Podcasts
Decrypted Unscripted Revisited
The most intriguing secrets are often hidden in plain sight.
In this spinoff of our Decrypted Unscripted privacy podcast, David Biderman, Andrew Pak, and Deb Ruffins interview inquisitive individuals who help decode and demystify our world. Listen in to meet innovators who look closely, help others understand, and implement change.
Episode Descriptions
05.03.2023 | Dmitry Smilyanets: Director of Project Management at Recorded Future | From Russia-Based Hacker to Cyber Security Expert
Dmitry Smilyanets, whose experience in cybercrime activity includes former membership in an elite Russia-based hacking organization, joins David and Andrew to discuss the importance of protecting company credentials, how hackers install malware to steal passwords, and how the SQL injection method of hacking works. Dmitry shares his personal journey, touching on his extradition from Russia to face charges in the United States, his subsequent decision to stay in the United States, and why he loves his current role at Recorded Future. We also dive into Dimitry’s history as one of the most accomplished gamers in the world and what Recorded Future’s Identity Intelligence module does to prevent account takeovers and consumer fraud.
04.06.2023 | Waqas Shahid: Vice President in the Forensic Services Practice of Charles River Associates | The Future of AI, Ethics and Data Protection
Waqas Shahid, Vice President in the Forensics Practice at Charles River Associates, joins David and Andrew to discuss the latest and greatest in AI, particularly ChatGPT and how AI will affect export controls, cybersecurity, and risk management. Waqas is one of the country’s lead consultants in defending cybersecurity threats, date breach response, regulatory compliance, and most recently AI tools such as ChatGPT. Waqas tells us how AI is transforming the world of cyber security and identifies new challenges businesses now face to ensure that data is protected and used ethically.
03.14.2022 | Jodi Daniels: CEO of Red Clover Advisors and Justin Daniels: Cybersecurity Expert | Privacy as an Asset not an Afterthought
Jodi Daniels, CEO of Red Clover Advisors and Justin Daniels, cybersecurity expert, joins David to discuss why businesses are still not deliberate in designing privacy and security practices and how we can change our mindset to prioritize them. Jodi explores why data collection, usage, storage, and protection are the foundation of companies' continued business online and what happens when small companies do not understand their security responsibilities. The pair also share why they started their podcast “She Said Security/He Said Privacy in 2020” and how they provide informed coverage of privacy and security law developments.
03.07.2022 | Vineet Singal: CEO of CareMessage | Using Data to Help Underserved Populations
Vineet Singal, co-founder and CEO of CareMessage, a messaging platform for health safety net organizations, joins us to share why he created CareMessage out of his original work in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. He talks about why he turned down a scholarship to medical school to continue this work, and why he is so passionate about helping underserved populations manage their conditions and take responsibility for their health. Vineet describes how CareMessage grew from a Stanford undergraduate project to become the largest patient engagement program in the United States and discusses the types of data held by CareMessage and other healthcare clinics, as well how as how they ensure their HIPAA compliance. Vineet also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has been a critical component of CareMessage’s growth in ways he could not have anticipated when he started the company in 2012.
03.02.2022 | Daniella Ballou-Aares: CEO of The Leadership Now Project | The Impact of Business on Democracy and Voting Rights
Daniella Ballou-Aares, CEO & Co-Founder of the Leadership Now Project and a Senior Advisor at Dalberg, joins David to discuss how corporate CEOs and corporations are taking direct action to support voting rights and how they are looking for an innovative model of sustained and strategic engagement to fix democracy. Most importantly, Daniella identifies with precision and clarity why measuring big data is important in preserving democracy, how supporting voting rights and a sustained democracy serves the interests of corporations and their shareholders, and why private sector leadership in this area is important, not only for democratic principles but for the long term interests of shareholders and business success.
02.17.2022 | Devin Banerjee: Editor At Large at LinkedIn | The Expanding Interest in Digital Assets
Devin Banerjee, editor at large at LinkedIn News, joins us to share his passion for business journalism. He discusses how writing business articles and updates for a social media company differs from more traditional publications where writers do not receive instantaneous feedback. He addresses C-suite awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and the damage that ransomware wreaks on an organization. Devin also dives into how LinkedIn identifies influential and high-quality contributors in different industries and brings them into the conversation on the platform.
