Scinary Information Nexus

Scinary Cybersecurity
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Scinary Cybersecurity is here to "Serve and defend those who serve and defend others". To help us "serve and defend" we pull from many different sources - experts, colleagues, industry standards, etc... We hit every subject from all angles making it easy to understand while also letting us go in depth. Making this podcast perfect for cybersecurity beginners and experts alike. Come join us on our journey to constantly educate ourselves and explore the amazing things that are happening in our industry.

  1. 2025-12-12

    Episode 30: Mead, Deer Crashes & XDR: The 2025 Cybersecurity Wrap-Up

    We start by roasting ourselves with a look back at the best (and worst) podcast moments of the year, from the "Wayne's East Texas Hog Farming" bit to the time Richard almost died drinking Jalapeno Mead on air. We also share the behind-the-scenes chaos of our travel vlog to Illinois and the team's unfortunate luck with deer collisions in Waco. Then, we get down to business. The team discusses the evolution of Scinary's tech stack this year, specifically the launch of Scinary Connect (XDR) and why the rollout was a "beta within a beta." Pierre breaks down the switch to "Firewall Health Checks" and the common misconfigurations he's finding in Fortigate setups across the state. Finally, we look ahead to 2026: New integrations with SonicWall and Palo Alto, the Central Texas Cyber Hub initiative for K-12 students, and Richard’s crusade to build the perfect Backup & Recovery solution. In this episode, we discuss: The "Jalapeno Mead" Incident: Reliving our favorite podcast clips. Travel Nightmares: The Illinois Vlog and hitting deer in Texas. The evolution of Scinary Connect: Bringing XDR and FortiGate logs together. Why we launched "Block-as-a-Service" for firewalls. Firewall Health Checks: Why "Default Accept" rules are still haunting us. The Central Texas Cyber Hub: Giving rural K-12 students a shot at a cyber career. 2026 Roadmap: Why Backup & Recovery is our next big target. A final security tip: If you don't need the network this holiday, UNPLUG IT. Check out our upcoming webinar "Default to Hacked" on Dec 17th! https://webinar.zoho.com/meeting/register?sessionId=1034168403 Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ Cybersecurity #YearInReview

    1h 1m

  2. 2025-11-14

    Episode 29: MIT & Safe Security's "AI Slop" Research

    Welcome back to the Scinary Information Nexus! After Richard lost all his wisdom (literally, from a wisdom tooth removal) and with Joseph Hamilton out celebrating the birth of his new baby boy, the team is back to tackle corruption and controversy in the cybersecurity industry. First, the guys break down the shocking federal indictment of cybersecurity insiders—including ransomware negotiators and incident response managers from major firms—for allegedly colluding with the Black Cat (ALPHV) ransomware group. Is this an anomaly, or a sign of a much deeper problem within the cyber insurance and incident response world? We discuss the fraud triangle and the troubling incentives at play. Then, we dive headfirst into the main event: "AI Slop." Richard, Mario, Pierre, and Brazos pull apart the now-deleted research paper from MIT and vendor Safe Security that falsely claims "80% of ransomware attacks are AI-driven." Citing research from Kevin Beaumont and Marcus Hutchins, they expose how this marketing piece, disguised as academic research, uses defunct malware groups and nonsensical data to create a problem that only the vendor can solve. In this episode, we discuss: The Black Cat Indictment: When your ransomware negotiators are in on the scam. How the "Fraud Triangle" (Motive, Opportunity, Rationale) explains insider threats. Deconstructing the MIT & Safe Security "AI Slop" research paper. Why the "80% AI-driven ransomware" claim is pure nonsense. How defunct malware like Emotet ended up in a 2025 AI study. The danger of prestigious institutions lending their credibility to marketing stunts. Thoughts on a dentist who is also a certified "Whiskey Master" (thanks to our sponsor, Greg Babbitt!). Has the AI hype bubble reached the point where our most trusted institutions are selling snake oil? Let's get into it. A huge thank you to Greg Babbitt for sponsoring this week's episode with a fantastic bottle of Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit! Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ Cybersecurity #Ransomware #InsiderThreat #BlackCat #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MIT #CyberScam #InfoSec #CybersecurityPodcast

    1h 11m

  3. 2025-10-31

    Episode 28: Nightmare on AWS Street: Halloween Special

    Welcome back to a very spooky Scinary Information Nexus! Richard, Joseph, Tye, and Hunter are in full costume for this Halloween special to discuss a truly terrifying event: the day the internet broke. This week, the team tackles the massive AWS outage that took down services from Microsoft to your smart home devices. We break down the technical jargon to explain the "race condition" that caused a critical DNS failure and explore the cascade effect that left companies scrambling. Why were multi-billion dollar firms operating without a failover plan? We also share some of the hilarious real-world consequences, like smart beds trapping their owners in a heated, upright position. Then, we revisit the massive Salesforce data breach with a frightening new update: the threat group "Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters" has leaked data belonging to personnel from the Department of Defense, DHS, ICE, and other critical US government agencies. This leads to a larger discussion on the fragility of our digital world. In this episode, we discuss: The technical cause of the AWS outage: What is a DNS "race condition"? Why competitors like Microsoft were also taken offline. The critical debate: Are we prioritizing efficiency over resiliency? Hilarious IoT failures: When your smart bed turns against you. Update on the Salesforce Breach: US Government data now exposed. The danger of monopolies: How AWS, Google, and AT&T create single points of failure. The importance of having an analog (pen and paper) backup plan. Is our critical infrastructure built on a house of cards? Let's discuss. Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/

