Data @ Rest

D@R 06x05 - UNC CAUSE 2022 - Open Doors, Zero Trust Aug 10, 2023

Recorded in front of a live audience at UNC CAUSE in October, 2022!

The Zero Trust Framework raises valid questions about risk reduction. But, as one CISO used to say, "we have to trust someone eventually, right?" Or do we? Universities, are built on a philosophy of openness and enrichment of public understanding. How do we preserve the public's trust while securing our resources, and is there a philosophical discussion to have around doing so?

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

D@R 06x04 - Incident Handling Revisited (COBRAAAAAAAAAA!) Aug 10, 2023

Charlie and Michael are joined by Drew Trumbull, Incident Handling Team Lead for UNC Chapel Hill's Information Security Office, to talk about the latest threats we see and what folks should do if they think they might have been targeted successfully by them, plus the importance of compassion and empathy in our field. There are also side discussions of Michael's history as an employee of COBRA. Remember, every career is a journey.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

D@R 06x03 - Privacy, Policy, and Privacy Policies Apr 20, 2023

Security and privacy are often mentioned hand-in-hand in our industry, but they're actually very different fields with different considerations and concerns--and the policies applying to one are not necessarily meant to address those of the other. Charlie and Michael welcome Kim Stahl, Senior Policy and Process Lead for UNC Chapel Hill's Information Technology Services, to discuss privacy, policy, and privacy policies.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

D@R 06x02 - Communicating with Students & Young Users Apr 20, 2023

Charlie and Michael have discussed communicating security risks and strategies to older users and at-risk users, but what about students and younger users? We welcome guests Lila Davidson and Louise Flinn from the UNC Chapel Hill ITS Communications team to discuss things to consider when we do outreach focusing on students and others on the cusp of their professional lives.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

D@R 06x01 - Security Vendors & You Apr 20, 2023

Anyone who works in information security knows that we, perhaps more than any other IT sector, are reliant on a forest of vendors, each promising the moon and often duplicating others' capabilities. Join Charlie and Michael for a frank discussion of the best and worst parts of managing those vendor relationships and what we look to gain from them.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x07 - Episode X for Season Five May 13, 2022

Charlie and Michael share a couple of updates and discuss the history--and future--of the show. See y'all in the fall!

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x06 - Blockchain May 13, 2022

Charlie and Michael discuss what "blockchain" means, its slightly mysterious history, its best-known applications, and their unfiltered opinions on the anciliary effects of some uses of this otherwise fascinating technology!

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x05 - A Security Refresher May 13, 2022

Charlie and Michael take a conversational look at a few fundamentals of security it never hurts to revisit and review.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x04 - Scam Trends May 13, 2022

Online and phone-based scams are everywhere. Do you keep getting phone calls about your car's extended warranty? Do you get text messages offering to buy your house? Or did a seller in an online store offer you a refund if you took down your one-star review Charlie and Michael dive deep into the murkier end of the pool!

Links:

Scam Alerts (Federal Trade Commission)

Romance Scams (FBI.gov)

Internet Crime Complaint Center (FBI site)

Cyber Civil Rights Initiative

Report Fraud (FTC.gov)

Opt Out of Junk Mail and Email Marketing

Opt Out of "Pre-Approved" Credit Marketing

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x03 - Election Security May 13, 2022

There's been a lot of talk about election security for nearly two years now, most of it rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation. But what are the real risks to elections, and how do we mitigate them?

Links:

Election Security: Rumor vs. Reality (CISA.gov)

North Carolina State Board of Elections

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x02 - Mobile Security with Jared Perdue May 13, 2022

Mobile Security is an evergreen concern and it only gets bigger and more mystifying. Charlie and Michael welcome back unofficial co-host Jared Perdue to discuss wireless and mobile security now and in the future!

Links:

Wireless Security Trends/CISO Cheat Sheet (excerpt from Jennifer Minella's talk)

https://lastpass.unc.edu

How to Keep Your Mobile Devices Secure (article by Jared Perdue at its.unc.edu

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 05x01 - Twitter Bots May 13, 2022

Social media can feel like a nonstop shouting match. But what if you found out half the screaming voices aren't even real people but are, in fact, bots designed to make you feel alienated, angry, and afraid?

