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Our weekly audio security column
& podcast by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte
TechTV's Leo Laporte and I take 30 to 90 minutes near the end of each week to discuss important issues of personal computer security. Sometimes we'll discuss something that just happened. Sometimes we'll talk about long-standing problems, concerns, or solutions. Either way, every week we endeavor to produce something interesting and important for every personal computer user.

 You may download and listen to selected episodes from this page (see below), or subscribe to the ongoing series as an RSS "podcast" to have them automatically downloaded to you as they are produced. To subscribe, use whichever service you prefer . . .

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 Leo also produces "This Week in Tech" (TWiT) and a number of other very popular podcasts (TWiT is America's most listened to podcast!) So if you are looking for more informed technology talk, be sure to check out Leo's other podcasts and mp3 files.

 And a huge thanks to AOL Radio for hosting the high-quality MP3 files and providing the bandwidth to make this series possible. We use "local links" to count downloads, but all of the high-quality full-size MP3 files are being served by AOL Radio.





Episode Archive

Each episode has SIX resources:

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Quarter size, bandwidth-conserving,
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For best results: RIGHT-CLICK on one of the two audio icons & below then choose "Save Target As..." to download the audio file to your computer before starting to listen. For the other resources you can either LEFT-CLICK to open in your browser or RIGHT-CLICK to save the resource to your computer.

Episode #384 | 26 Dec 2012 | 65 min.
Once Upon a Time

For this special year-end holiday edition of Security Now!, I dug down deep into my video archives, taking back 22 years, to 1990, to share a 45-minute presentation I gave, once upon a time, on the inner workings of the “megabyte-sized” hard disk drives that gave birth to the PC industry.
31 MB 7.8 MB 65 KB 50 KB 94 KB

Episode #383 | 19 Dec 2012 | 83 min.
Listener Feedback #157

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
40 MB 10 MB 115 KB 72 KB 135 KB

Episode #382 | 12 Dec 2012 | 74 min.
QR Codes

After catching up with the week's news, Leo and I take a deep dive into the technology of the ever-more-ubiquitous “QR Codes” which are popping up everywhere and are increasingly being used, not only for good, but with malicious intent.
36 MB 8.9 MB 98 KB 59 KB 113 KB

Episode #381 | 05 Dec 2012 | 105 min.
Listener Feedback #156

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
50 MB 13 MB 150 KB 85 KB 159 KB

Episode #380 | 28 Nov 2012 | 92 min.
DTLS - Datagram Transport Layer Security

After catching up with lots of interesting security news, updates on Steve's Acoustic Dog Training project, and lots of other miscellany, Leo and I examine a recently developed and increasingly popular Internet security protocol, DTLS, which combines the advantages of UDP with SSL security.
44 MB 11 MB 111 KB 72 KB 131 KB

Episode #379 | 21 Nov 2012 | 104 min.
Listener Feedback #155

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
50 MB 13 MB 108 KB 85 KB 148 KB

Episode #378 | 14 Nov 2012 | 113 min.
Microsoft: Security, Privacy & DNT

After catching up with an interesting and varied grab-bag of security news and paraphernalia, Tom and I further examine the controversy surrounding Microsoft's decision to enable the Do Not Track (DNT) "signal" header in IE10, and share some insights gained from a recent Microsoft Executive VP Keynote presentation about exactly this issue.
54 MB 14 MB 110 KB 90 KB 153 KB

Episode #377 | 07 Nov 2012 | 87 min.
Listener Feedback #154

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
42 MB 10 MB 93 KB 73 KB 130 KB

Episode #376 | 31 Oct 2012 | 58 min.
Fully Homomorphic Encryption

This week, after failing to find much in the way of interesting security news, Leo and I make up for that by introducing the concept of “Fully Homomorphic Encryption,” which allows encrypted data to be operated upon WITHOUT it first being decrypted, and results remain encrypted.
28 MB 7.0 MB 74 KB 43 KB 91 KB

Episode #375 | 24 Oct 2012 | 103 min.
Listener Feedback #153

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
49 MB 12 MB 151 KB 87 KB 163 KB

