[intro]
Wendy Battles: Welcome to the Bee Cyber Fit Podcast, where we're simplifying cybersecurity for everyone, where we cut through confusing cyber speak and make cybersecurity simple and easy to digest. I'm one of your hosts, Wendy Battles.
James Tucciarone: I'm James Tucciarone, together we're part of Yale University's information security policy and awareness team. Our department works behind the scenes to support Yale's mission of teaching, learning, and scholarly research.
Wendy Battles: Ready to get cyber fit with us?
Hey, everyone, welcome to our very first Bee Cyber Fit Podcast episode. We're so excited you're here. I'm Wendy, and I'm here with my cohost, James.
James Tucciarone: Hey there, Wendy.
Wendy Battles: Hey, James. Watch or read the news and you know that cybercriminals are everywhere these days, right?
James Tucciarone: They sure are.
Wendy Battles: They're always finding ways to trick us into sharing our personal information and man, they are tenacious. They can wear us down and catch us off guard, often when we least expect it.
James Tucciarone: That's so true. Cybercriminals are out there, and they're looking to trick us. They're looking to scam us and, in the end, they're really looking to steal our money or steal our personal information. Now, you might say you'd never fall for a scam or you might say that you fall in first game in the past. But I bet you'd be surprised how common it is for people to fall for scams and how convincing some scams can be. That's why it's so important that we know more, and that we share our experiences, whether a positive outcome or negative. It helps us to build our cyber muscles, and then we help others to be cyber fit too.
Wendy Battles: Yeah. I think that's right. That's why we work together to manage Yale's Cybersecurity Awareness Program. That means we share knowledge, we find engaging ways to share cyber information, all really to keep our amazing Yale community safe. But our podcast isn't only for people who work or go to school at Yale. No, we welcome listeners everywhere, from across the US to anywhere in the world. Our simple goal is to make cybersecurity awareness, fun and interesting to inspire you to think about your own behavior and habits and to share simple things you can do to build your cyber fitness. The good news is that being cyber fit doesn't actually have to be so hard. We're going to share some universal information to help keep you safe online that also won't put you in a time crunch. So, no matter where you work or live, in the US or anywhere in the world, we've got you covered. But before we get too far along, we'd love to tell you a little bit about ourselves.
James Tucciarone: Wendy, let's start with a rumor I heard, which is that you might have been doing this for a while and that this might not be your first podcast.
Wendy Battles: You heard that, did you? Well, you are right, James. I am already a podcast host; I do host a podcast called Reinvention Rebels. To be honest with you, it has absolutely nothing to do with cybersecurity. My podcast features interviews with really interesting and amazing women between 50 and 90 who have reinvented themselves in bold and brave ways. I have a blast hosting it and I've learned a lot about the art of podcasting along the way. So, I'm hoping, James, that I can bring some of my experience to bear on our podcast.
James Tucciarone: That's fantastic. I have to say it's honestly incredible, the way that you're inspiring people with your stories. And maybe we can borrow some of that energy and inspire our Bee Cyber Fit listeners to reinvent the way that they think about cybersecurity. So, Wendy, maybe now you can tell us three interesting things about yourself. What are some things that you'd like the listeners to know?
Wendy Battles: Three interesting things. Okay, I'm going to start with the fact that I am a home chef. I wouldn't say a gourmet chef. I struggle to have everything come out at the same time, perfectly hot, right? But I do like creating really healthy meals for my friends and family. My husband says I'm a little too much into kale for his taste, but I just really enjoy it. And not that long ago, I got a spiralizer where you can take zucchini or carrots, all kinds of things and you can make them into noodles. They say it's healthier than just eating pasta. Of course, you could go buy that stuff at the store but I think it's fun to experiment at home and try new things. So, I'm definitely a home chef.
James Tucciarone: That's awesome.
Wendy Battles: It's fun. It's fun. The second thing I'll tell you is that I am dreaming of moving to Portugal for retirement, which actually isn't that many years away. I know Portugal sounds really far away, a whole different continent, but I'm really drawn to it. And mind you, James, I have never even been to Portugal yet. So, I know you're probably thinking, "What? How can you move to a place and retire there, and you haven't been there?" But you know the pandemic got in the way and I've been close by, I've been to Spain. I do speak Spanish. But something about Portugal is very alluring to me. So, on my bucket list for 2023 is for us to actually get to Portugal. And in fact, one of my good friends is moving to Portugal, and actually just moved there recently, just outside of Lisbon. So, at least I know somebody over there.