By coincidence, this episode was published the same day a deal to purchase Twitter was put on hold due to this very concern!

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 04x05 - Beyond Zoom - Security Outreach - UNC CAUSE 2020 Mar 26, 2021

Join Charlie and Michael as they present to UNC CAUSE 2020 about ways to create meaningful connections and continue to develop user awareness in an era of teleconferencing and telecommuting.

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 04x04 - Beyond BYOD - InfoSeCon 2020 Mar 26, 2021

Listen in as Charlie and Michael present at InfoSeCon 2020 on what to consider when relocating a workforce en masse and then get left without adult supervision for the last few minutes of the panel. Link to the video in the show notes!

Watch the Video:

Data@Rest at InfoSeCon 2020

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 04x03 - SCADA Systems Mar 26, 2021

SCADA systems are the computers that control industrial systems in the real world. That may sound like a dry topic, but it's chock full of risk and fascinating stories, some of them ripped from very recent headlines!

Links:

"Someone tried to poison Oldmsar's water supply during hack, sheriff says" (Tampa Bay Times)

"Running a fake power plant on the Internet for a month"

"Caught in the Act: Running a Realistic Factory Honeypot to Capture Real Threats"

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 04x02 - Security Concerns for Vulnerable Users Mar 26, 2021

Many of us have people in our lives who may be particularly vulnerable to information security risks. How do we help those folks stay safer online, avoid scams, and otherwise protect themselves? Charlie, Michael, and Casey discuss this and offer some tips & tricks!

Links:

STOP. THINK. CONNECT. (CISA)

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 04x01 - Free & Open-Source Software Mar 26, 2021

Free and Open-Source Software is popular, but are they secure? The answer is: yes, maybe. Join Charlie, Michael, and Casey as we discuss how to navigate participating in the innovation of FOSS while staying safe.

Links:

How to check a hash

Contact us:

dataatrest@unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

DaR 03x02020 - End of Year Special Jan 29, 2021

Join us as we discuss 2020: A Year That Existed!

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x08: Shadow IT Oct 09, 2020

Our second request of the season! Close out Season Three with Charlie and Michael as they discuss the concept of "shadow IT," the dangers it presents, and why there's that saying about a road paved in good intentions.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x07: Book Club - The Unicorn Project Oct 09, 2020

A panel of folks from across the University discuss Gene Kim's The Unicorn Project.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x06: Network Security Oct 09, 2020

Michael goes down the rabbit hole of the history of modern networks and network security, and Charlie and Michael discuss different network-based attacks and how to defend against them.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x05: What Does an Information Security Office Do? Oct 09, 2020

Charlie and Michael are joined by three of their colleagues - Tiffany, Glenn, and Drew - to talk about the different roles in UNC Chapel Hill's Information Security Office and how those roles intersect.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x04: HOPE 2020 - Be Kind to the N00bz Oct 09, 2020

Charlie and Michael had the honor of presenting a talk at the Hackers on Planet Earth 2020 conference. This one's on how to welcome new folks into the information security industry and some specific resources we recommend to folks who want to learn more, beginners or otherwise.

You can even watch the video version, including live Q&A!

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x02: Cloud Security Oct 09, 2020

Charlie and Michael talk to our office's resident members of CLOUD FORCE(!) about cloud security.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 03x01: Biometrics Oct 09, 2020

Our colleague and listener Mark requested we cover Biometrics, and Michael loved reading up on this topic! Join in while Michael meanders down the twisting road of the history of trying to use people's bodies to authenticate their identities.

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x0X02 - Zoomisode X Jun 17, 2020

Charlie and Michael wrap up the "Zoomisode" mini-season with an Episode X all about what's coming in Season 3!

The Unicorn Project @ Bookshop.org

Data@Rest on Facebook

Data@Rest on Twitter

safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x10 - Zoomisode 2 - Disaster Scams Mar 30, 2020

Scam emails playing on COVID-19 concerns to steal charitable donations, relief payments, or your credentials: they're happening, and are simply the most recent example in the long history of what are called "disaster scams." Join Charlie and Michael for a discussion of a famous recent example, how to spot a scam, how to protect yourself against it, and how and where to report them to law enforcement.

