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PODCAST

The Backup Wrap-Up

W. Curtis Preston (Mr. Backup)

Formerly known as "Restore it All," The Backup Wrap-up podcast turns unappreciated backup admins into cyber recovery heroes. After a brief analysis of backup-related news, each episode dives deep into one topic that you can use to better protect your organization from data loss, be it from accidents, disasters, or ransomware. The Backup Wrap-up is hosted by W. Curtis Preston (Mr. Backup) and his co-host Prasanna Malaiyandi. Curtis" passion for backups began over 30 years ago when his employer, a

technology

All Episodes

38:24

Deepfake Attacks: The Growing Threat to Enterprise...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/10/06

Deepfake attacks are exploding, and your company is probably not ready. In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, we dive into how cybercriminals are using AI to clone voices and create fake videos to authorize fraudulent wire transfers and reset credentials. With nearly 50% of businesses already experiencing deepfake attacks, this isn't a future problem – it's happening right now. We break down the two main attack vectors: authorization fraud (where fake CEOs trick employees into wiring money) and

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48:04

Cyber Attack Notification - Final Lessons from Mr....

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/09/29

When cyber attack notification goes wrong, companies face a disaster worse than the original breach. This episode dives deep into the critical mistakes organizations make when communicating about security incidents - and why transparency beats secrecy every time.We examine real-world failures like LastPass and Rackspace, where poor communication strategies amplified the damage from their cyber attacks. From legal requirements in California and GDPR to the new one-hour notification rules in China, we

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43:41

Insider Threats and the Power of Least Privilege Access

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/09/22

Insider threats represent one of the most dangerous cybersecurity risks facing organizations today - and they're way more common than you think. In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, we explore the three main types of insider threats: compromised employees who get extorted or have their credentials stolen, disgruntled workers who want revenge after getting fired, and outside attackers who infiltrate your company to become malicious insiders. We break down real-world scenarios and discuss how to

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32:33

Advanced Persistent Threats Explained Through Mr. Robot

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/09/15

Advanced persistent threats represent one of the most dangerous cyber security challenges facing organizations today. These long-term, stealthy attacks allow hackers to maintain undetected access to networks for extended periods. In this episode, we analyze multiple APT scenarios from Mr. Robot, including the Evil Corp hack, Ollie's compromised laptop, and the Dark Army's infiltration of Allsafe. We explore how threat actors establish footholds, maintain persistence, and operate across different

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41:48

Cybersecurity Situational Awareness Lessons from Mr....

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/09/08

This episode of The Backup Wrap-up examines cybersecurity situational awareness through the lens of Mr. Robot's prison break episode. Curtis and Prasanna analyze the technical accuracy of USB stick attacks, Bluetooth car hacking, and social engineering tactics. The hosts discuss real-world defenses including USB port management, network segmentation, and employee training. They explore WPA2 encryption vulnerabilities and why upgrading to WPA3 matters for wireless security. The conversation covers

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40:34

Honeypot Server Best Practices - From Mr. Robot to...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/09/01

Learn the ins and outs of honeypot server deployment and management in this episode of The Backup Wrap-up. We break down the cybersecurity concept using examples from Mr. Robot episodes 1.6 and 1.7, showing how these deceptive systems can catch both external attackers and insider threats.A honeypot server works by creating an enticing target that looks valuable but contains no real business data. The key is making it accessible through common exploits and monitoring every access attempt. Curtis and

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46:37

Privilege Escalation Explained: Mr. Robot...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/08/25

Privilege escalation attacks represent one of the most dangerous cybersecurity threats facing organizations today. In this episode of The Backup Wrap-Up, we analyze how threat actors use initial access to gain higher privileges and compromise entire networks. Through examples from Mr. Robot, we explore both vertical privilege escalation (exploiting vulnerabilities for admin access) and horizontal attacks (spreading through shared systems). Learn why backup administrators often become prime targets

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43:32

Mr Robot Lessons: Cybersecurity in the Workplace

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/08/18

This episode examines cybersecurity in the workplace through the lens of Mr. Robot's "Exploits" episode, where social engineering takes center stage. Curtis Preston and Prasanna break down how Elliot infiltrates Steel Mountain data center using badge cloning, psychological manipulation, and fake identities.The hosts analyze real-world implications of these attacks, from coffee shop badge theft to exploiting lonely employees. They discuss critical gaps in physical security protocols and explain why

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25:39

Social Engineering Attacks: Lessons from Mr. Robot...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/08/11

Social engineering attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and this episode of The Backup Wrap-up explores real-world tactics through our Mr. Robot series analysis. Curtis and Prasanna examine how social engineering works, from Instagram stalking to phone compromise, and discuss actual ransomware groups like Scattered Spider who use social engineering to impersonate employees and reset passwords. We break down the hospital hacking scene, revealing how underfunded IT departments create

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34:23

Reconnaissance in Cyber Security: Lessons from Mr....

