OH NO. "Business is more afraid of the sheriff than we are the cybercriminal." Overheard in our ongoing LACybersecure work from an attendee.  
The point of entry isn't HELP - It's getting into TROUBLE. 
What are we DOING??  
For SMBs, the cavalry isn't coming. Even after a crime, the sheriff is going after the criminals. Don't count on asset recovery. 
You have to take your security seriously, and get the guidance you need. If you're in Los Angeles, apply today to join us in our #LACybersecure pilot program for SMBs, nonprofits, IT-MSPs.  
Outside of L.A.? The Cyber Readiness Institute's free, online program is designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises become more secure against today’s most common cyber vulnerabilities.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

SecureTheVillage is a proud recipient of the CIS Alan Paller Laureate Program, funding our LA Cybersecure Pilot. Learn more about how SecureTheVillage is working to make Los Angeles the cyber-safest metropolitan area in America for our small and midsize businesses, our nonprofits, and our families.

SecureTheVillage: ⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/⁠⁠ ⁠Take the Test: ⁠How Hackable are you?⁠⁠

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” - H.L. Mencken We humans want simple solutions to complex problems.

It's built into our neurology.

And it makes it harder to manage cybersecurity.

The computer and telecommunications revolution that we’re in the middle of is upending our world.

A simple cybercrime example:

In the old days at the end of the last century, if a criminal wanted to rob a bank, the criminal had to go to the bank.  No more.

Now the criminal can steal money from people’s bank accounts over the Internet from anywhere in the world.

Complex problems don’t get solved, they get managed.

Let’s take a step back and ask what we can do to manage our security and privacy; in our homes, in our places of work, in our schools, and throughout our community.

As always, Stan and Julie provide actionable tips and thoughtful wisdom in a fun conversation on the complexities of cybersecurity and privacy.

Please join us at: ⁠https://securethevillage.org/⁠ Mentioned in the Episode: ⁠How Hackable are you?⁠ FREE SURVEY

“Unfortunately, the technology underpinning our critical infrastructure is inherently insecure because of DECADES of software developers NOT BEING HELD LIABLE for defective technology. That has led to incentives where FEATURES and SPEED to market have been prioritized AGAINST SECURITY, leading our nation VULNERABLE to cyber invasion. That has to stop,” Jen Easterly, CISA

The policy we need is YEARS behind the current technology, and utterly inadequate to protect citizens against threats and scams.

We lack protections and bear the brunt of the damage.

Two clear examples -

1: SIM swapping.

A bad actor was able to convince a telecommunications store to transfer a phone number to a new device by impersonating the owner. This allowed the criminal to:

- Access private account information and steal money.

- Gain all those 2FA codes sent via text message.

- Gain access to their social media accounts, email accounts... what other apps are on your phone?

Should telecom companies be held responsible for failures that enable financial crimes?

2: Deepfakes and nonconsensual graphic images.

The growing threat of manipulated media - widespread technology usage to generate fake but realistic graphic images and no legal consequences.

While Taylor Swift's massive fan base is championing federal penalties for these deepfake images, we drag our feet in spite of the urgent need for policy reforms to protect individuals from harmful uses of emerging technologies that currently have little oversight.

Listen to this 15-min episode of #LiveOnCyber with Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris and let's talk today's problems and potential solutions.

Not a game we want to play - but let's do it anyway! Take a guess: (reported) Cybercrime rakes in more $ than how many U.S. states do in TAX REVENUE annually?

(FY22 per Statista - and of course, this is only REPORTED crime).

I think you know where we're going with this.

It's bad - and getting worse.

Policy won't stop it. It's on us.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Distrust and caution are the parents of security."

Businesses, people need to flex their distrust.

No email trust.

No text message trust.

Everything gets questioned.

We lock down what matters (check out our human-speak guide: https://securethevillage.org/cybersecurity-for-individuals-families/).

Tragically, it's a matter of life and death for some.

Listen to our 10-min update on the latest scam tragedies that you and I need to be talking about.

Share with a friend who could be at risk. Okay, let's be real - we all are at risk - so share, then share again.

If you haven't watched the video trailers of Live on Cyber on LinkedIn, you're missing out on Julie having difficulty looking serious.

Once, someone asked, "why is Julie smiling so much, talking about this very difficult, complex stuff?"

And it's because SecureTheVillage has found a mission point where we can powerfully affect change.

We are here to encourage and mobilize those with cybersecurity knowledge to do more to build the cyber resilience of our community.

Because our communities have no clue what awaits them in 2024.

How can you help?

Whether working with us to translate the cyber-speak to easy to understand concepts, helping build and mentor the cyber workforce, learning how to secure your small business and nonprofits, or are an IT/MSPs who knows their client need more cybersecurity, there's a place for you here at SecureTheVillage.

In 2024, we encourage you to become a vocal, thoughtful member of your community - even more than you already are - because it takes a village to secure the village™.

It's this work of translation and building community resilience that is on us to do.

And we are excited to do just that in 2024!

- ⁠Stan Stahl, PhD⁠ and ⁠Julie Michelle Morris⁠

APPLICATIONS OPEN!⁠⁠⁠

⁠SecureTheVillage⁠⁠ is addressing security for those without big IT teams. If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT/MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!  

What is resilience? It's like the old Timex ads, to "take a licking and keep on ticking."

As we sit here looking at 2024, it's not pretty what's coming our way:

* Our own SEC sued a CISO. (Didn't see that one coming.)

* We're facing burnout of our best and brightest in the cybersecurity sector.

* The attacks are intense. Infrastructure, schools, hospitals.

* Cybercrime? So lucrative.

It's coming at us on every conceivable front.

What does it look like to have a defensible posture against all of this, and survive 2024?

We believe its two things:

1. Personal resilience through connection to each other.

Connection opens the door to resilience for your health, your ability to show up again the next day, ready to fight the fight, run your business, do the work.

The latest research on mental health and loneliness shows what a powerful buffer connection is to keep us going.

And as we connect, let's share what we know -

Do you have an incident response plan? Can yours inform your peer's cybersecurity?

2. We need community resilience.

We want to know that our communities are aware of digital threats - scams, hacks, and know how to protect their digital health. Let's make sure we're sharing what we know with the people and organizations who have no clue the dangers that await them.

That's why we at SecureTheVillage exist - we care deeply about the community, and we believe you do too.

We're in this together. Support our mission this year to bring awareness to communities and gather cyber experts to inform the field.

Signing off for 2023 - See you in 2024!

- Stan Stahl, PhD and Julie Michelle Morris

APPLICATIONS OPEN!⁠⁠⁠

⁠SecureTheVillage⁠⁠ is addressing security for those without big IT teams. If you're a small business, nonprofit, or IT/MSP in Los Angeles, apply NOW for LA Cybersecure, a pilot program with coaching and guidance that costs less than a daily cup of coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://securethevillage.org/la-cybersecure-pilot/

Hit subscribe on Live on Cyber for your weekly 15-min update to help keep your business cyber secure!