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PODCAST

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update.

R. Prescott Stearns Jr.

Into year six for this award-winning, light-hearted, lightweight IT privacy and security podcast that spans the globe in terms of issues covered, with topics that draw in everyone from executive to newbie, to tech specialist. Your investment of between 15 and 20 minutes a week will bring you up to speed on half a dozen current IT privacy and security stories from around the world to help you improve the management of your own privacy and security.

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All Episodes

00:19:06

More Moxie in the IT Privacy and Security Weekly...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2026/01/14

EP 274. In this week’s update:Moxie Marlinspike, architect of Signal’s groundbreaking privacy standards, now brings his uncompromising approach to secure, user-controlled artificial intelligence with the launch of Confer.The fifth annual Worst in Show anti-awards returned to CES 2026, shining a harsh spotlight on the year’s most wasteful, invasive, and counterproductive consumer electronics.Wegmans has quietly expanded biometric surveillance in its New York City stores, collecting facial, iris, and

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00:14:35

EP 273.5 Deep Dive. Electricity and the IT Privacy...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2026/01/08

The new year opens with a familiar pattern: rising technological ambition colliding with real-world limits, fragile infrastructure, and recurring security failures. This week’s stories span energy, aviation, AI, extremism, and cybersecurity, but all share a common thread — systems scaled faster than the safeguards meant to protect them.Across the United States, communities are pushing back against massive AI-driven data center expansions. Once marketed as quiet engines of innovation, these

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00:25:24

Electricity and the IT Privacy and Security Weekly...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2026/01/07

EP 273. This year starts with the high cost of Electricity and gets left exposed.Communities Across America Mobilize Against Massive AI-Powered Data Center Expansions.Surging GPS Interference Disrupts U.S. Aviation, Highlighting Growing Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructure.Cybersecurity Researchers Outsmart Notorious Cybercrime Group with Elaborate Honeypot Trap.Malicious Chrome Extensions Exposed for Stealthily Harvesting User Credentials from Over 170 Websites.Grok AI Faces Intense Scrutiny

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00:15:20

EP 272.5 Deep Dive. fLocked and fLoaded The IT...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2026/01/01

The brief describes how recent incidents collectively show a rapidly evolving, increasingly interconnected global cyber threat landscape that blends financial crime, strategic espionage, physical-world risk, and systemic surveillance failures.Financially Driven CybercrimeCybercriminals are shifting to low-interaction, trust-exploiting techniques, such as clipboard-hijacking malware masquerading as “KMSAuto” that silently replaces copied crypto wallet addresses and has impacted millions of

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00:19:15

fLocked and fLoaded. The IT Privacy and Security...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/31

EP 272In this last update for 2025, we span the fAce of the globe and find out we’ve gotten fLocked and fLoaded!Cybersecurity researchers from DARKNAVY have revealed a critical vulnerability allowing commercially available humanoid robots to be hijacked via simple voice commands, with exploits rapidly propagating to nearby machines.Fraudsters in China are increasingly exploiting AI-generated photos and videos of damaged goods to secure illegitimate refunds on e-commerce platforms, challenging

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00:14:15

EP 271.5 Deep Dive. Santa and The IT Privacy and...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/25

Our daily digital tools—browsers, apps, and smart devices—offer convenience but also expose us to hidden security risks. This guide reveals how ordinary technologies can imperil privacy and safety, focusing on three major areas: browser extensions, typo-prone website visits, and internet-connected cameras.The Hidden Spy on Your BrowserBrowser extensions, designed to block ads or save passwords, can also harvest personal data or hide malware. Researchers recently found popular Chromium extensions

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00:28:52

Santa and The IT Privacy and Security Weekly update...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/24

EP 271. For this week’s holiday update:Santa’s naughty list exposed in data breach. A lighthearted reminder from a past holiday hoax: even Santa's list isn't immune to data breaches.How China Built Its 'Manhattan Project' To Rival the West in AI Chips. China's clandestine push to master extreme ultraviolet lithography signals a major leap toward semiconductor self-sufficiency, challenging Western dominance in AI-enabling technology.Apple Fined $116 Million Over App Privacy

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00:16:53

EP-270.5 Deep Dive. Honey Don't. The IT Privacy and...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/18

Global: Over 10,000 Docker Hub Images Found Leaking Credentials, Auth KeysThe widespread exposure of sensitive keys in Docker images underscores the dangers of embedding secrets in container builds. Developers should prioritize centralized secrets management and routine scanning to prevent lasting breaches even after quick fixes.CN: Chinese Whistleblower Living In US Is Being Hunted By Beijing With US TechThis case highlights how advanced surveillance tools can erase borders, enabling persistent

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00:19:43

Honey Don't. The IT Privacy and Security Weekly...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/17

EP 270. In this week’s update:Security researchers uncover over 10,000 publicly available Docker Hub images exposing sensitive credentials and API keys, posing severe risks to production systems and AI services.A former Chinese official now seeking asylum in the United States reveals ongoing transnational harassment by Beijing, leveraging advanced surveillance tools-including those developed by American companies.European law enforcement dismantles sophisticated "violence-as-a-service"

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00:14:21

EP 269.5 Deep Dive. Truckin' With the IT Privacy and...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/04

