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How Hacks Happen

Technology Podcasts

Hacks, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented by cyber security teacher and digital forensics specialist Michele Bousquet. howhackshappen.net

Location:

United States

Description:

Hacks, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented by cyber security teacher and digital forensics specialist Michele Bousquet. howhackshappen.net

Twitter:

@GeeksTrue

Language:

English

Contact:

(504) 858-5657


Episodes

Silk Road, the Illegal Drug Website

11/14/2023
The story of Silk Road, the underground website where you could buy and sell anything, is now part of internet lore. Customers could order everything from pot to meth and have it delivered to their door. Then came fake IDs, unregistered guns, poisons, and murder-for-hire. But wherever there's illegal activity and lots of money, violence isn't far behind. This episode takes you on a very quick tour of the rise and fall of Silk Road, which met its demise in 2013 when founder Ross Ulbricht got caught. Support the show

Duration:00:23:00

I Got Scammed! The White Van Scam

9/27/2023
Well, it finally happened: I got scammed! I bought a high-end projector at a price that was too good to be true, because it wasn't true. Don't fall for the White Van scam! White van speaker scam on Wikipedia The Art and Math of Cryptography at Amazon.com Support the show

Duration:00:09:11

F12 is not a crime! Except in Missouri.

5/23/2023
In October 21, 2021, Josh Renaud, a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper, privately alerted a government authority that their website had vulnerabilities. In response, the governor of Missouri, Michael L. Parson, brought charges against the journalist for "hacking." This story would be hilarious if it wasn't true. Update: In July 2022, Josh Renaud was awarded The National Press Club press freedom award for his work. Get the "F12 IS NOT A CRIME" T-shirtMissouri teachers' Social Security numbers at risk on state agency's websiteEmails show what happened before Missouri gov. falsely called journalist a “hacker”Governor Parson's Facebook postMissouri State Highway Patrol reportGov. Parson holds fake news accountable. Support the show

Duration:00:09:38

The Refund Scam: How it Works

12/15/2022
You get an email telling you you've been billed for a product you never ordered, and when you call for a refund, you somehow you get an excess refund and have to send back the difference. Find out how scammers manipulate people into sending them "excess refund money" from a nonexistent refund, and what you can do to keep it from happening to others. Shout-out to YouTuber Kitboga for showing me how this scam works. Support the show

Duration:00:09:43

Tor Browser and the Dark Web

10/26/2022
What is Tor? In this episode, we demystify the Tor browser and how it relates to the Surface Web, the Deep Web, and the Dark Web. Maybe you want to use Tor, and maybe you don't. But in any case you'll know what it is, and will be able to decide if it's right for you. Download the Tor browser at the official site A great read about the dark web at Wired.com Get the T-shirt! Fly your Tor flag. Support the show

Duration:00:18:58

Season 2 is coming!

9/15/2022
After a little hiatus, we're back! Season 2 has so many great episodes coming up. We're going to explain how the refund scam works and what NFTs are, and we're going to talk about the notorious hacking case in Missouri, where the governor was convinced that pressing the F12 key is a crime. We'll also have a very special episode that discusses some of the things you can do right now, for free, in your own home, to keep yourself safe. So Like and Follow so you get a heads-up when the episodes start dropping! Support the show

Duration:00:00:52

TVU: Staying Safe Through Entertainment

3/4/2022
What we can we learn about hacks, scams, and fraud from TV shows and movies? Plenty, as it turns out. Fictional shows, documentaries, podcasts, and other types of entertainment are a treasure trove of knowledge. Don't discount the education you can get about scams, con games, legal proceedings, police procedure, and other aspects of safety, all while being thoroughly entertained. Support the show

Duration:00:17:05

The Tinder Swindler: 7 Red Flags

2/20/2022
The Tinder Swindler is a fascinating Netflix documentary about a serial romance scammer who took each of his "girlfriends" for more than $100,000 each. In this episode, we look at what we can learn from The Tinder Swindler, going beyond the easy "blame the victim" mentality to show how effective such scams can be, and to point out the individual red flags you should watch out for in any new romance. Resources for this episode: The Tinder Swindler documentary on NetflixTinder Dating Safety TipsGoFundMe for Tinder Swindler victimsHow Hacks Happen is ad-free because we rely on our listeners for support. Support the show