James Tucciarone: For sure. I mean, that is definitely an adventure. At least you'll have a built-in support system with your friend who's already out there. But we've got to make sure that you put that Portugal 2023 trip on the calendar for next year.
Wendy Battles: Totally. Because those things happen like I we say we're going to do stuff and then I don't know, the year goes by we haven't done it. So yes, I'm going to make it happen. I'm going to make it happen. The last thing that I'll tell you is that I am a huge fan of summer music festivals. In this case, I'm talking about going to jazz festivals that are outside in cities all around. This summer, we went to the Saratoga Jazz Festival in upstate New York for the first time and I loved it. The weather was amazing, before all that crazy hot weather started. It was just beautiful and sunny, we met interesting people, and the music was just fantastic. So, that is one of my favorite summer activities.
James Tucciarone: Well, you're definitely in a good place with New Haven. I'm sure you're familiar with all of the arts and music festivals that are always going on here.
Wendy Battles: Yeah. We do have a lot, right. We have the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, which is really fun in June. So, lots of opportunities to be outside and take in some culture. But enough about me, James, I want to turn the tables and ask you the same thing. What are three interesting things about yourself that you think the audience would like to know?
James Tucciarone: All right, Wendy, that seems fair. I guess my number one should probably be that I'm actually a homemaker. So, sort of two sides of the same coin. And for me, it was a stand mixer that actually changed my life.
Wendy Battles: Ah.
James Tucciarone: It made things so much easier, and made me think that I could take on bigger projects than I probably should.
Wendy Battles: I like that though. I like that you are a home baker. it's like my Yin to my Yang or something like that. [laughs]
James Tucciarone: Exactly. Exactly.
Wendy Battles: Have a dinner party together and have a complete meal.
James Tucciarone: We should do that. Okay, so on to interesting thing number two. I guess I could say that I'm a DIYer, I like to figure things out, figure out how things work, and try to do them myself. It might even be part of the reason I got into baking. But really, I just like to be able to know that I can do something myself. I guess Google and YouTube, they definitely make things a lot easier. But a lot of times, to be honest, they just make things look a lot easier.
Wendy Battles: I totally hear that. I'm going to say that's where our commonality diverges because I am not, James, a DIYer. I have tried many projects that are in my basement that I started and did not finish and, "Can I just hire somebody to do some of that stuff?" [James chuckles] That's my attitude. [laughs] I appreciate your effort and trying these things and I totally know that feeling of you get into it, and it's more complicated than it seemed.
James Tucciarone: Definitely, definitely. I guess for number three, Wendy, I want to say that I've only been in information security for a short period of time and I hope that our listeners maybe find that encouraging. As you know, I've been in IT roles prior to that for many years but even so, I was really surprised at how much better than I could do to keep myself safe. I was really surprised too, how many scams are actually out there and like we said how convincing that they really are. I kind of felt like I was a young kid who thought that they knew everything and then when I grew up, I learned that I actually did not know nearly as much as I thought I did.
Wendy Battles: I totally get that and I totally remember, you couldn't tell me anything, because I knew yet I really knew nothing. [laughs] That's the irony of it. I knew so little, even though I was convinced in my head, I did. So, I appreciate that you're uncovering some things that perhaps you didn't know. And I have to say that I also really love working with you, so that part is awesome.
JAMES Tucciarone: Well, the same right back at you, Wendy. Wendy, we can't forget to mention one other member of our team, our colleague, Jess, who's going to join us from time to time and hopefully share some of her cybersecurity knowledge.
Wendy Battles: I sure hope so. I'm also going to say this, James. I'm the chef, you're the baker and I do believe that Jess is a mixologist. A whole mixologist. I think she likes to mix up different drinks, so this would be a perfect dinner party. [laughs]
James Tucciarone: We've definitely got a party on our hands, I think. Wendy, before we move on, there is something else I wanted to ask you. So, there's lots of cybersecurity podcasts out there. You might be surprised how many there are. I definitely was. But have you checked any out or are there any that you actually listen to?
