On this show, we have talked quite a bit about the red hot cybersecurity industry. Companies can't fill open positions fast enough. Globally, cybersecurity spending exceeds $200 billion. But there's a small problem. You might call it a cybersecurity paradox. Despite companies spending more than ever on cybersecurity, companies are also losing data more than ever. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to Richard Hollis, a 35-year veteran of the cybersecurity industry. Richard works at Risk Crew, a London-based cyber risk management consulting firm that strengthens companies' cybersecurity defenses through ethical hacking and information security awareness programs. Overall, Richard believes the cybersecurity industry has failed to accomplish its mission, citing how companies around the world are collectively losing on average 20 million personal records every single day. Over the last five years globally, companies have lost the records of more than 17 billion people. These are staggering numbers. We talk about some of the reasons the cybersecurity industry is failing, including looking at the largest incentive not to protect personal data: the desire to make money from it. Richard brings a very refreshing perspective to the cybersecurity discussion, believing that companies should start viewing this from an individual privacy perspective. To learn more about Richard Hollis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riskexpertrichardhollis/ To learn more about Risk Crew: https://www.riskcrew.com/ Links Referenced: https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cybersecurity-spending-increase-idc/645338/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

Naomi Rule, Anonyome Labs CFO, discusses the rise of deepfakes and AI impacting accounting fraud. Topics include real-time deepfakes, fraud detection, preparing for realistic deepfakes, AI's positive impact, and the importance of staying ahead of AI developments in corporate finance.

Web3, or Web 3.0, is a new vision for the World Wide Web where the user is in control. While Web3 has been called many things, there's no doubt that its architecture enables for the democratization of the web. The key concepts of Web3 include decentralization, blockchain technologies and token-based economies. While the pervasiveness of fraud in cryptocurrency has tarnished the image of Web3, decentralization continues to be the greatest promise emanating from the emerging technologies of this new paradigm. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to Daniel Harris, the Founder and CEO of Kendraio, an independent nonprofit research project, building free, open-source software with data privacy and autonomy at its core. For the majority of this interview, we discuss the Kendraio app, a highly customizable, no-code environment to explore how people can interact with technology with more personal control. The Kendraio app's focus is on user-centric design, data portability, privacy, interoperability, and user-configurable interfaces. It's a revolutionary app that gives users control over their data, the process and the interface. We also talk to Daniel about his thoughts on today's battle for individual privacy. To learn more about Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dahacouk/ To learn more about Kendraio: https://www.kendra.io/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

With large data breaches making headline news nearly every week, cybersecurity is a hot topic. Recently, AT&T discovered the personal information of more than 70 million current and former customers being sold on the Dark Web. Compounding this is the fact that it takes on average nearly seven months for a corporate security and compliance team to even identity that a data breach occurred in the first place. With the average cost of a data breach in the United States hitting $10 million per incident, companies are spending more than ever to defend against cyber attacks. However, despite this, the number of data breaches happening today has never been higher. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to Elvis Moreland, a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer at Blue Cyren. Elvis has an extensive background helping some of the largest companies in the world with their cybersecurity, and Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) strategies. We talk a lot about the importance of implementing strong GRC frameworks and how cybersecurity tools alone are not enough to protect people, systems and data. With the recent AT&T and Change Healthcare data breaches making the news, we analyze what happened and how these can be prevented in the future. Elvis also talks about the risks of not conducting the proper due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and how this can significantly increase a company's exposure to a data breach. Overall, Elvis provides great insight into how corporations approach cybersecurity and GRC, and how his decades of experience has impacted the way he handles his own personal data. Links Referenced: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/cybersecurity/new-survey-reveals-2-trillion-dollar-market-opportunity-for-cybersecurity-technology-and-service-providers https://www.statista.com/statistics/273550/data-breaches-recorded-in-the-united-states-by-number-of-breaches-and-records-exposed/ https://www.varonis.com/blog/data-breach-statistics https://www.npr.org/2024/03/30/1241863710/att-data-breach-dark-web OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