Episode #374 | 17 Oct 2012 | 76 min.
ECC - Elliptic Curve Cryptography

After catching up with the week's most important security news, Leo and I wind up our propeller-cap beanies, right to the breaking point of their springs, in order to obtain enough lift to examine and explore the operation of ECC - Elliptic Curve Cryptography - the next-generation public key cryptography technology.
36 MB 9.1 MB 91 KB 56 KB 108 KB

Episode #373 | 10 Oct 2012 | 83 min.
Listener Feedback #152

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
40 MB 9.9 MB 132 KB 71 KB 139 KB

Episode #372 | 03 Oct 2012 | 57 min.
NFC - Near Field Communications

After catching up with just a tiny bit of security news (it was a very quiet week in security), Leo and I take the podcast's first-ever comprehensive look at the emerging and increasingly popular NFC (Near Field Communications) technology, which is now present in tens of millions of cell phones and other mobile and fixed-location devices.
27 MB 6.8 MB 68 KB 43 KB 87 KB

Episode #371 | 26 Sep 2012 | 99 min.
Listener Feedback #151

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
48 MB 12 MB 147 KB 82 KB 156 KB

Episode #370 | 19 Sep 2012 | 98 min.
Mark Russinovich & Other News

We begin the week with a visit with our distinguished guest, Mark Russinovich, late of Sysinternals and now with Microsoft. Mark joins us to chat about the release of his second security thriller, “Trojan Horse,” and to share some of his view of the security world.
47 MB 12 MB 127 KB 81 KB 146 KB

Episode #369 | 11 Sep 2012 | 100 min.
Internet Identity Update

After catching up with an eventful week of security news, Leo and I step back for an overview and discussion of the slowly evolving state of the art in Internet Identity Authentication.
48 MB 12 MB 150 KB 80 KB 150 KB

Episode #368 | 05 Sep 2012 | 95 min.
Listener Feedback #150

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
45 MB 11 MB 140 KB 79 KB 149 KB

Episode #367 | 29 Aug 2012 | 91 min.
What a Busy Week!

We have so much security news and information to cover this week that we didn’t have time to take questions from our listeners. What we have, instead, is a LOT of interesting news about the new Java vulnerabilities, new TNO cloud storage solutions, and lots more.
44 MB 11 MB 129 KB 75 KB 142 KB

Episode #366 | 22 Aug 2012 | 68 min.
Password Cracking Update: The Death of “Clever”

After catching up with a collection of miscellaneous and interesting security-related news, Leo and I take a close look at the long-term consequences of the many massive password leakages which have occurred. The upshot? Hackers are getting MUCH better at cracking passwords, and “clever” techniques can no longer be regarded as safe.
32 MB 8.1 MB 89 KB 50 KB 104 KB

Episode #365 | 15 Aug 2012 | 82 min.
Listener Feedback #149

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
39 MB 9.8 MB 111 KB 68 KB 129 KB

Episode #364 | 08 Aug 2012 | 103 min.
Mat Honan's Very Bad Weekend

After catching up with an eventful week of security news, Leo and I describe and explore the details of the “epic hack” that recently befell well-known technology writer Mat Honan.
50 MB 12 MB 135 KB 80 KB 149 KB

Episode #363 | 01 Aug 2012 | 81 min.
Ali Baba's Cave

After catching up with an eventful week of security news, Leo and I explore a variant of the story of “Ali Baba's Cave” as a means for clearly explaining the operation and requirements of cryptographic Zero-Knowledge Interactive Proofs.
39 MB 9.8 MB 126 KB 67 KB 130 KB

Episode #362 | 25 Jul 2012 | 89 min.
Listener Feedback #148

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
43 MB 11 MB 154 KB 79 KB 150 KB

Episode #361 | 18 Jul 2012 | 74 min.
Paul Vixie & DNS Changer

After catching up with the week's security news, Leo and I take a close look at the recent “DNS Changer” malware, the FBI's role in the “takedown” of the malicious servers, and the expert technical assistance provided by Paul Vixie, one of the pioneers and principal developers of the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS).
36 MB 8.9 MB 98 KB 61 KB 118 KB

