitations and Future of AI in Cybersecurity01:38:44 The Impact of Digital Addiction and the Need for a Digital RehabFeatured Articles:https://therecord.media/hegseth-orders-cyber-command-stand-down-russia-planninghttps://therecord.media/thousands-rescued-from-cyber-scam-compounds-stuck-at-thai-borderhttps://www.theverge.com/news/617273/apple-removes-encryption-advanced-data-protection-adp-uk-spying-backdoorhttps://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/privacy-tech-firms-warn-frances-encryption-and-vpn-laws-threaten-privacy/https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/signal-exit-sweden-government/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-stole-this-engineers-1password-database-could-it-happen-to-you/Offers:Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNSMentioned Offer: Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNSGet a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQGet $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

CISA’s Future, Quantum Computing, and Password FailuresWelcome back CyberDudes!

This week, we’re diving into the cybersecurity stories making waves, but in the second half, we’re tackling some of the worst security habits people still refuse to fix—including password management and why multi-factor authentication isn’t optional in 2025.

Before that, we’re breaking down the mess at CISA, as political interference and leadership purges throw the agency’s future into question. Omar takes the soapbox to call out why gutting the country’s best cybersecurity organization is a reckless move, especially with critical infrastructure still compromised.

Robin then unpacks Microsoft’s latest quantum computing breakthrough and why the timeline for breaking encryption might be shorter than we thought. We discuss what this means for the future of cybersecurity and why preparing for the quantum shift is more urgent than ever.

To wrap things up, we look at the rise of info-stealing malware and the 330 million stolen credentials circulating online. We get into why browser-stored passwords are a bad idea, why app-based MFA is the only real choice, and why people still using weak passwords need to get it together.

Join us for all this and more—including a look ahead to next week’s guest, cybersecurity expert Dr. Eric Cole—on CyberDudes!

Chapters:

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:13 News, Quantum Computing, and Cryptocurrency Activities

00:02:32 Cyber Security and Political Motivation

00:11:21 A Deep Dive into Cybersecurity, Efficiency, and Conflict of Interest

00:19:00 Cryptocurrency Activity and Political Sanctions in North Korea and Iran

00:24:42 The Impending Impact of Quantum Computing and Its Cybersecurity Implications

00:30:27 The Importance of Password Security and the Impact of Info Theft

00:33:13 The Importance of Multi- Factor Authentication and Personal Security

00:35:28 Multi- Factor Authentication and Cybersecurity

Articles:

https://therecord.media/sanctions-cryptocurrency-iran-tornado-cash-chainalysis-report

https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-creates-chip-it-says-shows-quantum-computers-are-years-not-decades-2025-02-19/

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/330-million-credentials/

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Welcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re joined by Phil Ruffin, who shares his journey from help desk roles to cybersecurity risk management and technical support engineering. Together, we break down the challenges of breaking into cyber, from flawed hiring practices to certifications that don’t always open doors.

We also explore the role of networking, hands-on labs, and self-improvement in standing out, plus why soft skills and mentorship matter more than most people realize.

Join us for all this and more—including our take on the biggest misconceptions about landing a cyber job—on CyberDudes!

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Welcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re tackling some of the biggest cybersecurity myths that just won’t die. In the second half of the episode, we’re breaking down the bad advice, outdated assumptions, and straight-up nonsense that still circulates in security conversations.

But first, we’re covering a few major stories: cyber war games at SchmooCon simulated how Taiwan might defend itself against a full-scale Chinese cyberattack, Trump fired the Cyber Safety Review Board investigating Salt Typhoon’s telecom hacks, and Change Healthcare’s ransomware breach now affects a staggering 190 million Americans.

For our deeper dives, Omar walks us through Subaru’s massive security failure, where a researcher found their car tracking system exposed years of location data with barely any protection. We discuss why car manufacturers keep hoarding sensitive data while failing miserably at securing it.

We also break down the ongoing chaos at CISA, where a purge of leadership and active investigations is raising serious concerns. With critical infrastructure still compromised by Chinese hackers, dismantling the agency’s ability to respond feels less like policy and more like sabotage.

Join us for all this and more—including our biggest cybersecurity pet peeves—on CyberDudes!

This week's articles:

https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/war-game-pits-china-against-taiwan-cyberwar

https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/trump-fires-cyber-safety-board-salt-typhoon-hackers

https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/24/unitedhealth-confirms-190-million-americans-affected-by-change-healthcare-data-breach/?guccounter=2

https://www.wired.com/story/subaru-location-tracking-vulnerabilities/

https://www.wired.com/story/big-interview-jen-easterly-cisa-cybersecurity/

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Welcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re diving into some of the biggest cybersecurity stories. Together, we’ll talk about why employees are still feeding sensitive data into generative AI tools and how attackers could exploit this information through clever prompt engineering.

We’re also unpacking the U.S. sanctions targeting North Korean IT worker networks. These groups fund weapons programs through shell companies and complicit individuals, and we’ll discuss why solutions like “return to office” aren’t the answer to vetting remote hires.

Finally, we’re revisiting the TikTok ban—or, as it turns out, the pause on it. Since recording, the self-interested orange scumbag now in the White House has delayed the ban, leaving the app’s future uncertain. We’ll reflect on the national security arguments for the ban and why businesses betting their entire strategy on TikTok might be regretting it.

Join us for all this and more on ​⁠

This week’s articles:

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link

Welcome back CyberDudes! This week, we’re exploring the latest in cybersecurity, starting with some quick updates. Phishing click rates jumped by 190% last year, a Chinese APT group ramped up spear-phishing attacks against Japan, and Volkswagen’s mishandling of driver geolocation data put millions at risk.

We’re also digging into the EU’s evolving data privacy laws. Together, we’ll unpack the Digital Markets Act and what stronger GDPR enforcement means for all of us, especially as transparency in AI and data use becomes more critical than ever.

For our deep dive into phishing, we’re looking at how attackers are shifting tactics. From web-based phishing through search results to exploiting cloud platforms like WordPress, we’ll discuss why this evolution is making detection harder and what steps we can take to stay protected.

This week’s articles:

https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/chinese-apt-group-ransacking-japans-secrets

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/phishing-click-rates-triple/

https://natlawreview.com/article/5-trends-watch-2025-eu-data-privacy-cybersecurity

Offers:

Get up to 175k Amex Points with a Platinum Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/platinum-card?ref=ROBINTN6e3&XL=MIMNS

Get a $250 bonus when you spend $3k with an Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card - https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/blue-cash-preferred-credit-card?ref=ROBINT3nvs&XL=MIMNS

Get a $100 bonus with Discover - https://refer.discover.com/s/robin.t925?advocate.partner_share_id=4724472810

Get a $200 cash bonus with a CapitalOne Quicksilver Card - https://i.capitalone.com/Gg3TIobsQ

Get $20 free Bitcoin when you sign up to Coinbase - https://coinbase.com/join/Z5UAY8C?src=ios-link