Everything That’s Old Is New Again
Trends always circle back. We’ve watched for decades as fashion has recycled itself. The bell bottoms of the 60s turned up in 90s fashion. Classic cocktails have found new life with the quarantine crowd. Even the old furniture my grandmother refused to part with has now been relabeled “mid-century” and is popular with interior designers the world over.
One trend that seems to have found its sticking power, however, is talk radio. Pre-television, radio was the evening family entertainment. Elaborate radio dramas thrilled Americans from coast to coast. Once TV became standard across American households, radio fell to the wayside.
There were radio shows and famous hosts, but TV was where it was at. NPR cemented itself in the public consciousness in the 70s. Then the 80s hit. Shock jocks were playing the sounds paired on the recently released Music Television channel.
As the 24 hour news cycle picked up steam, so did the accompanying radio shows. Sirius XM brought us specialized radio stations in 2008. But a few years before that, 2004 to be precise, podcasting, with its roots in a 1980s trend of audioblogging, began to take off.
Do You Hear What I Hear
For the past 16 years, podcasts have grown in popularity. It seems everyone has a podcast now. There are hundreds of thousands to sort through on literally any topic you can imagine.
Personally, I’m a fan of narrative podcasts. These are the grandchildren of the radio dramas of the 30s and 40s. But there are a few informational podcasts that grace my queue.
And what topic is better for an informational podcast than cybersecurity? And, trust me, there are thousands of cybersecurity podcasts out there. Here’s a quick list of 70 notable ones that may even be too much for you to sort through. Below, let’s look at 3 that I like.
Smashing Security
Smashing Security was recommended to me by one of my PC Matic co-workers, but you’ll find it on any Who’s Who list of cybersecurity podcasts. PC Matic’s own Michael Hucks has even been a guest on the show once or twice.
The hosts, Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, have a lovely back and forth banter that adds humor to the topics they’re discussing for the show. They release a new episode weekly (quite a feat!) and cover everything from apps to cyber biowarfare to gaming.
Don’t fret if you aren’t a “tech person.” This is a great podcast for novices and people who want to learn more about cybersecurity. There’s a reason these two are listed in the Best of the Best and it’s not just their witty rapport.
Security Weekly News
This is a smaller show under the Security Weekly umbrella, but I like it because of it’s digestibility and headline centric format. It feels exciting. Plus, each episode promises news in under 15 minutes (an additional 10 is for other information, but not annoying, I promise.)
The show is hosted by Paul Asadoorian, Doug White, and Jason Wood and gives a little commentary with the headlines. There’s not a lot of banter. If you’re the kind of person who wants the facts and just the facts, these guys are delivering them.
Privacy, Security, & OSINT
In Michael Bazzell’s own words, “this weekly podcast presents ideas to help you become digitally invisible, stay secure from cyber threats, and make you a better online investigator.”
Personally, I like it because it’s a security podcast with a true crime feel. Michael is a professional in digital invisibility and the stories he tells illicit the feeling of a private investigator. His tips and suggestions are infinitely useful. If you’re interested in learning more about reducing your online footprint, this is the show for you.
And a Bajillion More
Like I said, there are hundreds of thousands of podcasts. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, but it is a great jumping off point. I didn’t want to overwhelm you with infinite possibilities. Give these three a listen, then explore on your own.
You can visit their websites to listen to episodes, but if you’re an Apple user, they’re all on the podcast app. Not an Apple user? No problem. Stitcher is a great cross platform way to access podcasts.
While most cybersecurity podcasts are geared toward industry professionals, these three will break security down for anyone. And if you have a favorite podcast that caters to laymen, drop it below. The more we share, the more we learn. And, as we’ve said in the past, education is our best defense against cybercriminals.
Stay safe out there.