    54 min

  4. 2025-10-24

    Episode 27: The New Rules of War: Cyber & Disinformation

    This week on the Scinary Information Nexus, we are honored to welcome a very special guest: Lieutenant Colonel Steven Beseda, United States Army (Retired). With a deep background in both armored forces and Information Operations, Colonel Beseda joins Richard, Brazos, and John to pull back the curtain on the modern battlefield. Forget everything you think you know about traditional warfare. We break down the crucial difference between misinformation and disinformation, exploring how state actors like Russia use it to shape narratives at home and abroad. Using fascinating historical examples-from General Schwarzkopf's classic deception operation in Desert Storm to the unprecedented OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) coming out of the Ukraine war-we reveal how information has become a primary weapon. The conversation then focuses on one of the world's most critical flashpoints: Taiwan. How is China using information warfare to prep the battlespace and undermine Taiwanese and U.S. resolve? And how does the global reliance on Taiwan's semiconductor industry play into this new era of conflict? In this episode, we discuss: Misinformation vs. Disinformation: A military definition you need to know. Deception Operations: How the U.S. military fooled Saddam Hussein. The Russia-Ukraine War as a live-fire information warfare laboratory. The strategic use of OSINT and platforms like Telegram in modern conflicts. China's doctrine to win without fighting by targeting Taiwan's cognitive space. The shift from Nuclear MAD to a new "Cyber MAD" (Mutually Assured Destruction). The vulnerability of U.S. critical infrastructure to Chinese technology. Soft Power & Economic Warfare: China's "Belt and Road" initiative. Is the next world war one that will be fought not with soldiers and tanks, but with keyboards and data streams? Let's get into it. Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ CyberWarfare #Disinformation #InformationWarfare #MilitaryStrategy #China #Taiwan #USArmy #Cybersecurity #OSINT #Geopolitics

    1h 3m

  5. 2025-10-17

    Episode 26: A Tech Director's Perspective on School Cyber Threats

    Welcome back to the Scinary Information Nexus! This week, we're joined by a special guest from the educational front lines, Greg Babbitt, the Technology Director at Palmer ISD, for a packed episode you can't afford to miss. First, we tackle one of the biggest stories of the year: the Salesforce breach. Richard, Brazos, and Joseph break down how the "Scattered Lapsus Hunters" allegedly compromised giants like Disney, Home Depot, and Google through sophisticated OAuth and API attacks. We discuss the billion-dollar ransom, the responsibility of SaaS providers, and what this means for every company that entrusts their data to a third party. Then, with Greg's expertise, we dive deep into the unique cybersecurity landscape of K-12 education. We explore why the biggest threat is often the human element inside the network and discuss the immense challenges of vetting and securing countless third-party apps and services-from bus routing software to Google Workspace. It's a candid look at the real-world tightrope walk between security, usability, and budget that every school district faces. In this episode, we discuss: The Salesforce Breach: How OAuth tokens and API keys led to a potential catastrophe. The "Scattered Lapsis Hunters" and their tactics. Why companies like Disney can't just blame their vendors. The C-Suite conversation: Communicating reputational risk to non-technical leadership. The "Human Element": Why training isn't enough to stop phishing. Third-Party Risk in K-12: What happens when you have no leverage over your vendors? The "Free" Trap: Uncovering the hidden security costs of Google Workspace for Education. The importance of a "no-blame" culture when security incidents happen. Is your organization truly prepared for the risks buried in your supply chain and your own hallways? Let's get into it. Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ Cybersecurity #Salesforce #DataBreach #K12 #EdTech #InfoSec #ThirdPartyRisk #CybersecurityPodcast #Education #Phishing