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/08/04

Reconnaissance in cyber security isn't just about scanning networks; it's about understanding your entire attack surface, including the human element. In this episode, Curtis and Prasanna analyze Mr. Robot season one, episode two, (AKA ep 1.1) to explore how sophisticated threat actors conduct reconnaissance before major attacks.Learn how F Society mapped Evil Corp's infrastructure, identified backup locations like Steel Mountain, and used human intelligence to target vulnerable employees. We

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44:15

Social Engineering Lessons from Mr. Robot Episode 1

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/07/28

Learn how social engineering attacks really work by analyzing the cybersecurity lessons from Mr. Robot's pilot episode. Curtis Preston and Prasanna Malaiyandi break down real-world social engineering tactics used by cybercriminals to manipulate victims into revealing sensitive information.This episode covers social engineering phone scams targeting even cybersecurity professionals, the dangers of AI-powered voice cloning in modern attacks, and practical defense strategies. Discover why security

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39:05

Insider Threat Prevention: Protecting Your Backups...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/07/21

The insider threat represents one of the most dangerous and overlooked cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today. In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna explore the three distinct types of insider threats that can devastate your organization from within.From malicious employees seeking revenge to careless workers who fall for social engineering, insider threats come in many forms. The hosts examine real-world cases including the Coinbase breach through

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46:21

Mission Impossible Movie Teaches Real Cyber Security...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/07/14

This episode explores surprising cyber security lessons hidden within Mission: Impossible's latest blockbuster. We analyze how Hollywood's depiction of AI threats, immutable backups, and air-gapped storage actually reflects real-world data protection challenges.Curtis and Prasanna dissect the movie's central premise: an AI entity altering digital reality, making it impossible to distinguish truth from fiction. The solution? An underwater Doomsday Vault containing an immutable, offline backup of the

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36:58

The EU Cloud Exit - Backup Strategies for Digital...

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/07/07

The EU cloud exit movement is reshaping how European organizations think about data storage and sovereignty. Companies across Europe are moving away from US-based cloud providers like Microsoft 365, AWS, and Google Workspace due to concerns about the Cloud Act and data privacy regulations.In this episode, Curtis and Prasanna explore the backup implications of this major shift. They discuss the challenges of replacing comprehensive platforms like Microsoft 365 with multiple EU-based providers, the

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33:32

What Is an Air Gap Backup? Real Protection vs Marketing

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/06/30

Air gap has become one of the most overused and misunderstood terms in backup and recovery. In this episode, W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna explore what air gap really means, tracing its origins from the days when everyone used tape storage to modern virtual implementations. They discuss how true air gap required physical separation - tapes stored offsite at facilities like Iron Mountain - and why this gold standard is nearly impossible to achieve with today's connected backup systems.The

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48:45

Largest Data Breach in History: What You Need to Know

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/06/23

The largest data breach in recent memory has exposed 16 billion login credentials across multiple databases, and we're here to help you understand what it means for your security. This massive exposure involves data stolen primarily through infostealer malware rather than a single company breach.Join W. Curtis Preston, Dr. Mike Saylor, and Prasanna Malaiyandi as they break down this complex security incident. Learn why this largest data breach is actually a compilation of stolen credentials from

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41:24

How do you make a snapshot backup?

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/06/16

This episode breaks down snapshot backup fundamentals, covering the key differences between traditional storage snapshots and cloud-based approaches. Curtis and Prasanna explain copy-on-write versus redirect-on-write methods, performance implications, and why some snapshot systems can degrade performance by up to 50%.Learn about NetApp's redirect-on-write innovation, VMware's unique approach, and how AWS "snapshots" are actually more like traditional backups. The hosts discuss critical concepts like

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35:47

Human error: Why We Backup

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/06/09

Human error has replaced hardware failures as the primary driver of data loss and restore operations in modern IT environments. This episode explores real-world examples of how both end users and administrators create the need for backup and recovery operations through accidental deletions, configuration mistakes, and poor processes. W. Curtis Preston shares war stories from his decades in the industry, including incidents involving accidental directory deletions, source code stored in temporary

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42:10

How to Extract ROI from Backups

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/06/02

Learn how to extract measurable ROI from your backups beyond traditional disaster recovery. Curtis and Prasanna explore proven strategies for extracting business value from backup infrastructure through test and development environments, security monitoring, compliance checking, and AI-powered analytics. Discover why the shift from tape to disk storage created new opportunities for ROI from backups, including instant restore capabilities and data mining applications. The hosts share real-world

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34:23

World Backup Day: Take the Pledge to Protect Your Data

The Backup Wrap-Up ·

2025/05/19

World Backup Day falls on March 31st - the day before April Fool's Day because not backing up your data is no joke. In this episode, hosts W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna Malaiyandi discuss alarming statistics about data loss and why proper backup strategies are essential for business survival.The hosts break down the famous 3-2-1 backup rule and how it applies to both consumers and enterprises. They examine the growing threat of ransomware, including double extortion attacks where criminals not only

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343 results

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