02.11.2022 | Nishant Bhajaria: Head of Technical Privacy and Governance at Uber | Making Privacy a Priority
Nishant Bhajaria, head of technical privacy and governance at Uber, joins us to discuss how he has helped companies focus on data privacy. He outlines reputational risk versus better data and governance and why protecting data leads to better products, a more intelligent workforce, and a more engaged customer. They discuss why the amount of data being exchanged by companies and customers today is unlike any we've seen before and how transparency to consumers and enhanced data privacy is critical for a company to thrive. Nishant also shares how his newest book, Data Privacy: A Runbook for Engineers, is the first leading text for engineers on how to design, develop, and measure the effectiveness of privacy programs.
02.03.2022 | Ben Strick: Digital Investigator | Building an Unbiased Blueprint for Open Source Information
Ben Strick, director of investigations for the Centre for Information Resilience and Myanmar Witness, joins us to share how his team uses investigative techniques to document and expose human rights violations, identify perpetrators and victims, and assist social justice groups from Myanmar to Cameroon and around the globe. He describes why this process serves as a way of holding a mirror to society and forcing us to take responsibility for the hate and violence in the world. Ben also explains how the open source investigative community deals with privacy and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation, particularly when using photographs.
01.24.2022 | James Xie: Pediatrician and Pediatric Anesthesiologist at Stanford University School of Medicine | Using Data to Move Healthcare Forward
Dr. James Xie, a clinical informatics physician (CI-MD) and Epic physician builder at Stanford Children's Health, joins us to discuss how his education in computer science and work with children who had special healthcare needs inspired him to move into medicine. We also cover how James’ healthcare work intersects with the Decrypted Unscripted mission of unpacking and understanding data security issues, and James dives into how the 21stCentury Cures Act is trying to promote healthcare information exchange and interoperability.
12.16.2021 | Dr. Johnny Ryan: Senior Fellow at The Irish Council for Civil Liberties | Fighting for Digital Rights
Dr. Johnny Ryan joins us to discuss why, from his perspective, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe should have been one of the most important global privacy laws in the world—but is falling woefully short of his expectations. He explores the current problems around advertising technology, privacy, and tracking and how he sees the future of digital advertising security. Dr. Ryan also dives into the Irish Council for Civil Liberties’ (ICCL) current lawsuit against IAB Tech Lab for allegedly breaching EU privacy rules.
Dr. Ryan is a senior fellow at the ICCL and the Open Markets Institute. He focuses on surveillance, data rights, competition/anti-trust, and privacy. Dr. Ryan is former chief policy and industry relations officer at Brave, the private web browser, and led Brave’s campaign for GDPR enforcement. His other previous roles included chief innovation officer of The Irish Times and senior researcher at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA).
11.12.2021 | Crypto Currency’s Inevitable Entry into the Mainstream Economy | A Conversation with Congressman Darren Soto of Florida’s 9th District
U.S. Congressman Darren Soto joins David to tell us what Congress is doing to regulate crypto currency and its inevitable introduction into the mainstream economy. From the hardware store down the street to huge financial institutions, Congressman Soto is doing his best to make sure crypto currency is freely transferrable and that we don’t have the regulatory gaps that now plague data security and privacy. He tells us also about his decision to run for Congress at a young age, being one of the few Hispanic Congressman. This guy is smart, sharp, and articulate and has a vision for the future of the country that embraces—does not fight—new blockchain technology. Please listen. He’s cool.
09.24.2021 | Bill Marczak: Fellow at Citizen Lab/Co-Founder of Bahrain Watch | The Global Impact of International Spyware Abuses
Bill Marczak joins David Biderman on Decrypted Unscripted to discuss why he focuses on nation-state use of big data analysis as well as more targeted surveillance. He tells the story of his work with Bahraini activist Ahmed Mansoor, how he determined he was being targeted by Pegasus spyware, and how that prompted Bill’s subsequent work with Amnesty International. Bill also gives his tips on how to tell if your phone has been hacked and why it’s so difficult to prevent.
Bill is a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, a co-founder of Bahrain Watch, and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. His work focuses on novel technological threats to internet freedom, including new censorship and surveillance tools, and his expertise is in internet scanning and conducting digital investigations. Coverage of his work has been featured in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Washington Post, on CNN, and on “Larry King Live.”
