TED Talks Daily cover image

TED Talks Daily

How clicking a single link can cost millions | Ryan Pullen

Feb 26, 2024
Cybersecurity expert Ryan Pullen discusses investigating digital breaches and gaining access to building controls in London. He explores human vulnerabilities in cybercrime, social engineering tactics, and the importance of protecting personal information online.
14:46

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • A single click on a malicious link triggered a £5 million ransomware attack, highlighting human vulnerabilities in cybersecurity.
  • Exploiting human empathy and trust through social engineering tactics can bypass security controls, emphasizing the human element in cyber threats.

Deep dives

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Are Often Human-Centered

Despite assumptions that cyberattacks are executed solely by technically skilled individuals, cybersecurity expert Ryan Pullen emphasizes the human-centered vulnerabilities. Pullen's investigation revealed that a costly ransomware attack on an organization costing £5 million and lasting 14 months was triggered by a single individual clicking a malicious link. This highlights the significant human impact of cyber threats, challenging the common perception that cybersecurity is solely technology-focused. Pullen's experiences underscore the need to address human behavior in cybersecurity measures.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode