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Alarm Systems, Security Cameras, Smart TVs, Alexa OH MY! This week will talk about the basics you need to do in order to secure your smart home from prying eyes and hackers. Be careful who you chose to Monitor your home with security cameras and home security systems and make sure that you don't sacrifice wireless connectivity for security. Change your mentality on what those devices are and how they can effect your personal information.

Spoiler Alert - NO! In Today's episode, Matt discusses what GDPR is on a VERY low level and why it is in our Government's best interest NOT to take a cue from the European Union and try to protect our privacy from the hands that feed them. 

VPNFilter is in the news as one of the largest vulnerabilities in the recent months. While the list of effected devices has changed, the message is still the same. Matt talks about how to make sure that your home devices are safe and secure, and what to expect from your internet equipment.

A Breach that made national news this week was MyHeritage, a DNA testing website who had their login credentials compromised. Matt gives them a small pass and discusses what you are actually sending to these sites and why it may be a bad idea.

"Malichi - He want's you too Malichi" - still one of the creepiest voices I remember as a child that haunts me today. Today's HOTW is the lovable Cloudpets which have FINALLY been pulled off the Market (Amazon, Target, Walmart, Ebay). These devices allowed hackers to obtain the login information and upload / download anything they want from the devlces. Cloudpets is now out of businessess but 16 months after reports of the breach, the big retailers were still selling them!

Today we discuss a win for Privacy thanks to our friends at Apple. During their WWDC, Apple introduced their attempt at stopping sharing across multiple systems in order to put your privacy back in your own hands for 1/2 of the smart phone users out there.  Today is the new episode format, there will be other changes coming, so please stay tuned.  Also, please share this episode with a friend but using the link here

This weeks "Hack of the Week" is the Coca-Cola Companies and their SECOND data breach of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) in 3 years. This time is only includes 8000 employees at a subsidiary whose PII walked away on an external hard drive EIGHT MONTHS AGO. Of course, true to form the Coca-Cola companies is giving out a free year of Identity Theft Protection - Yeah for them - they are such a good steward of employee information! Come on Coke - this is getting stupid.

Don't freak out! Personal VPNs are simple, easy to use, cheap and a requirement for your personal privacy. This episode has some upgrades to the format and stay tuned next week for the new format Matt discussed. 

Yes, another Education Hack - They are getting worse, but in this episode, Matt talks about a High School in MI that was hacked by students and why those students aren't as bad as the Superintendant and the local media are making them out to be.

In today's episode, Matthew talks about what Privacy is, what you can expect and how nothing is private online, unless you blindly trust "Big Data".   Matthew also shares a story about Alexa and how she's listening to everything you do, the FCC and the Commissioners stupidity as well as tries to understand why anyone would trust carriers to not share the data they collect on each and every one of us, all day, every day. 

The Atlanta hack has exposed small and big governments to the liability of protecting our information. Atlanta's "Breach" is a lesson in stupidity, ignorance and all-out criminal negligence. The checkbook is still open and the PR firm hired has done a great job of keeping updates away from the public. Listen to what happened and why this Cluster is bad news for everyone.

As Promised, here is your BONUS, the 10 Apps you need to protect your information on your iPhone or Android (*Cough*). Check out the full list @ www.blackbirdcss.com/dgh

Protecting yourself from Ransomware is easy and anyone can do it. In this episode Matthew asks for your rate / review / subscribe and gives you a present for doing so - completely free by visiting http://www.blackbirdcss.com/dgh. The 3 things you need to do TODAY to make sure that you aren't hacked, or if somethings slips through, how you can ensure you don't lose everything. Also checkout the blog post for businesses on protecting themselves from Ransomware here. 

This week Matt discusses the Baltimore 911 Breach and is suprised by what was done right. Unfortunately this hack could have been prevented. 

Email is one of the biggest threats to your Personal Information as well as your Business's Data Security. Learn how you can protect yours and what you need to watch out for in your mailbox so you Don't Get Hacked! 

Spotlight on a school district in MA that paid $10,000 in Bitcoin to get their systems operational again (after two weeks) and where we think they went wrong.

Learn the 5 tips to protect yourself on Facebook and how to evaluate if your company needs a Facebook presence

Hear Matthew Williams, President & CEO of Blackbird Cyber Security Solutions, LLC explain his background, why he started this podcast and what you can expect by listening and subscribing to Don't Get Hacked!