Easy Prey23 Mar 2022

Online Security: Just Hope for the Best with Steve Gibson

When the internet began, trust was implied. But today, how can you know who or what to trust on the web? Today's guest is Steve Gibson. Steve has participated in the PC industry since its inception. He authored InfoWorld's top rated Tech Talk column for eight years and he produces the TWiT Network's weekly Security Now podcast in its 17th year. He developed a working replacement for the username and password site known as QRL and is best known for his 35 year old SpinRite mass storage and data recovery and maintenance utility which he continues to develop. Show Notes:

[1:14] - Steve shares his background starting in the 70s.
[2:41] - A personal experience inspired Steve to create SpinRite.
[5:03] - When the internet was created, Microsoft wasn't on board. They rushed the solution when they realized it was necessary.
[6:06] - Because there was no firewall, people could see anyone's C drive.
[7:49] - In the beginning of internet use, there was implicit trust.
[10:01] - Internet security has very complicated problems.
[12:37] - We've created a complicated and constantly changing system.
[14:03] - Steve's podcast is geared towards those who implement security solutions for consumers.
[15:40] - In many ways, the internet is "consumer hostile."
[18:43] - The system is so fundamentally prone to abuse that end users hope for the best.
[21:10] - Steve and Chris continue to print authentication and recovery codes.
[23:35] - The reason we've gotten into this mess is because in the beginning, the internet wasn't very useful.
[24:43] - The most commonly used password is still 123456.
[26:39] - Password requirements make things even more complicated because everything constantly changes and every site is different.
[29:01] - Steve shares what he thinks can help the industry, starting with certifications.
[31:21] - Things are improving in some areas, including the federal government stepping in to regulate some things.
[33:18] - Steve discusses regulation pros and cons.
[35:12] - The internet has revolutionized efficiency and potential.
[38:54] - There should be courses on how to search the internet for things.
[40:26] - It is important to continue improving this powerful tool.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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