09.16.2021 | Philip Reiner: CEO of The Institute for Security and Technology | Strategies for Establishing Basic Internet Security
With the recent attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and JBS Food, ransomware has become a serious national security issue. Join us in a discussion with Philip Reiner about the critical importance of establishing basic internet security standards. Phillip believes that our neglect in this area has been inexplicable if not inexcusable, and describes how his Institute for Security and Technology was asked to support the Ransomware Task Force to address the critical need for improving basic cybersecurity standards.
Philip Reiner is the chief executive officer of the Institute for Security and Technology. His decades of experience in technology and international security include a position as President Obama’s Senior Director for South Asia on the National Security Council staff. While serving in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in the Pentagon, he received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service.
09.02.2021 | Anja Shortland: Professor of Political Economy at King’s College London | Weighing the Economics of Crime in the Ransomware Context
Anja Shortland joins us to discuss how the underground ransomware ecosystem functions and why cybersecurity experts have created a scale to define the reliability of information hostage-takers. She outlines some of the simple data protections that companies can follow to comply with President Biden’s executive order and shares how cyber insurance helps or hinders real-life information safety.
Anja is a professor of political economy at King’s College London, specializing in the economics of crime. She studies private governance in the world’s trickiest markets—hostages, fine art, and antiquities—and how people live, trade, and invest in complex and hostile territories. Although her work is often based on data analysis, it cuts across disciplinary boundaries, adopting techniques and insights from sociology, engineering, geography, politics, international relations, and economics.
08.22.2021 | Los Angeles Police Commission- Using Technology to Reimagine Policy
Los Angeles Police Commission President Eileen Decker provides an illuminating perspective on the Commission’s use of automated license plate reader (APLR) technology. This technology was discussed by NYU Professor Barry Friedman, founder of the NYU Policing Project.
08.17.2021 | NYU Policing Project – Using Technology to Reimagine Policy
Join us in a fascinating conversation with New York University Law School Professor Barry Friedman, as he discusses his work founding the Policing Project. The Policing Project brings together stakeholders, business representatives, police departments, and the community to tackle the technology-driven issues at the intersection of public safety and social justice.
08.05.2021 | Howard Wu & Sina Kian: Privacy and Blockchain
Join us and our guests Howard Wu and Sina Kian of Aleo. Howard and Sina care about privacy and the dangers of blockchain transparency. They describe how they have used Zero Knowledge Proof to change the way transactions on blockchain are verified so that the verification can be done privately—not only protecting the users’ personal data but dramatically extending the design space for applications.
07.30.2021 | Gillian Tett: Editor of the Financial Times / Anthropology and Digging Behind the Numbers
Join us as we speak with Gillian Tett, Chair of the Editorial Board and Editor-at-Large US of the Financial Times, about her new book, Anthro-Vision which describes vividly how big data cannot solve all problems and in fact creates blinders and biases that can be uncovered with an anthropological lens.
07.22.2021 | Kurtis Minder: Ransomware Negotiator and CEO of Group Sense | What To Do When Your Data’s Being Held Ransom
Kurtis Minder is the founder and CEO of GroupSense. Kurtis joins us on the Decrypted Unscripted podcast to discuss how GroupSense’s team of cyberspies knows how to find where the bad guys are operating and work with clients to protect their data. He describes in detail how he became the “go-to” ransomware negotiator in the country. He also explains the dark web and how it helps criminals steal information and shares why his team has seen a steady increase in threat actors accessing data remotely over the last 12 months.
07.15.2021 | Ransomware and Cyberattacks: A Conversation With Cyber Expert Vinu Nair
In this conversation we talk with cybersecurity expert Vinu Nair who works for one of the world’s largest cyber insurers. Vinu discusses not only the trends for preventing cyberattacks, but also what companies can do today to prevent future damage to their brand and value. The conversation covers the importance of cyber for corporate leaders in the C-suite and the boardroom, as well as recent ransomware attacks on critical targets like Colonial Pipeline, healthcare systems, and food supply. There is also a robust discussion regarding the role governments can/will play in the fight against ransomware and cybercrimes that are threatening societal structures.
06.16.2021 | Privacy, Genomics, Covid-19 and Vaccines
CSI meets CCPA and you will love it. Dr. Mason is a world leader in genetic mapping and genomics and professor of Physiology and Biophysics, and Computational Genomics at Weill Cornell Medical College. He talks about the privacy of your personal genetic code and ways that can be protected. As Chris says, without protections “Once your dna code is out there, it is out there” and if you have had some episodes in life you would sooner forget, don’t pass along your DNA for testing. He also talks about the critical role genomics has played in tracking and fighting the COVID virus and the development of the first two COVID vaccines. Listen as Chris talks about genetics for tracking serial killers, mapping the genes in subway systems, and his genetic work on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also, check out Chris’ supercool new book about modifying our genes so we can survive on other planets, “The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds."