Duration:00:17:07

Sony Hack

2/1/2022
The hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2014 was one of the most bizarre crimes of the decade. Instead of demanding money, the hackers threatened a terrorist attack on the USA if Sony didn't cancel the release of the film 'The Interview,' a comedy about two bumbling journalists who travel to North Korea and attempt to assassinate the country's Supreme Leader. The release went forward anyway, and thankfully, the threats came to nothing. Enjoy the terrible English in the hackers' written threats against 'The Sony,' and Michele's terrible attempts at reading them aloud in a North Korean accent. Resources for this episode: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30512032 https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/10/the-untold-story-of-the-sony-hack https://www.vox.com/2015/1/20/18089084/sony-hack-north-korea https://www.vox.com/2014/12/16/7403437/sony-hacks-threats https://www.amnesty.org.uk/north-korea https://www.operationblockbuster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Operation-Blockbuster-Report.pdf https://www.mandiant.com/resources/apt38-details-on-new-north-korean-regime-backed-threat-group https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/6/17826722/north-korea-sony-hack-wannacry-charges https://www.jhuapl.edu/Content/documents/SonyNightmareBeforeChristmas.pdf https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/sony-hack-was-not-all-that-sophisticated-cybersecurity-experts-say https://www.jhuapl.edu/Content/documents/SonyNightmareBeforeChristmas.pdf https://www.vox.com/2015/4/21/11561700/sony-hack-was-not-an-inside-job-says-security-expert-kevin-mandia https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/10/the-untold-story-of-the-sony-hack https://thinkst.com/ts/free/ThinkstScapes-2014-AH4-Trial.pdf https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/12/unprecedented-cyberattack-no-excuse-for-sony-breach-pros-say/ https://www.thewrap.com/president-obama-sony-made-a-mistake-in-canceling-the-interview/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xjJbEwJsg Support the show

Duration:00:24:35

Technology Peak: Why the Elderly Fall for Scams

1/15/2022
Why are older people so susceptible to scams? There could be a relationship to the music you loved in your teen years. Just as most of us have a Musical Peak in our teens, I propose that we also have a Technology Peak in our 20s-40s. Nudging our elderly relatives out of their Technology Peak, and into the present, is the only way to break this pattern. And the only way to do it is by showing them. References: Study of link between adolescent age and music preference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2059204320965058 Other references: https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/phone-number-spoofing https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/12/17003076/spotify-data-shows-songs-teens-adult-taste-music https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-0882?doi=10.7326%2FM15-0882 https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolynrosenblatt/2014/02/13/why-do-elderly-parents-fall-for-scams-that-seem-so-obvious-to-us/?sh=2d28ad2991d8 https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/home-and-family/personal-technology/2016/09/2016-Longevity-Economy-AARP.pdf https://www.marketplace.org/2019/05/16/brains-losses-aging-fraud-financial-scams-seniors/ https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-0882?doi=10.7326%2FM15-0882 https://neurosciencenews.com/music-youth-17765/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/opinion/sunday/favorite-songs.html https://neurosciencenews.com/music-youth-17765/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/189959/housing-units-with-telephones-in-the-united-states-since-1920/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/snake-oil-salesmen-knew-something/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056262/ https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/nyregion/thecity/for-you-half-price.html https://www.statista.com/statistics/189959/housing-units-with-telephones-in-the-united-states-since-1920/ https://www.elon.edu/u/imagining/time-capsule/150-years/back-1870-1940/ https://www.marketwatch.com/story/silicon-valleys-idea-of-successful-entrepreneurs-is-all-wrong-2018-05-11 Support the show

Duration:00:11:50

Identity Theft: Three Stories

1/1/2022
What would you do if you found out someone was using your identity to take out credit cards, steal your tax refund, or even raid your bank account? Meet Tiffany, Pete, and Astrid, three victims of identity theft. Find out how each of them discovered the fraud, what they did to reverse the damage, and what they do now to prevent it from happening again. Support the show

Duration:00:46:48

Quick Tip: Bike Thieves and Hackers

12/15/2021
How are bike thieves like hackers? Both look for the same kinds of vulnerabilities, including easy-to-crack passwords. Would you leave your bike's combination at the default of 0000? Of course not. In the same way, you should change default passwords and use something that a hacker won't find easy to crack. Be safe out there! Support the show

Duration:00:03:46

Quick Tip: Black Friday Shopping

11/24/2021
Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving, is traditionally one of the biggest holiday shopping days of the year. But hackers aren't going to take a holiday--they'll use Black Friday as an opportunity to try and scam you. If you get a text about an order or a gift card, don't tap the link! Instead, go to the retailer's site and see if there's a message for you. Let's all have a holly jolly holiday season with no scams! Support the show

Duration:00:01:59

Blockchain and Bitcoin

11/15/2021
You've heard of Bitcoin, but how does it work, and why are so many people talking about it? Let's talk about blockchain--the tech behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency--in plain English, including hashing, a key part of blockchain technology. We'll also talk about why people invest in cryptocurrency. Resources for this episode Development of blockchain: "A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" by Satoshi Nakamoto: https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf Rising Bitcoin value: https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-surge-means-laszlo-hanyecz-paid-316-million-two-pizzas-2021-3 The fascinating original forum conversation about the pizza buy: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=137.0 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/09/bitcoin-forgotten-currency-norway-oslo-home https://cointelegraph.com/news/satoshi-nakamoto-s-bitcoin-white-paper-is-now-a-13-year-old-teenager Bitcoin accepted as currency: https://cointelegraph.com/news/el-salvador-president-bitcoin-law-will-be-approved-tonight https://www.buybitcoinworldwide.com/who-accepts-bitcoin/ Losing the key: https://www.wired.com/story/i-forgot-my-pin-an-epic-tale-of-losing-dollar30000-in-bitcoin/ https://www.wired.com/story/wired-lost-bitcoin/ https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/15/uk-man-makes-last-ditch-effort-to-recover-lost-bitcoin-hard-drive.html https://medium.com/luno/where-do-lost-bitcoins-go-7e8dd24abd0f How blockchain works: https://www.guru99.com/blockchain-tutorial.html https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp Support the show