    1h 19m

  6. 2025-10-10

    Episode 25: Your TV is Watching You: ATSC 3 / NextGen Broadcast

    Welcome back to the Scinary Information Nexus! This week, we have a very special guest: Daniel Hamilton, a 38-year veteran of the broadcast industry, drone program administrator, and Joseph's dad! Richard, Mario, and Joseph sit down with Daniel to discuss the massive technological changes happening just behind your TV screen. We're talking about ATSC 3.0, or "NextGen TV," the new broadcast standard poised to turn free over-the-air television into a data-driven powerhouse. Learn how your viewing habits could soon be correlated with your online searches to deliver hyper-targeted ads, and what this IP-based system means for your privacy and cybersecurity. Could a hijacked broadcast signal one day be used to push malware directly to your smart TV? Then, the conversation takes to the skies as we tackle the U.S. government's impending ban on Chinese-made drones. As an administrator for a fleet of nearly 500 drones, Daniel gives us a frontline report on the chaos this policy is causing. We break down why this move feels like political theater, cripples industries from journalism to agriculture, and ignores the bigger national security picture of where our technology REALLY comes from. In this episode, we discuss: What is ATSC 3.0 and how will it change "free" TV forever? The end of anonymity: How broadcasters will track what you watch. Geo-targeting alerts: Ending "alert fatigue" during severe weather. The new cybersecurity risks of IP-connected broadcasting. The government's ban on Chinese drones (DJI) and its real-world impact. Why American-made drone alternatives aren't ready to fill the gap. The hypocrisy: Banning consumer drones while critical infrastructure runs on Chinese chips. Will your next drone cost you $25,000? Is a "smarter" TV worth giving up another layer of your personal data? Let's discuss. Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ NextGenTV #ATSC3 #Cybersecurity #Privacy #DroneBan #DJI #Broadcast #InfoSec #CybersecurityPodcast #NationalSecurity

    59 min

  7. 2025-10-03

    Episode 24: Phishing 3.0: AI Threats Beyond Email (ft. Ironscales CEO)

    This week on the Scinary Information Nexus, we're joined by a special guest, Eyal Benishti, the CEO of our email security partner, Ironscales! Richard, Brazos, Joseph, and John sit down with Eyal to discuss the massive shifts in the threat landscape, from the early days of obvious malware attachments (Phishing 1.0) to the sophisticated social engineering attacks that plague businesses today (Phishing 2.0). But the real focus is on the future: What is "Phishing 3.0"? Eyal breaks down how generative AI, deepfake voice and video, and prompt injection attacks are creating a new reality where phishing is no longer confined to email. We explore how attackers are using tools like Teams, Slack, and other communication channels to create persistent, multi-modal attacks that are virtually indistinguishable from legitimate requests. How do we fight back when we can't trust what we see and hear? The answer lies in adaptive, agentic AI. In this episode, we discuss: The origin story of Ironscales and why a new approach to email security was needed. Phishing 1.0 vs 2.0 vs 3.0: The evolution of the attack. Why traditional Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) miss modern threats. Deepfakes & Voice Cloning: The weaponization of generative AI. Agentic AI: How to fight fire with fire. The future of security: Protecting communication, not just email inboxes. Why the "human in the loop" is still critical for training AI models. How your employees can become your strongest defense layer. As AI makes attacks more convincing than ever, how do we rebuild trust in our digital communications? Let's discuss. Connect with our guest, Eyal Benishti, and Ironscales: https://www.ironscales.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eyalbd1 Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ phishing #cybersecurity #AI #infosec #socialengineering #podcast #sysadmin

    1h 4m

  8. 2025-09-26

    Episode 23: Debunking VPN Myths: Are You Really Anonymous Online?

    Welcome back to the Scinary Information Nexus! After a technical mishap involving an unplugged cable (we're looking at you, Mario), the team is back to tackle a topic that affects almost every internet user: online privacy. This week, Brazos, Tye, and Mario dive deep into the privacy policies of the VPNs you see advertised everywhere—from NordVPN to Surfshark. They uncover the fine print that contradicts the "no-log" promises and reveal how everything from your DNS requests to your credit card payment can instantly de-anonymize you. We also discuss what makes a VPN provider like Mullvad trustworthy in a sea of questionable marketing. Then, we turn our sights to PII (Personally Identifiable Information) removal services like Incogni and DeleteMe. Are they the silver bullet for data brokers, or are you paying a premium for a service with a less than 50% success rate? The research might shock you. In this episode, we discuss: The "No-Log" Myth: What your VPN provider isn't telling you. How paying for a VPN by credit card can compromise your identity. The surprising ownership structure behind NordVPN and Surfshark. Shocking research: The 48% success rate and 41% accuracy rate of PII removal services. A trustworthy alternative: What makes services like Mullvad different? Data Brokers 101: How they get your information and why it's so hard to remove. Why you need to ask yourself what you're really using a VPN for. Is your online privacy just a product being sold back to you? Let's discuss. Connect with Scinary Cybersecurity: https://www.scinary.com https://x.com/scinarycyber https://www.linkedin.com/company/scinarycyber/ VPN #Cybersecurity #Privacy #NordVPN #Surfshark #DataBroker #OnlineSafety #InfoSec #CybersecurityPodcast #Mullvad

    59 min
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About

Scinary Cybersecurity is here to "Serve and defend those who serve and defend others". To help us "serve and defend" we pull from many different sources - experts, colleagues, industry standards, etc... We hit every subject from all angles making it easy to understand while also letting us go in depth. Making this podcast perfect for cybersecurity beginners and experts alike. Come join us on our journey to constantly educate ourselves and explore the amazing things that are happening in our industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Scinary Cybersecurity
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Scinary Cybersecurity
  • Show Website
    Scinary Information Nexus