Hacking Humans

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with a scam warning from Michal, who is sharing the latest conference scam. Dave's got the story of a retired federal investigator who mapped out the “Scammer Psychological Kill Chain” and shared rules to help you spot and break it. Maria has the story of job scams surging over 1,000% in 2025, as scammers exploit a slowing labor market and desperate jobseekers with fake offers, texts, and bogus recruiter schemes. Joe follows the story on a $4 million forex scam where two men promised safe, high returns but instead ran a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 20 investors before landing in federal prison. Our catch of the day comes from listener Shannon who writes in to share a message from "Amazon" about a recall notice. Resources and links to stories: Job Scams Surge 1,000% As Americans Struggle to Find Work Forex Account: What It Means and How It Works Ex-NYPD Cop Gets 36 Months In $4M Forex Scam That Duped 20 Investors: Feds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A cyber threat intelligence analysis model that defines relationship pairs between four core components in the shape of a diamond of adversary playbook activity across the intrusion kill chain: the adversary, their capability, the infrastructure used or attacked, and the victim. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/diamond-model ⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠Diamond Presentation v2 0: Diamond Model for Intrusion Analysis – Applied to Star Wars’ Battles⁠,” Andy Pendergrast and Wade Baker, ThreatConnect, YouTube, 4 February 2020.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Maria's story is on her recent close encounter with a Facebook scam. Dave's story is on a new strain of spyware that automates sextortion by detecting when users watch pornography, then secretly capturing both browser screenshots and webcam photos to blackmail victims. Joe's story is on the power of metadata, sharing how even limited browsing data from his machine learning class revealed personal details like daily routines, house hunting, and financial institutions. Our catch of the day comes from the Scams subreddit, featuring a phony Illuminati recruitment email promising power, wealth, and recognition in exchange for personal information. Resources and links to stories: Automated Sextortion Spyware Takes Webcam Pics of Victims Watching Porn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures established and maintained by the MITRE Corporation.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/mitre-attck⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠Attack Frameworks - SY0-601 CompTIA Security+ : 4.2⁠,” Professor Messer, YouTube, 29 April 2021.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. This week’s follow-up brings two gems: a smart tip from a listener on handling suspicious “bank calls” by asking the caller to leave a note on your account, then verifying directly with your bank. Plus, a delightful story about “Chicken Camp,” where trainers hone their skills by teaching chickens tricks—proof that maybe one day a chicken-driven tractor isn’t such a far-fetched idea! Joe's story is on YouTube scam-baiters who helped expose a $65 million fraud ring that preyed on vulnerable victims, including a Holocaust survivor’s widow. Maria's got the story of how agentic AI browsers, designed to shop and click for you, proved alarmingly easy to trick into scams and phishing schemes—ushering in a new era of “Scamlexity.” Dave's story covers a growing luggage tag scam where discarded tags give scammers enough personal info to file false baggage claims against travelers. The catch of the day comes from listener Chad, who spotted a suspicious message likely aiming to hijack his Facebook account—but wisely didn’t take the bait. Resources and links to stories: YouTube ‘scambaiters' expose ring that left Holocaust survivor's widow penniless: DA “Scamlexity” We Put Agentic AI Browsers to the Test - They Clicked, They Paid, They Failed Airport Worker Reveals Growing Luggage Tag Scam Targeting Travelers ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore the intriguing evolution of DevOps, from its 2008 inception to its widespread acceptance in the tech industry. Discover how it integrates software development and IT operations, reshaping the software lifecycle. Learn about the seamless automation of software deployment through a simplified interface, drastically cutting down on manual errors. The discussion highlights the trends in continuous integration and certificate security management, shedding light on how simplicity drives efficiency.

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building — but this time, it’s not just another episode. This is a special edition you won’t want to miss. For the first time, our hosts are together in-studio — and they’re turning up the heat. Literally. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠, along with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Keith Mularski⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Qintel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, as they take on a fiery hot wings challenge while answering personal questions about themselves, their careers, and the stories that shaped them. Think you’ve seen them tackle malware mysteries before? Wait until you see them sweat. This one’s too good for audio alone — you’ll want to watch the full ⁠video⁠ edition to catch every spicy reaction, every laugh, and maybe even a few tears. So grab your milk, get ready to feel the burn, and come join us for this special hot take on Only Malware in the Building.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, this time involving a surprising new flock of chickens and a listener note from Belgium. Via Peter Janssen, as he’s seen the same fake “employee discount” scams we covered, only this time targeting backpacks and other products. Dave's story is on a new “podcast imposter” scam, where fake invites trick business owners and influencers into giving remote access so attackers can hijack their accounts. Joe's got a story on Workday disclosing a breach after attackers used social engineering to infiltrate a third-party CRM system, and why this matters given Workday’s wide use as the front end for so many companies’ HR departments. Maria brings two quick hits this week: a fake FedEx text scam making the rounds, and a look at whether covering kids’ faces with emojis in photos really protects their privacy — or if it’s more illusion than protection. On today's catch of the day, Dave got a text claiming he’s been recommended for a high-paying, no-experience-needed YouTube job—classic signs of a scam promising easy money and “free training.” Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: ⁠⁠Dumbest Friend Just Bought 20 Chickens Executives Warned About Celebrity Podcast Scams Workday Discloses Data Breach Following CRM-Targeted Social Engineering Attack Will covering your child’s face with an emoji actually protect their privacy? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A software development model that relies on a series of sequential steps that flow into each other, like a series of waterfalls.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/waterfall-software-development⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠Creating Video Games - Agile Software Development,⁠” by Sara Verrilli, MIT OpenCourseWare, YouTube, 10 December 2015

Dive into the cunning world of modern scams, where criminals use GPS-enabled phones to track and steal cars from unsuspecting owners. Discover the alarming details of a $5 million grandparent scam and how investigators uncovered it through keen observations. Learn about a deceptive job scam that mimicked Spotify's recruitment page, showcasing the risks of social media for job seekers. Plus, enjoy some light-hearted banter about chicken farming, blending humor with serious discussions on cybersecurity and scams.