Wendy Battles: That's a really good question. I've poked around a bit. I've listened to some different cybersecurity podcasts. One of them that I do like is called Hacking Humans, which I feel is trying to simplify things, because many of the podcasts are kind of technical in nature and the question is for the average person, can you really understand what they're saying? That's great if you understand that terminology, but most of us-- well, at least I don't. So, I like simpler podcasts like that about cybersecurity.
James Tucciarone: I definitely get it. I saw the same thing when I was looking through podcasts to prepare for ours. It seems like a lot of the podcasts were geared towards IT professionals, or at least people that had some sort of advanced know-how, and there was a lot of terminology or that cyberspeak and it can definitely get confusing really quick. But that's why our podcast has to keep things simple, has to keep things approachable, and keep things easy to understand. Hopefully, we can take the topics that our listeners might find confusing, that they might not be familiar with or that they might want to know more about and break those topics down. Wendy, would it be over the top if I said that we might be cyber translators?
Wendy Battles: Oh, I don't think so. I actually really love that. Ooh, I'm a cyber translator. [James chuckles] I think it's kind of cool, James, myself.
James Tucciarone: I agree. Wendy, I also know that we're on the same page and really wanting to be the go-betweens when it comes to making sense of cybersecurity, hopefully helping our listeners when it comes to figuring out what to do or what not to do when it comes to staying safe. And maybe even knowing what to do when something happens because, as we all know, mistakes definitely do happen.
Wendy Battles: Yep, they sure do. I have a hunch that you and me also have made mistakes along the way, maybe we didn't always know it, but I certainly don't think I've been perfect in my cybersecurity journey. Honestly, that's part of the reason why you all should listen to our Bee Cyber Fit Podcast. But why else should you listen? Well, one, we love a good story. They are a great way to learn about what others have experienced and often they can help save us from ourselves and some of the mistakes we might make. So, we hope to share compelling stories that motivate you to think about your own, what I like to call, cyber hygiene, and perhaps what you could do differently or better.
James Tucciarone: We really believe that cybersecurity is for everyone and we want to make cybersecurity more accessible. Whatever our listeners' age is, technical backgrounds, and comfort levels, we want to motivate them and we want to empower them to keep themselves safe.
Wendy Battles: Finally, we want to make our podcast fun and interesting as we try to demystify this cybersecurity. How cool would it be to have an engaging podcast to look forward to every other week that adds value and can make a difference?
James Tucciarone: You know, Wendy, I have heard a few times that we are fun.
Wendy Battles: Hmm-mm.
James Tucciarone: But more on what our listeners can expect from our podcast. As you mentioned, we'll have an episode every other week that focuses on stories, stories that hopefully will encourage us to be more aware and to be more prepared. Stories that hopefully will get us thinking. Some might be funny; some might be eye-opening; some might be familiar. I know I've seen a few stories where I was like, "Wait a minute." And then, we'll also share some buzzwords. We'll take that cyberspeak and we'll break it down in meaningful and understandable ways. But, Wendy, since we already know that I'm over the top, buzzwords, get it?
Wendy Battles: [laughs] I do, I like that James, buzzwords. Yes, indeed, for the Bee Cyber Fit podcast. But we can't be all talk and no action, can we? Well, actually, we could, but that is not my point. Our goal is to share simple tips to motivate cyber-safe behavior. Change definitely does not happen with a laundry list of things to do. We all have way too many of those already. But when we share something easy that can be a quick win, that can get us psyched to do more.
[music]
James Tucciarone: Okay. Wendy, since this episode is all about us, let's hear what you think. Are older or younger people more likely to be scammed by cybercriminals?
Wendy Battles: Well, looking at how older people are portrayed in the media, James, and you know it's not exactly in a positive way, it's my inclination to say that it's older people.
James Tucciarone: I get you about the media because it does often seem like the older generations are called out as being the most likely to be a victim. But the truth is, numbers among all the age groups are actually relatively similar, or at least they're pretty close. The big differences are the amount of money a person will typically lose, and what types of scams a person might fall for.
Wendy Battles: That's interesting, that it's pretty comparable across age ranges/ Because I just think about people in my life and I certainly know that some of my friends, I've got friends whose parents have been scammed. I will say that I'm really proud of my mom, I think she does a really good job. She's almost 90 and she's pretty good about asking questions if something sounds suspicious, but that is because I said, "Mom if you're not sure, don't click on it. Mom, if you aren't sure, just ask. Mom, if it seems a little weird, pause before you take action." So, I think she's gotten used to my reminders. I don't want to say I'm strong-arming her, but I do try to remind her about that. So now, she's gotten really good about getting in the habit of asking.