According to a recent study at the University of Texas at Austin, from January 2020 to February 2024, people lost more than $75 billion around the world to the scam of pig butchering. Named after the practice of farmers fattening hogs before slaughter, victims are lured into fake crypto investments. Once victims send enough funds, the scammers disappear. Hence, the pig is slaughtered. Victims routinely lose hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. And each story often begins as an online romance. In this episode of Privacy Files we speak to Troy, a private investigator who specializes in exposing pig butchering scams. Troy works for the non-profit organization called the Global Anti-Scam Organization. To learn more: https://www.globalantiscam.org/ Troy has his own pig butchering story to tell and it's the reason he got involved in the fight to warn the public about this ruthless criminal activity. This is so much more than just a story about another online scam. It's also about organized crime and human trafficking. Above all, the hope is that this interview helps you better understand a rapidly rising global scam and what to look out for to avoid becoming a victim. Links Referenced: https://time.com/6836703/pig-butchering-scam-victim-loss-money-study-crypto/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

In 2023, Americans lost more than $10 billion to fraud. This is the largest annual loss in US history. In terms of dollars lost, investment scams emptied consumers' bank accounts more than any other scam at $4.6 billion. But a close second was imposter scams at $2.7 billion. In this episode of Privacy Files, we look at the tragic story of former New York Times journalist Charlotte Cowles. On Halloween of 2023, Charlotte became the victim of a very elaborate imposter scam that cost her $50,000 USD. This is one of those stories that highlights how anyone can be targeted for fraud and just how susceptible we are in the perfect storm. In past episodes, we have underscored how scams are growing in sophistication, which makes it even more important to understand how they work so you can identify them before it's too late. We also discuss the psychology of imposter scams to better understand why people fall for them, even when there are so many noticeable red flags in the beginning. Finally, this story is another excellent example of why it is so important to minimize your digital footprint so you can reduce your chances of encountering a fraudster in the first place. Links Referenced: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/nationwide-fraud-losses-top-10-billion-2023-ftc-steps-efforts-protect-public https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon-scam-call-ftc-arrest-warrants.html OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

The demand for cybersecurity professionals is strong. Job vacancies in the industry grew from one million in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021. And because of this shortfall in talent, companies are struggling to keep up with the latest in modern threat awareness, including phishing, social engineering, Business Email Compromise (BEC), and financial fraud. Many corporate security and compliance teams feel that their company's apps, data, devices, infrastructure, and people are vulnerable. While the number of job vacancies remained steady at 3.5 million in 2023, one thing is very evident. Companies are struggling to find qualified cybersecurity professionals. In this episode of Privacy Files, we speak with one of the largest cybersecurity influencers in the world. Caitlin, also known as "Cybersecurity Girl", spends most of her time educating the public about data protection and promoting careers in cybersecurity. She is also a leading advocate for getting more women interested in STEM subjects and ultimately on the cybersecurity career path. We kick off the episode by looking at Caitlin's career and how she got started in cybersecurity. Caitlin got her start at EY and quickly learned the ropes of cybersecurity as she consulted with a wide range of businesses looking to better protect their people, systems and data. Later Caitlin moved to the UK and worked on GDPR and privacy impact infrastructures. Caitlin also discusses how she assisted investment firms during mergers and acquisitions, helping them pinpoint transactional risks related to cybersecurity and data privacy. Before becoming a full-time influencer, Caitlin worked at a major law firm where she helped develop a cybersecurity and data privacy consultancy wing. We also get into how Caitlin stays private as a public figure and she offers some tips for protecting personal data. To learn more about Caitlin: https://cybersecuritygirl.net/ Follow Caitlin: https://www.tiktok.com/@cybersecuritygirl https://www.instagram.com/cybersecurity_girl/ Links Referenced: https://cybersecurityventures.com/jobs/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