Show links:

Hurricane Katrina fake relief scam: Fraud Magazine and Insurance Journal

National Center for Disaster Fraud

Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 map

Area1 webinar on COVID-19 scam emails

safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x09 - Zoomisode 1 - Securely Working from Home Mar 17, 2020

Join us for a quick, straightforward discussion of simple steps you can take to reduce risk if you're one of the many people now working from home - and perhaps doing so for the first time.

Links for show notes:

safecomputing.unc.edu

patching.unc.edu

SANS' Top 5 Steps to Securely Work from Home

SANS' Security Awareness Deployment Guide - Securely Working at Home

SANS' OUCH! Newsletter: Creating a Cybersecure Home

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x08: Episode X-2 Mar 11, 2020

Charlie and Michael recap and revisit the season and a couple of follow-up items, then preview Season Three!

Reminder: we're doing a book club episode in Season Three! Read The Unicorn Project if you want to join in!

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x06: Traveling Safely With Technology Mar 11, 2020

Jared Perdue joins Charlie and Michael talk about the risks to keep in mind when travelling: “burn books,” encryption concerns, and legal risks.

Travel Safely with Technology (safecomputing.unc.edu)

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x05: Gamification of Information Security Mar 11, 2020

Charlie and Michael are joined by colleagues and partners from around campus - Bryan Andregg (IT Security & Systems Manager, UNC Gillings School of Public Health), Mark Ingram (IT Infrastructure & Support Manager, University Development), Rob Noel (College of Arts & Sciences, Gemini), Jared Perdue (Security Operations Analyst), Tiffany Temple (CISSP & Information Security Specialist), and Anne Vail (ITS Managed Desktop Services) - to play a few rounds of Backdoors & Breaches from Black Hills Security!

Backdoors & Breaches (<-- the game we play!)

Black Hills Security (<-- they created it!)

Cubicles & Compromises (<-- they made this, too!)

unc.policystat.com

Critical Hit light-up D20's (GameStop - I have the old red ones from ThinkGeek, but these are simply different colors from that!)

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x04: Project Management Mar 11, 2020

Data at Rest 02x04: Project Management

Brenda Carpen, MBA PMP, IT Project Manager for ITS Infrastructure & Operations, joins Charlie and Michael to discuss the history of project management, current techniques, and how applying its concepts can make our work better, less stressful, and more secure. Plus, we decide to do a book club!

BOOK CLUB BOOK: The Unicorn Project (Goodreads)

The Goal (Goodreads)

Securecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x03: Disinformation Mar 11, 2020

Data at Rest 02x03: Disinformation

Charlie and Michael are joined by Professor Deen Freelon of UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media and UNC’s Center for Internet, Technology, and Public Life, to discuss disinformation campaigns on the Internet and how to spot the warning signs that information might not be authentic. Plus: Potemkin villages!

Assessing the Russian Internet Research Agency's impact on the political attitudes and behaviors of American Twitter users in late 2017 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

The IRA, Social Media and Political Polarization in the United States, 2012-2018 (Computational Propaganda Research Project)

The Tactics & Trops of the Internet Research Agency (New Knowledge)

The Twitter Exploit: How Russian Propaganda Infiltrated U.S. News (Lukito, Wells, Yini, Zhang, Doroshenko, Kim, Su, Suk, Xia, Freelon; University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x02 - Internet of Things Mar 11, 2020

Data at Rest 02x02 - Internet of Things

Charlie and Michael discuss the history of people connecting unexpected devices to the Internet, how to secure them, and what to do when your dog camera goes to war with your doorbell. (OK, we’re kidding about that last part – or are we?)

3133t SNAX0rZ (Wayback Machine)

Ambient Orb (Wikipedia)

Future Shock (Goodreads)

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 02x01 - Communications & Social Media Mar 11, 2020

Data at Rest 02x01 - Communications & Social Media

Kate Hash, UNC ITS Assistant Vice Chancellor for Customer Experience and Engagement and ITS Chief of Staff, joins Charlie and Michael for a discussion of effective communications strategies, managing social media, and TWO history lessons to ring in Season Two!

Links:

Hulk Hogan's Theme Song (YouTube)

They Might Be Giants' Dial-a-Song

Teens' Social Media Habits (Pew Research)

"Anger" Beat "Love" (Pew Research)

Safecomputing.unc.edu

Musical credit:

Pixelland Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data at Rest 01x09: 2019 End of Year Special Dec 05, 2019

Data at Rest 01x09: 2019 End of Year Special

Join us for a discussion of the trends and big stories from Information Security in 2019, our predictions for 2020, and a fun history lesson on the origin of a common New Year's celebration technique!

Data at Rest 01x08: Episode X Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x08: Episode X

Welcome to the end of Season One! We give some updates on earlier episodes and topics, talk about Season Two, and get in a few laughs before signing off. Thanks for listening - see you next season!

Data at Rest 01x07: Popular Culture! Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x07: Popular Culture

Movies and TV! How is Information Security represented in popular culture? What movies or shows or comics or books influenced us to get into this field? And if you're concerned about your own information security practices, and how you can reduce the risk to yourself and to your computer at home, what are the three simple things we think you should do to keep yourself safe? Special guest: Tashia McCormick.

Hackers (IMDB)

War Games (IMDB)

Data at Rest 01x06: Ethical Hacking Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x06: Ethical Hacking

Is there such a thing as "ethical hacking"? What does it mean? How can you gain the benefits of it, and what should you keep in mind if you engage with one? And if you're interested, how can you hack yourself for fun, education, and profit? Special guest: Jared Perdue.

Hacking for Dummies (Goodreads)

Red Team Field Manual (Goodreads)

Data at Rest 01x05: Working in Information Security Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x05: Working in Information Security

How did we get started in Information Security? If you're in Information Security, what certifications are good to advance your career? And if you're not in Information Security, how can you get in? Special guest: Larry Fritsche.

The Cuckoo's Egg (Goodreads)

Data at Rest 01x04: Perimeter Security Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x04: Perimeter Security

What is the "perimeter" of your network, and how has the definition of that concept changed over time? Also: the history of several physical and geographical border walls through history (spoiler: they don't seem to work) and what the new metaphorical border of the network will be going forward. Special Guest: Adair Thaxton.

Dr. Stephanie Forrest (ASU)

Kenneth Ingham (consulting site)

Paul Vixie (Twitter)

Data at Rest 01x03: Threat Detection Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x03: Threat Detection

What is a threat? What is an exploit? Plus: the history and evolution of how we think about "insider" threats versus "outsider" threats.

The Orange Book (PDF)

James Anderson (obituary at IEEE)

Dorothy Denning (Wikipedia)

Peter Neumann (Wikipedia)

Clipper Chip (Wikipedia)

Data at Rest 01x02: Endpoint Protection Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x02: Endpoint Protection

What is a virus? Is there a difference between a virus and "malware"? And what can you do to protect your systems and your data? Join us for a discussion about endpoint protection, antivirus, and the good and bad behaviors that can influence your odds of getting infected and being hurt by it. Special guest: Brian Penders.

John von Neumann at Wikipedia

The Creeper at Wikipedia

Data at Rest 01x01: Phishing Sep 13, 2019

Data at Rest - Episode 01x01: Phishing

What is Phishing? What are some other common email scams, and how can you detect them? And did anyone ever free that Spanish prisoner? Join us for an accessible and entertaining discussion of email scams, how to handle them, what to do if you think an email is suspicious, and our own experiences with it.

Spanish Prisoner Scam on Wikipedia (they say it originated in the late 19th century, but I've seen other sources cite 1588).

SANS user awareness posters

AOHell (Wikipedia)

Data at Rest 01x00: Welcome & Introductions Sep 06, 2019

Welcome to Episode Zero of Data at Rest, an information security podcast intended to present accessible, informed discussions of various topics in computer, network, and information security. If you're curious about what to do when you receive a phishing email, the history of threat detection, or pop culture representations of the industry overall, this is the podcast for you!

Most episodes feature an expert guest, a history lesson, and a discussion of the current state of the topic.

All episodes of Season One release on September 16th, 2019. We hope you enjoy listening!

-The Data @ Rest Team