Modern security is defined less by a single network perimeter and more by a web of interconnected partners, vendors, and shared infrastructure, where one weak link can trigger widespread impact. Criminals are exploiting this by abusing trusted relationships and platforms: in logistics, attackers impersonate freight middlemen to take over identities, push fake loads, and use malicious links to compromise carrier systems and hijack real-world cargo, while a breach at a fintech provider and an IT

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00:17:47

Truckin' With the IT Privacy and Security Weekly...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/12/03

EP 269. In this week’s update:Organized crime syndicates are now recruiting skilled hackers to orchestrate sophisticated digital hijackings of entire truckloads of high-value cargo.A bizarre Windows preview update has turned the password field invisible, leaving Microsoft advising users to blindly click where the button once appeared.Australia’s $62 million weather-service overhaul launched on one of the hottest days of the year—only to deliver a slower, less functional site that enraged farmers and

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00:12:50

EP 268.5 Deep Dive. Chew Thoroughly. The IT Privacy...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/27

The EPA approved two new PFAS-containing pesticides for food crops and plans four more. Scientists warn this deliberately increases dietaryexposure to persistent chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects.A magician who implanted an RFID chip in his hand for stage tricks forgot the password and is now permanently locked out of the device inside his own body. Perhaps he should have had the password tattooed backwards on his forehead.A fired Ohio contractor plead guilty to resetting 2,500 coworker

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00:19:47

Chew Thoroughly. The IT Privacy and Security Weekly...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/26

EP 268The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves PFAS-containing pesticides for everyday food crops, opening a new pathway for “forever chemicals” to reach dinner plates.A magician who implanted an RFID chip in his hand for performances discovers the ultimate trick: he’s permanently locked out by his own forgotten password. He must not be Gen XFired Ohio contractor pleads guilty to crippling his former employer’s network with a single script, causing $862,000 in damage, chaos for

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00:14:48

EP 267.5 Deep Dive. A Wrench in the IT Privacy and...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/20

This week's security landscape is defined by three converging vectors: the expansion of threats into physical and environmental domains, persistent vulnerabilities in core digital infrastructure, and the escalating strategic battle over data, privacy, and artificial intelligence.The lines between digital and physical threats are dissolving, forcing a new risk calculus where leaders must model non-traditional, high-impact consequences. This is evident in the rise of physical coercion against

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00:18:56

A Wrench in the IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/19

EP 267 In this week’s update:Wealthy Bitcoin holders in Switzerland are now learning to bite through zip ties as 'wrench attacks' shift crypto threats from cyberspace to real-world violence.Iceland has officially classified a potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as an existential national-security threat – the first time a climate phenomenon has reached its National Security Council.The ACLU and EFF have filed suit against San Jose, California, arguing

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00:16:55

EP-266.5 Deep Dive. You Can't Leave Unless You Buy...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/13

This week's deep dive provides a broad overview of global cybersecurity challenges and evolving technological threats, with a particular focus on the impact of Artificial Intelligence. Several articles highlight the growing danger of autonomous AI-driven malware and the use of sophisticated AI tools for cybercrime, while other reports detail the security vulnerabilities and breaches suffered by prominent entities, such as the US Congressional Budget Office and the Louvre Museum's poorly protected

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00:15:56

You Can't Leave Unless You Buy Something. The IT...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/12

EP 266In this week’s update:Google warns that AI-driven malware is now self-evolving, marking a perilous new chapter in cyber threats.A $100 million Louvre heist succeeded in seven minutes-thanks to the museum’s surveillance password being simply 'LOUVRE'.San Francisco’s Safeway now locks customers inside until they buy something, turning grocery runs into mandatory purchases.Chrome’s enhanced autofill now handles passports, driver’s licenses, and VINs-but at the cost of storing even more

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00:19:57

EP 265.5 The Deep Dive. The IT Privacy and Security...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/07

AI agents are exploding in power and reach, simultaneously automating code security (OpenAI Aardvark), bypassing paywalls, and triggering corporate warfare (Amazon vs. Perplexity). Yet automated surveillance is failing citizens: a Colorado woman was falsely accused of theft byFlock cameras, only cleared by her Rivian’s own footage. Norway disabled internet on 850 Chinese buses after finding hidden remote-shutdown features, while Xi Jinping joked about “backdoors” when gifting Xiaomi phones to South

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00:20:25

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update for...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/11/05

EP 265 Ahoy Matey! In this week’s update:A Rivian owner in Colorado turns the tables on police with dashcam evidence, exposing the dangers of overreliance on automated surveillance.In a rare lighthearted moment, President Xi Jinping jokes about backdoors while gifting Xiaomi phones to South Korea’s leader amid tense U.S.-China trade talks.Oslo’s transit authority disables internet on 850 Chinese electric buses after discovering hidden remote shutdown capabilities.OpenAI’s Atlas browser promises

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00:17:51

EP 264.5 deep dive Maps, Taps, and facial slaps. The...

The IT Privacy and Security Weekly Update. ·

2025/10/30

Technology, once a neutral servant, now increasingly operates according to hidden incentives-shaped by corporate interests, data extraction, and algorithmic autonomy-often against the user’s best interests. Across several examples, systems built for convenience expose deeper trends of control, deception, and surveillance that challenge the meaning of ownership and privacy.A vivid instance comes from an iLife A11 smart vacuum whose owner blocked its telemetry data from being sent to foreign servers

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340 results

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