Hacks used to be impressive, utilizing bits and pieces of technology that made us sit up and pay attention. Nowadays, every scam, breach, or sketchy text message gets labelled a "hack" when it's really just basic use of existing technology, or an outright scam. Let's take a closer look at how the meaning of “hack” has changed, from the complex brilliance of NotPetya in 2017, to today's flood of scams powered by stolen data and AI fakery. It’s the end of the Age of the Great Hack, and the rise of the Age of Many Scams.Resources:Healthcare Data Breach StatisticsBeing Infected by NotPetya: What Maersk learnedNotPetya: A Columbia University Case StudySend us a textDigital Disruption with Geoff Nielson Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showJoin our Patreon to listen ad-free!
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The Amanda Knox Case: How To Get Arrested for Being Weird
Can you tell if someone is guilty just by looking at them? Let's delve into the infamous case of Amanda Knox, the American exchange student who was wrongfully accused of murdering her roommate in 2007. We'll talk bad cell phone forensics, media sensationalism, and cultural biases, and how they can lead to dire consequences for those who are judged not by evidence, but by how they act differently than society expects them to.ResourcesAmanda Knox websiteSentence of the Court of Assizes of Perugia in the Murder of Meredith KercherTalking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't KnowTeacher Recorded Laughing During Apalachee School Shooting May Have Been the Bravest Person in the RoomVideo of teacher laughing during school shootingCentral Park jogger case.Send us a textDigital Disruption with Geoff Nielson Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showJoin our Patreon to listen ad-free!
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Send Me a Text! I'd love to hear from you.
Send me a text! No matter who you are or where you are in the world, I'd love to hear from you. This is a call for feedback on what you like about How Hacks Happen, what you don't like, or if you just want to say Hi.Click the "Send us a text" link below, and you'll be sending a text message directly to me, Michele Bousquet. I can't wait to read what you have to say. If I get enough messages, I'll even do an episode just with your feedback.ResourcesJust my bad self for this oneThe "Send us a text" link is just below!.Send us a textSupport the showJoin our Patreon to listen ad-free!
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Coinbase Hack and Impending Crypto Doom
In May 2025, Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, got hacked. Or did they? It was more like a near-miss. But while we might wipe our brows in relief over this latest mishap, it doesn't bode well for the future of cryptocurrency, which is currently unregulated, uninsured, and just waiting for the next big catastrophe to leave investors crying in their collective beers over their lost millions.Join us for a tour of some of most disastrous crypto hacks of yesteryear like Mt Gox and Bybit, and what we see coming for the future of crypto. Hint: It's not pretty.ResourcesCoinbase: Protecting Our Customers - Standing Up to ExtortionistsThe Story of Mt. Gox: ExplainedBank Secrecy Act (BSA)What Is Crypto KYC and Why Do Exchanges Need It in 2025?The ByBit Heist and the Future of U.S. Crypto RegulationTop 10 Cryptos to Invest In May 2025.Send us a textDigital Disruption with Geoff Nielson Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showJoin our Patreon to listen ad-free!
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Stingray Part II: The Fight for Privacy
In this episode we continue the story of Daniel Rigmaiden, a man arrested for tax fraud in 2008 who reveals the Stingray surveillance device used by the Feds to track his location. Despite being in jail, Rigmaiden tirelessly researches and files numerous motions, arguing that the use of Stingrays violated citizens' Fourth Amendment rights. His determination attracts the attention of the ACLU and the EFF, ultimately influencing government policy on surveillance practices, policies that protect privacy for all of us. ResourcesRigmaiden court documentsDOJ: Justice Department Announces Enhanced Policy for Use of Cell-Site SimulatorsThe News Tribune: Stingray snared him, now he helps write rules for surveillance ACLU: Fighting for TransparencyWall Street Journal: Judge Questions Tools That Grab Cellphone Data on Innocent People ACLU websiteEFF website.Send us a textDigital Disruption with Geoff Nielson Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showJoin our Patreon to listen ad-free!
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