Episode notes
This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Your favorite follow up story is back, this time Sue from Australia discusses why Joe’s hen is losing feathers. Dave’s story is on a sophisticated LinkedIn phishing…
Podcast
Hacking Humans
N2K Networks · Tech & Science · English
Deception, influence, and social engineering in the world of cyber crime.
More from Hacking Humans All episodes →
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S3 · E131 · 28 Apr 2026 · 5 min
PUP (noun) [Word Notes]
Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A software program installed unintentionally by a user that typically performs tasks not asked for by the installer. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/potentially-unwanted-program Audio reference link: Butler, S., 2022. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPS) EXPLAINED [Video]. YouTube. URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L429Iahbww (accessed 1.6.23).
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S8 · E383 · 23 Apr 2026 · 52 min
SLAM, scam, thank you ma’am.
This week, while Maria is on vacation, Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan are joined by Michele Kellerman as they discuss the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Dave brings us a lively follow-up from his recent theater outing the conversation circles back to chicken talk. Michele also highlights the work of Blood Cancer United sharing insight into their mission and impact. Dave’s story is on the SLAM…
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S3 · E130 · 21 Apr 2026 · 8 min
Ransomware (noun) [Word Notes]
Malware that disables a system in exchange for a ransom, usually by encrypting the system's data until the user pays for the decryption key. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/ransomware Audio reference link: https://watch.amazon.com/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.d6a9f744-47b0-ac70-aa56-b31fd0f58482&territory=US&ref_=share_ios_season&r=web
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S8 · E382 · 16 Apr 2026 · 58 min
Who is winning the scam game?
This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. If you thought you could escape chicken talk, you we're wrong, this week Joe shares some more updates on his chickens. Joe’s got two stories this week, one…
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S3 · E129 · 14 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Service Set Identifier (SSID) (noun) [Word Notes]
Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. The name of a wireless access point. CyberWire Glossary link. Audio reference link: SSID Management - CompTIA Security+ SY0-401: 1.5, Professor Messer, uploaded August 3rd, 2014.
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S1 · E22 · 7 Apr 2026 · 43 min
Who’s logging in? [OMITB]
Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is Selena Larson, Proofpoint intelligence analyst and host of their podcast DISCARDED. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by her co-hosts N2K Networks Dave Bittner and Keith Mularski, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at Qintel. Being a…
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S3 · E128 · 7 Apr 2026 · 9 min
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) (noun) [Word Notes]
Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A U.S. Government specification for data encryption using an asymmetric key algorithm. CyberWire Glossary link: https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/advanced-encryption-standard Audio reference link: papadoc73. “Claude Debussy: Clair De Lune.” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Oct. 2008.
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S8 · E380 · 2 Apr 2026 · 41 min
The fine print of fraud.
This week, Maria Varmazis and Joe Carrigan, joined by friend of the show Michele Kellerman, dig into the latest social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits making headlines. Dave Bittner is tied up covering RSA, but will be back next week. First up, a follow-up from listener Bruce, who was hit with hundreds of spam emails in what looks like a subscription bombing attack, overwhelming Google’s filters before tapering off; his local hospital saw an even bigger wave, showing how alarming…
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S8 · E379 · 26 Mar 2026 · 48 min
The evolving face of AI deepfakes.
This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up on what else? Joe's chickens! Oh Dottie! And he also shares a fun LinkedIn translator from Kagi. Dave shares a site that writes phishing emails…
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S8 · E378 · 19 Mar 2026 · 49 min
When AI wears a suit and tie.
This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up on aggravated identity theft and how it ties to crimes like wire fraud, along with a quick look at shared mailboxes and why sharing login credentials…
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