142 The Fascinating Future of Crime, Hackers, and How to Protect Your Information with Marc Goodman

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lewis Howes interviews cybercrime expert Mark Goodman about his book Future Crimes, focusing on how modern life is increasingly hackable through connected devices, weak security habits, and software-based crime. Goodman explains that cybercrime is scalable, pervasive, and already here, but argues individuals, businesses, and governments can reduce risk through practical defenses like updates, encryption, password managers, and two-factor authentication.

Main Topics: The scale and automation of cybercrime (Priority: 5/5): Goodman explains that hacking is no longer mostly the work of elite individuals; crimeware and subscription-based tools let low-skill criminals automate identity theft, phishing, and network compromise at massive scale. The Internet of Things expands attack surfaces (Priority: 5/5): The conversation emphasizes that every new connected device—from cars to TVs to home systems—creates more opportunities for intrusion, surveillance, and sabotage, making convenience a tradeoff with security. Real-world breaches and how attackers get in (Priority: 5/5): They discuss examples such as Target, Anthem, AMSC, and webcam blackmail to show that breaches often begin with phishing, weak permissions, or indirect access through third parties rather than obvious front-door attacks. Practical self-defense: the UPDATE protocol (Priority: 5/5): Goodman gives a memorable framework for reducing risk: Update software, Download carefully, use an Admin account only when needed, Turn off or disconnect devices, use Password managers and two-factor authentication, and Encrypt data. Privacy, surveillance, and data collection (Priority: 4/5): The episode highlights how companies and platforms track user behavior, how voice-enabled TVs can listen continuously, and how publicly shared personal data can be exploited by adversaries and foreign actors. Future technologies: 3D printing, robotics, and bioprinting (Priority: 4/5): Goodman warns that emerging tech such as 3D printing can be used to manufacture weapons or copy products, while robotics and bioprinting will deepen the security and ethical challenges ahead. Systemic solutions and public policy (Priority: 4/5): Beyond personal hygiene, Goodman argues for better software practices, ubiquitous encryption, cybersecurity workforce growth, incentive prizes, and a large-scale national effort akin to a Manhattan Project for cyber defense.

Key Arguments: Cybercrime has become scalable because attackers can use software to automate attacks rather than relying on manual effort. Connected infrastructure creates an asymmetric risk: defenders must protect every entry point, while attackers need only one weakness. Companies often prioritize convenience and speed over security, leading to preventable breaches and data leaks. Social media and public posts can reveal sensitive personal and organizational vulnerabilities that criminals can exploit. Basic hygiene—updating software, using unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and encrypting devices—substantially reduces risk. The Internet of Things will dramatically increase vulnerability unless security is built in before mass deployment. Current antivirus tools are limited against new threats, so users need layered defenses rather than blind trust in security software. Governments and institutions must treat cybersecurity as a major strategic priority, not a minor IT issue.

Data Points: Facebook accounts hacked daily: 600,000 - Goodman cites Facebook’s chief security officer to illustrate the scale of routine account compromise. Target breach scale: One 17-year-old attacker could affect one-third of America - Used to show how software-enabled attacks can scale far beyond traditional crime. Anthem patient records stolen: 80 million - Example of a major breach used to argue for ubiquitous encryption. Antivirus detection for new threats: 5% - Goodman cites a meta-study of major antivirus products showing low detection of newly emerging malware. Cybersecurity workforce shortage by 2017: 2 million workers - Used to argue for more talent entering the cybersecurity field. IPv4 connection capacity: 4.5 billion simultaneous connections - Compared with IPv6 to explain why the internet must expand. IPv6 connection capacity: 78 octillion simultaneous connections - Illustrates the massive growth in address space for connected devices. Cisco projection for connected devices by 2020: 50 billion new devices - Used to show the expected growth of the Internet of Things. Intel projection for connected devices: 200 billion new devices - Alternative estimate highlighting the scale of future connectivity. Update protocol threat reduction: 85% - Goodman claims his six-step protocol can reduce overall online threat exposure by this amount. Turn off/wifi off benefit: 33% reduction in threat exposure - He says turning off devices or Wi‑Fi at night removes hours of exposure. 3D printer used for weapon demo: About 1 day to print - He describes printing a gun and silencer during a TED talk demo. 3D printer cost for weapons demo: $2,000 printer (and potentially $300–$500 in the future) - Shows how accessible weapon fabrication could become. Encrypted data brute-force resistance: Nearly impossible; described as needing 80 million years - Illustrates the strength of encryption against brute-force attacks.

Pivotal Quotes: "The future has already arrived. It’s just unevenly distributed." — Mark Goodman: He uses William Gibson’s quote to frame cybercrime as a present reality rather than a distant concern. "The internet of things is just the internet of things to be hacked." — Mark Goodman: A central warning about the security risks of connecting more and more everyday objects. "Stop, think, then connect." — Mark Goodman: His simplest advice for avoiding phishing, suspicious links, and impulsive clicks.

Implications: Listeners should assume all connected devices and accounts are potential targets and adopt layered defenses immediately. For industry, the episode underscores the need for secure-by-design technology, encryption, and a much larger cybersecurity workforce.