This is the 58th episode of the Shared Security Podcast sponsored by Security Perspectives – Your Source for Tailored Security Awareness Training and Assessment Solutions. This episode was hosted by Tom Eston and Scott Wright recorded November 29, 2016. Below are the show notes, commentary, links to articles and news mentioned in the podcast:
Privacy Panic? Snapchat Spectacles raise eyebrows
Anyone remember Google Glass (which was a failed product by the way)? This time Snapchat is releasing their own type of wearable tech called “Spectacles”. What are the privacy ramifications to be concerned about? Not much, and we’ll see if they take off with the younger generation. Oh, and don’t be a “Snap-Hole”!
A new app that lets users’ friends ‘virtually walk them home at night’ is exploding in popularity
We think this personal safety app is a great use of GPS and location sharing technology. Hopefully the “Companion” app catches on with college campuses helping to make people feel more safe.
A 10-Digit Key Code to Your Private Life: Your Cellphone Number
We often think about securing information that we deem “private” like a SSN but what about your mobile number? This article explores the privacy and security issues of how your mobile number can be used to find out personal details about you and link this information together. It can be a goldmine for advertisers as well as potential attackers!
Meet PoisonTap, the $5 tool that ransacks password-protected computers
PoisonTap is a device recently released by a security researcher that can be plugged into a “screen locked” computer to intercept web traffic and install backdoor malware. The device is cheap to make with a RaspberryPi. We don’t think this is a huge threat but businesses should review their desktop/laptop security procedures to ensure devices like these can’t be inserted (locked or unlocked).
What happens when bots start writing code instead of humans
Are we at the point where bots are going to be writing code and all of our security problems will just disappear? Not yet! This is an interesting article that Tom and Scott discuss about how new web and mobile applications are being developed without much “coding” involved. Essentially with new development frameworks you really don’t need to know anything about computer programming. Of course like anything there are positives and negatives to this approach but education is going to be the key or we’re going to have bots that are programmed by humans to write insecure code (just Tom’s unsupported theory)
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