Duration:00:50:06

Quick Tip: Don't Scratch! Gift Card Scams

11/1/2021
If anyone--the IRS, the electric company, the police--calls you and asks you to buy a prepaid Visa card or a gift card to pay your bill over the phone, it's not who you think it is. They'll tell you to scratch the numbers off the back and read them the numbers. This is a ploy by scammers to get money from you. Don't fall for it! This tip was inspired by a recent real-life story of a phone scam that terrified a woman in the San Francisco area: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/phone-scam-therapists-16483251.php Support the show

Duration:00:01:39

Quick Tip: Alarming Phone Calls

10/15/2021
Hackers operate off of fear. They'll call you with an urgent problem: Your bill is overdue! Pay now! But if they don't know your name, social security number, or anything else about you, it's a scam. Hang up and be satisfied that you thwarted yet another hack. Support the show

Duration:00:00:59

Ashley Madison Breach

10/1/2021
In July 2015, a very polite group of hackers called The Impact Team stole the data of over 30 million users from Ashley Madison, a website for cheating spouses, and threatened to dump it all over the dark web if the site wasn't shut down. The site stayed up, and the data went out. Learn about how hackers worldwide have used the data to blackmail users, the denials (and eventual resignations) of Ashley Madison executives, and the many clues, including the hackers' unusual level of politeness, that point to certain culprits. Resources https://pastebin.com/ZGXmk8R9https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/07/online-cheating-site-ashleymadison-hacked/https://money.cnn.com/2015/09/08/technology/ashley-madison-suicide/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34044506https://toronto.citynews.ca/2013/11/10/woman-hurt-typing-fake-profiles-for-dating-site-20m-suit-alleges/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/08/ashleymadison-500k-bounty-for-hackers/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/08/who-hacked-ashley-madison/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/08/was-the-ashley-madison-database-leaked/https://grahamcluley.com/ashley-madisons-leaked-database-available-download-read-this/https://grahamcluley.com/ashley-madison-fake/https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/the-strange-rise-and-sudden-fall-of-noel-biderman-the-former-ceo-of-ashley-madison/slidelist/48716152.cmshttps://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/business-privacy/safeguards-and-breaches/privacy-breaches/respond-to-a-privacy-breach-at-your-business/gd_pb_201810/https://www.wired.com/2015/08/happened-hackers-posted-stolen-ashley-madison-data/https://grahamcluley.com/ashley-madison-wives-receiving-blackmail-letters/https://grahamcluley.com/ashley-madison-slammed-with-1-6m-fine-for-data-breach/https://grahamcluley.com/ashley-madisons-leaked-database-available-download-read-this/https://digitalguardian.com/blog/timeline-ashley-madison-hackSupport the show

Duration:00:51:34

Credit Card Fraud

8/15/2021
Let's look at the impact of credit card fraud, and talk about how they're stolen, and what you can do to keep your credit safe. Jiggle that cover, man! Resources for this episode: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-hackers-stole-millions-of-credit-card-records-from-target/https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/payment-security-report/https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/credit/credit-card-protectionSupport the show

Duration:00:17:09

Crypto Wars

7/1/2021
Say No to the NSA! Until the mid-1970s, the National Security Agency held an iron grip on all research into computer-based cryptography in the USA. In this episode, we talk about how the NSA squashed all public research into cryptography in the 1950s and 1960s, but loosened its grip to work to develop the Digital Encryption Standard (DES) with IBM. Then, in the 1970s, mathematicians Whitfield Diffie, Martin Hellman, and others went head-to-head with the NSA to make cryptography available to us all. Their research, and their courage, forever changed the face of modern cybersecurity. Resources: https://www.nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/truman/truman-memo.pdfhttps://www.nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/cryptologic-histories/cold_war_iii.pdf Support the show

Duration:00:20:51

Equifax Breach

5/15/2021
When consumer reporting agency Equifax was breached in 2017, the records of over 140 million people (more than half the adults in the USA!) were stolen. Three years later, we take a closer look at the mistakes Equifax's security team made, how hackers leveraged a compromised Equifax web page to gain access to logins, passwords, and dozens of additional databases, and how they got the stolen data out of Equifax's network through a flawed router setup. We wrap up what you can do to keep yourself safe from identity theft as a result of this and other breaches. Resources for this episode: Website where you can check if your identity was compromised in the Equifax breachLiterally everyone should be thinking about suing EquifaxU.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: The Equifax Data BreachCHINESE PLA MEMBERS, 54th RESEARCH INSTITUTEUnited States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional RequestersSupport the show

Duration:00:20:19