In 2015, Dr. Robert Epstein, a psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, made world news. Dr. Epstein was one of the authors of a groundbreaking study that found that Google's search ranking algorithm could influence how people vote. Even more shocking, according to Dr. Epstein, "We estimate, based on win margins in national elections around the world, that Google could determine the outcome of upwards of 25 percent of all national elections." And just exactly how could Google do this? By simply changing the order of positive and negative stories appearing in search results. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to someone who is trying to give the world a more "honest search engine." Kristin Jackson is the Co-Founder and President of Freespoke Search, a search engine designed to provide balanced search results, promote free speech, and protect your privacy. We begin by discussing some of the inherent problems with existing search engine options and how Kristin found herself in the center of the fight against Google. Then we discuss what Freespoke Search is doing to shake up the search engine industry. We also cover Freespoke Search's unique business model and how it differs from the competition. Toward the end of the interview, Kristin talks about how she protects her personal data and offers some advice to the audience for becoming more private. To Learn More about Freespoke Search: https://freespoke.com/privacyfiles To Learn More about Kristin Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-jackson-0539b53/ Links Referenced: https://www.wired.com/2015/08/googles-search-algorithm-steal-presidency/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

In 2023, it is estimated that $3.1 trillion in illicit funds moved through the global financial system. Financial crimes can take many forms. Money laundering accounted for trillions of dollars supporting a wide range of crimes, including $346.7 billion in human trafficking, $782.9 billion in drug trafficking activity, and $11.5 billion in terrorist financing. In 2023, fraud scams and bank fraud schemes reached $485.6 billion in total losses. In this episode of Privacy Files, we welcome back Tom Chavez, a private investigator and CEO at Dark Horse Intelligence in California. Tom is a veteran in investigating financial crimes. We talk about a variety of financial crimes and what to look out for to better protect yourself from becoming a victim. Surprisingly, check fraud is still alive and well. In addition, Tom touches on mailbox fraud for stealing identities. We also discuss cryptocurrency fraud, one of Tom's passions, and review the problems with P2P payment apps. Tom addresses what he calls "microthefts", or small amounts of money routinely deducted from bank accounts. He even recounts a personal story where a bad actor unsuccessfully attempted to access and withdraw money from his bank account. One of our most fascinating topics is "fraud-as-a-service." There is an entire industry on the Dark Web for fake IDs, stolen credit cards and accounts, and laundering money. We also dive into decentralized identity and reusable credentials for preventing financial fraud in the banking industry. Rich even tells a personal story about how someone recently hacked into his frequent flyer account and stole miles for a plane ticket. And of course, as always, we offer some advice for how you can better protect your personal data. To learn more about Tom Chavez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-chavez-dark-horse-intelligence/ To learn more about Dark Horse Intelligence: https://darkhorseintel.com/ Links Referenced: https://www.nasdaq.com/global-financial-crime-report OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States, consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023. This is a 14% increase over reported losses in 2022. Some of the most common scams include investment scams, imposter scams, bank transfer scams and cryptocurrency scams. "Digital tools are making it easier than ever to target hard-working Americans,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. Fraud is more prevalent today than ever thanks to advances in technology that give bad actors access to powerful tools for perpetrating crimes. In this episode of Privacy Files, we speak with Nigel Ramoutar, a professional fraud investigator based in Canada. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelram/ We cover a variety of fraud topics, from gift cards and identity theft to credit cards and organized crime. Nigel is a seasoned professional who knows the ins and outs of the fraud industry and sheds light on several common criminal activities in hopes of helping people avoid becoming a victim. Toward the end of the episode, we talk to Nigel about ways he personally stays private as a professional investigator. Nigel also offers some tips for how you can better safeguard your personal information to stay more private and reduce your chances of falling victim to identity theft. Links Referenced: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/nationwide-fraud-losses-top-10-billion-2023-ftc-steps-efforts-protect-public https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/research/identity-theft-credit-card-fraud-statistics/ https://identitytheft.org/statistics/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com