But I also know, especially when it comes to older people, that there are a lot of lonely people and it seems like when people are isolated, that can lead to people being more vulnerable. While in the past, James, I would have said that is totally like an older person thing. After the pandemic, I don't know that we can say that anymore, because so much has changed and so many people are lonely, older people, younger people, people in between. I can see your point about how it is that it's not just older people, but younger people, and how it's more even than I thought when it comes to who falls for some of these things.
James Tucciarone: It's really interesting that you mentioned that feeling of isolation, and perhaps even looking for someone to connect to. Romance scams, in particular, are actually most common among the 60 and over crowd and I'm sure that isolation, that desire to connect, plays a part. I've definitely been there with getting nervous for my friends and family. In fact, a friend recently told me about how they were almost fooled by a phony support representative who had reached out about a cell phone bill. Now, this friend is of a slightly younger generation, but they still took the initial bait and still got hooked. They were lucky because they got suspicious and they ended the communication before it got too far but it still goes to show we can all be fooled no matter our age, and the numbers show it too. Like we mentioned earlier, these bad actors are really sophisticated. They do this for a living and lots of times, it's not just an individual, but it's a whole entire criminal organization.
Wendy Battles: Yeah. The kind of criminal organization, to be honest with you, where there are whole rooms of criminals. Just like we would call a call center about our credit card, they have a whole call center of people that are cybercriminals that are trying to trick us.
James Tucciarone: That's a really great way to visualize it. So, I think you're right encouraging everyone we know to have a healthy skepticism is a really great idea and we should also encourage them to try and be more knowledgeable so that they know what to look for. And just like your mom, to not be afraid to ask those questions.
Wendy Battles: Absolutely. I'd like to say, James, we're all a work in progress, and we're all trying to figure it out and hopefully, we can help you do that.
[music]
James Tucciarone: Have you ever been skeptical about an email, a text message, or a phone call? Did you know phishing attacks can happen over all three? And in 2022, approximately 6 billion phishing attacks are expected to occur. If you don't already know what phishing is, we're not talking about casting out a line and trying to reel in the big one. This is phishing with a 'ph', and it's when attackers send malicious emails designed to trick people into falling for a scam. Like true fishing, cybercriminals put their hooks out, but they're waiting for us to take the bait. A phishing attack in the form of a phone call is called voice phishing or vishing. And increasingly common is smishing, which happens over SMS or text message. However, the scam takes place, the goal is to get us to reveal our personal information, system credentials, and other sensitive data. To help keep your information safe, click with caution and never follow links or open attachments from an unknown sender. Use secure passwords and protect your accounts with multifactor authentication. And listen to the Bee Cyber Fit podcast to learn how to recognize phishing attacks, and to stay informed about recent scams.
[music]
Wendy Battles: Okay, so based on that buzzword, here are a few questions for all of you. Have you ever received a phishing email, a suspicious text message, or one of those weird phone calls? I mean, honestly, we all have in one of those capacities, if not all. The question I have for you is what do you do when you get one of those? Do you do something with it? And have you ever fallen victim to one of their scams? And if you have, please don't feel bad because it can happen to the best of us. Join us for our next episode where we're going to tackle some of these questions. We can't wait to share how you can learn to click with caution and keep those bad actors at bay. It may not happen overnight, but we promise you, we can help you get on the right track. Plus, we'll share a few stories about phishing and what not to do.
As we wrap up our very first episode, we want to leave you with one very simple call to action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with one person in your life who could benefit from hearing about cybersecurity in a simplified way. It could be a friend, your colleague, a parent, a grandparent, a child, you name it. Who's that person who is open to a deeper understanding about cybersecurity in innovative ways?
James Tucciarone: That's our show. So, until next time, I have the pleasure of being here with Wendy Battles, and I'm James Tucciarone. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make this podcast possible. And in particular, we'd like to thank Yale University where this podcast is produced and recorded.
Wendy Battles: Thanks again for listening. We truly appreciate it. And remember, it only takes simple steps to Bee Cyber Fit.
[Transcript provided by SpeechDocs Podcast Transcription]