06.01.2021 | Facial Recognition or Misidentification
Massachusetts Activist Kade Crockford at the ACLU described how Kade worked with Boston Celtics players to Urge Social Justice and Anti-Discrimination in that state’s facial recognition law.
05.27.2021 | Privacy and Cybersecurity: Working Together to Protect the Internet
Perkins Coie alumni, Jim Sfekas, joins us. Jim left Perkins to join Microsoft in 2012 and now leads Microsoft’s cybersecurity legal function. Jim talks about the tensions between protecting the internet, which requires tracking of criminals across the globe, and the goals of privacy to make data uses transparent. Through discussion, the group sees how the two goals of security and privacy can work together.
05.18.2021 | Privacy and Financial Institutions
Join us in a discussion with Ron Whitworth, chief privacy officer of Truist, one of the largest financial institutions in the United States. Ron will share about how financial institutions find themselves contending with global privacy laws, though they already are some of the world’s most highly regulated entities.
05.04.2021 | US Privacy—Where Do We Go From Here?
An inspiring conversation with Jessica Rich, the former head of the Commercial Division of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a current professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Jessica discusses how the United States can regain leadership in the area of data, even as we await a federal privacy law.
04.26.2021 | How Google is Helping Address COVID-19 Around the World
A conversation with Google’s Chief Privacy Officer Keith Enright, one of the world’s most engaged privacy officers. Their conversation includes a discussion of Google’s public-private partnerships and how the efforts are helping tackle broad societal challenges like COVID-19.
04.16.2021 | Privacy and Litigation from the Plaintiff’s Perspective
Do you own a company and ever worry about whether our practices are meeting new privacy laws. You are not alone. There are 142 + countries with data protection laws around the globe. U.S. is one of the most litigious countries around the world. Here we speak to famed US privacy lawyer Scott Kamber about how privacy litigation has evolved over the past 30 years and what we can learn about the future with so much of our lives dependent on technology.
04.13.2021 | Online Privacy and Eliminating Child Sexual Abuse Materials From the Internet
Join us for a gripping conversation with Julie Cordua, chief executive officer of Thorn, an anti-human trafficking organization founded by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. Thorn’s mission is to develop technology to defend children from abuse online and to remove all child sexual abuse material from the internet. Thorn's technology has helped identify more than 14,000 child victims of abuse and has reduced investigative time by more than 65%.
Julie will discuss how Thorn’s technology has clashed with European privacy officials, who have objected to the use of facial recognition and other technology utilized by Thorn to identify and rescue victims of child sexual abuse and pornography. Also, see Julie’s TedTalk “How we can eliminate child sexual abuse material from the internet.”: https://www.ted.com/speakers/julie_cordua
You can find more about Thorn at https://www.thorn.org/
04.06.2021 | Privacy and Professional Social Networking
Join us in a wide-ranging conversation with Kalinda Raina, vice president, chief privacy officer for LinkedIn, the world’s leading professional social networking site. Their discussion will include Kalinda’s career path, her current worldwide responsibilities, and the challenge of adhering to the privacy demands of the LinkedIn community and the multiple state and national privacy laws.
03.29.2021 | Protecting Privacy for a Global Leader in Biotech
Zoe Philippides, former chief privacy officer of Amgen, a Southern California pharmaceutical company focused on developing state-of-the-art treatments and drugs, and now the chief privacy officer of one of the largest healthcare providers in the country, join us as she shares her journey through the privacy world and the critical privacy issues that a cutting-edge company such as Amgen confronts.
03.18.2021 | Technology, Privacy and Healthcare
COVID-19 has made it clear that the future of health is technology. From apps and contact tracing to websites announcing virus testing and vaccines, technology is at the core. In this episode we speak with Verily Inc.’s General Counsel Cynthia Patton about her journey to leading the legal department of one of the most technologically savvy life science and healthcare companies in the world. Owned by Alphabet, Inc, (that also owns Google), Verily is at the cross-section of technology and health. Hear what it is like to consider data management in the halthtech space at this seminal moment in time.
