Summary
Overview
Dr. Eric Cole, a former CIA cybersecurity expert, discusses the urgent state of global cyber warfare, revealing how foreign adversaries have embedded themselves in critical infrastructure, how everyday devices spy on us, and why TikTok represents a sophisticated tool of psychological warfare. He exposes the massive scale of automated attacks targeting individuals and businesses, the vulnerability of critical systems running outdated software, and practical steps to protect ourselves in an increasingly dangerous digital landscape.
The Reality of Constant Cyber Attacks
Dr. Cole explains that cyber attacks occur every minute of every day, with automated AI-powered systems targeting individuals and companies simultaneously. These aren't sophisticated attacks against major corporations alone—criminals use automated scripts to send phishing attacks, toll scams, and other threats to millions of people daily. The attacks are so frequent that if you're receiving 8-9 phishing attempts daily and multiply that by every US citizen, it's easy to see how attacks happen every single minute. The threshold for success is low—attackers only need one person to click.
- With AI automation, foreign adversaries can now target every individual and company simultaneously, not just large corporations
- Phishing attacks like the toll booth scam arrive 8-9 times per day for most people, and attackers only need one person to click
- Real-world example: A family business nearly lost $40,000 to a wire fraud scam but caught it minutes before completion
- Even sharp people can fall victim when caught at the wrong time—multitasking or distracted
" They don't need everybody to click on it. They just need one. If one person clicks on the link, they get in to yourself, your business, your identity and your company. "
Media Blind Spot: Why Cybersecurity Doesn't Make Headlines
Despite the enormous scale and impact of cyber attacks, mainstream media consistently deprioritizes cybersecurity stories in favor of political drama and celebrity news. Dr. Cole reveals his team constantly pitches major breach stories to media outlets, only to have them canceled for more sensational coverage. The public remains unaware that they're personally targeted because cybersecurity is relegated to "slow news day" filler content, creating a dangerous disconnect between the real threat level and public awareness.
- Media treats cybersecurity as low-priority 'slow news day' content, below political drama and celebrity stories
- Security experts regularly pitch major breach stories that get canceled when 'hotter' news breaks
- The American public doesn't realize they're targets because media coverage makes it seem like petty theft
- If every grocery store was robbed of $20 across the US, that would be newsworthy—but that's essentially what's happening digitally
" How many times do we have to hear about the government shutdown? How many times do we have to hear about the Democrats and Republicans not getting along and them fighting with the White House? Yet that is all they want to cover. Every day we're pitching the media on breaches and it's just not high enough priorities to them. "
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