What a Hurricane Taught Me About Cyber Recovery

What do a North Carolina brewery destroyed by Hurricane Helene and a cybersecurity victim have in common? More than you think. This isn't just another "how to prevent hacks" episode—it's about what happens when the levee breaks. 

Host Jen Lotze shares a powerful story from Zillicoah Beer Company in North Carolina, where 10 years of hard work was washed away in an afternoon. With zero insurance payout, the owners went back to brewing basics—working day jobs and scrubbing kegs by night. Their recovery story reveals what most cybersecurity content won't tell you: 90% of bouncing back is emotional, not technical. 

If you've ever been scammed, felt that soul-crushing shame, or wondered what to do when prevention fails, this episode is your roadmap back to solid ground. 

What You'll Learn: 

• The 3-step cyber crisis recovery checklist (report to IC3.gov, freeze credit, talk to a human) 
• Why shame keeps victims isolated—and how community breaks that cycle 
• How freezing your credit protects you while you clean up the mess 
• The unexpected parallels between natural disaster recovery and cyber incident response 
• Why you're not stupid for getting scammed—you're just human 

Subscribe for more no-BS cybersecurity advice that treats you like a human, not a firewall.
 
#cybersecurity #cyberrecovery #databreach #onlinescam 

Transcript

Jen Lotze 0:03

Hey there, coffee lovers and internet explorers. Welcome back to Sip Cyber, the podcast where we hunt for the best brews and the simplest ways to navigate our digital lives. I was recently in Asheville, North Carolina to see a concert on New Year's. And since that trip, I've been reflecting a lot on what it actually looks like to recover when everything is washed away. And I keep coming back to a story from a place called the Zillicoa Beer Company in Woodfin, North Carolina, just outside of Asheville. This spot was named after the Cherokee word for the French Broad River, but during Hurricane Helene, that same river rose six feet inside their building and swept away 10 years of hard work in an afternoon. You're gonna want to stick around till the end of this after episode because I'm going to share what Jeremy, one of the owners, told me about their zero-dollar insurance payout and the incredible old school way they're fighting to brew again. I'm not saying that a cyber attack is the same thing as a potential life-ending hurricane, but what I will say is that they're both rooted in trauma, and we want to make sure that we have the tools in our toolbox to know how to respond and get that support from the community. We talk a lot on this podcast about ways to prevent a hack, but I don't think we talk often enough about the human side of what happens when that prevention fails. I got an email just this morning from someone who was absolutely scammed in the worst way, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. And the first thing they felt wasn't how do I fix this? It was a total soul-crushing shame. If that's you, I need you to hear me. You're not stupid, you're not an idiot, you're none of those things. You're just human. And as humans, it's our job to trust people. Unfortunately, not everyone can be trusted. These threat actors are professional predators and they are the storm. And if your levy breaks, it doesn't mean you failed. It just means it's time to rebuild. Recovering from a cyber crisis is 10% technical and 90% emotional. Here's your cyber rebound checklist to take your power back. First, and you have to move fast on this. Report the incident to ic3.gov. ic3.gov is the official FBI pipeline, and it's how we track these groups to protect the next person. They can even provide real-time support. Second, you need to reach out to the three major bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to freeze your credit. It's free. And while you can do it on their websites, I actually think calling is easier because you don't have to worry about creating even more usernames and passwords. It's the most effective way to lock to freeze your credit file so no one can open new accounts in your name while you're cleaning up that mess. Finally, and this is the most important thing, talk to a trusted human. Email me if you have to. Scammers thrive when you stay isolated in that hot mess feeling. Bringing it into the light takes away their power. Now let's talk about that resilience that I saw at Zillicoa. Jeremy, one of the owners, shared that they received zero insurance dollars for the disaster. Not a single cent. Most people would have just walked away, but the team there went back to their roots. They worked day jobs and scrubbed kegs by night to make the brewery better than it was. They've had breweries from all over the country reaching out to do collaborative beers just to help them get back on their feet. And that's the human side of recovery, community and grit. One thing I really took away from talking with Jeremy was his incredible sense of hope and gratitude. He showed that even in the middle of the devastation, they realized that they weren't alone in the crisis, and that perspective made the rebuilding possible. That rebuilding wasn't possible for everyone, but they did what they could to get back to where they were. If this type of crisis, whether it's a hurricane, digital, or otherwise, happens to you, I want you to remember that you're not alone either. There's always a community ready to help you navigate through that incident. And also, if you happen to see a Zilli Code pills around the shelf, for sure get me one, but then buy it yourself. Uh, you aren't just buying a beer, you're investing in their comeback, their rebound story. Thanks for joining me for this awesome story of resilience. We'll be back next week with a new spot to share and a new cybersecurity tip. Until then, stay safe, stay human, and keep sipping.