03.12.2021 | Society and Data—On Which Side of History Do We Want to Be?
Listen to us as we talk with Jim Steyer, the founder of Commonsense Media, a Stanford civil rights professor, and author of "Which Side of History?" about the role of privacy in an increasingly digitized society.
03.02.2021 | AI and Bias—Methods of Math Destruction, Social Dilemma, and Beyond
Hear The Social Dilemma star and former corporate data scientist, Cathy O’Neil, speak with us about why society needs to look behind the numbers with AI! Check out Cathy’s book, Weapons of Math Destruction, in the show notes!
02.11.2021 | Privacy and Professional Basketball
Dallas Mavericks General Counsel Sekou Lewis speaks with us about his journey to privacy via professional sports. This candid discussion regarding technology, professional basketball, privacy, cybersecurity, and social justice casts a bird’s-eye view on how the NBA moves through the fourth industrial revolution.
01.26.2021 | Free Internet in Jeopardy? Ad Tech at a Crossroads
Consumers across the globe are raising questions about how their data is used for advertising. Movies like The Social Network have raised questions about the use of consumer behavior as “the product.” Regulators and politicians are discussing a data dividend.
12.10.2020 | The Federal Landscape: An Unguarded Discussion About Privacy From Inside the Beltway
Hear our conversation with John Verdi, the head of policy for the Future of Privacy Forum and a consummate Washington, D.C., insider. How does D.C. view developments in California, and what are the prospects for a federal privacy law?
11.18.2020 | Privacy in the Retail Industry
Hear Brennan Duckett of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) discuss the top privacy priorities for leading retailers in the United States and share his insights on privacy policy on Capitol Hill.
11.04.2020 | California Chamber of Commerce Leads The Way for Business and Privacy
In this episode, the chief representative of the California business community speaks about privacy, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and California’s technology industry.
California is the fifth largest economy in the world, just smaller than Germany and larger than India. It is also the leader in enacting rules to provide privacy protection to California consumers. Join us, as Allan Zaremberg, the president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, describes how the business community navigates these changes and challenges.
10.29.2020 | Around the World in 30 Days: Brazil’s LGPD to California’s CCPA and CPRA
Listen to a conversation with Dirceu Santa Rosa. As the International Association of Privacy Professional’s country leader for Brazil and partner at a Brazilian law firm, Dirceu is an authority on the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (LGPD). In this episode, the attorneys discuss the differences in approach to privacy and elections between the United States and Brazil. And don’t forget to vote on U.S. Election Day, November 3!
10.15.2020 | Entertainment Meets Privacy and Cyber
Join us as we discuss the future of privacy for entertainment companies with Leslie Shanklin, the head of privacy for the global entertainment company, Discovery, Inc. Leslie discusses the interrelationship between privacy, cybersecurity, and entertainment.
10.08.2020 | California Privacy Dreaming: The CCPA and the New Ballot Initiative CPRA (Proposition 24) Break New Ground
Join us and Alastair Mactaggart, board chair and founder of Californians for Consumer Privacy and proponent of the CPRA (also known as CCPA 2.0). The discussion will explore the aim of the CPRA, how it could affect businesses if passed by California voters, and what companies should consider in light of this new development.
10.02.2020 | First Amendment Rights and Digital Platforms – September 15 Groundbreaking Development in the EU
Hear plaintiff’s attorney, Dan Shefet, explain how his proposal for an ombudsman has been adopted by the EU Council as of September 15, and what it means for companies with global obligations, including the EU.
10.01.2020 | The Collision of Corporate Reputation, Crisis & Cybersecurity
Listen to us have a conversation with David Chamberlin, a renowned crisis communications expert who has handled difficult communications from the public to the C-suite and boardroom. He talks about his path to data security and shares valuable insights regarding crisis communications around massive data breaches and the value of planning in advance.
09.25.2020 | Privacy and Politics
Listen to us talk to our colleague, Marc Elias, who represents the DNC in nationwide voting rights litigation. Given that data breach/leaks were such a big part of the 2016 election, we ask the question: How do things stand today? Marc reveals the ins and outs for protecting the sanctity of your vote in 2020!
09.24.2020 | Series Teaser
These timely discussions are essential listening for anyone managing data as a pre-tangible asset and preparing vigorous defenses against the next wave of privacy and data security class actions.