Episode #360 | 11 Jul 2012 | 95 min.
Listener Feedback #147

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
46 MB 11 MB 164 KB 86 KB 162 KB

Episode #359 | 27 Jun 2012 | 75 min.
Coddling Our Buffers

After catching up with a few items of security and privacy news, Leo and I return to the Internet's "Buffer Bloat" problem to share the new solution “CoDel” (pronounced “coddle”) that has been developed by several of the Internet's original and leading technologists and designers.
36 MB 9.0 MB 82 KB 56 KB 107 KB

Episode #358 | 20 Jun 2012 | 83 min.
Listener Feedback #146

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
40 MB 9.9 MB 128 KB 71 KB 137 KB

Episode #357 | 13 Jun 2012 | 92 min.
Flame On!

This week, after catching up with a large amount of the week’s news, Leo and I carefully examine two major new discoveries about the Windows Flame worm.
44 MB 11 MB 106 KB 65 KB 122 KB

Episode #356 | 06 Jun 2012 | 103 min.
Listener Feedback #145

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
50 MB 12 MB 189 KB 90 KB 173 KB

Episode #355 | 30 May 2012 | 77 min.
Poking Holes in TCP

Steve and Leo tackle two new and interesting threats to Internet security. First, the newly discovered “Flame” / “Flamer” / “Skywiper” malware dwarfs Stuxnet and Duqu in capability and complexity. Then they examine the work of two University of Michigan researchers who have detailed a collection of new ways to attack the TCP protocol. They inject malicious content into innocent web pages and add malicious links to online chats.
37 MB 9.3 MB 88 KB 60 KB 112 KB

Episode #354 | 23 May 2012 | 98 min.
Listener Feedback #144

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
47 MB 12 MB 124 KB 81 KB 148 KB

Episode #353 | 16 May 2012 | 70 min.
DMARC - eMail Security

After catching up with the week's news, Steve and Leo look at the state of the slow but sure and steady progress being made to tighten up the Internet's eMail security. Since spoofing and phishing continue to be huge problems, these problems continue to command the attention of the Internet's largest commerce, financial, and social networking domains. The good news is: There's good reason for hope!!
34 MB 8.4 MB 80 KB 56 KB 107 KB

Episode #352 | 09 May 2012 | 106 min.
Listener Feedback #143

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
51 MB 13 MB 151 KB 92 KB 166 KB

Episode #351 | 02 May 2012 | 89 min.
Three Hybrid Cloud Solutions

After catching up with the week's news and Twitter feedback, Leo and I closely examine three remote cloud storage solutions whose Crypto was done COMPLETELY right, Offering full TNO (Trust No One) security. And one of them makes me (Steve) wish I were a Mac user!
43 MB 11 MB 116 KB 73 KB 134 KB

Episode #350 | 25 Apr 2012 | 111 min.
Twitter Feedback Q&A #142 / Cloud Security

During this special Q&A episode, Iyaz and I host an entirely Twitter-driven Q&A episode, caused by the flurry of interest created by last week's focus upon Cloud Storage Solutions. After catching up with the week's security-related events, we zip through 21 tweets, then focus upon and examine the security architecture of one controversial and popular cloud storage provider: Backblaze.
53 MB 13 MB 93 KB 86 KB 145 KB

Episode #349 | 19 Apr 2012 | 86 min.
Cloud Solutions

After catching up with the week's news, Leo and I examine ALL of the various cloud-based synchronizing, storage and backup solutions we could find. I survey each one in turn, and Leo chimes in with his own personal experience with many of the offerings. We conclude that SpiderOak looks like the winner, though Jungle Disk is still in the running.
42 MB 10 MB 104 KB 69 KB 126 KB

Episode #348 | 11 Apr 2012 | 95 min.
Listener Feedback #141

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
46 MB 12 MB 126 KB 79 KB 144 KB

Episode #347 | 04 Apr 2012 | 92 min.
iOS Password Mis-Managers

After catching up with the week's news, Leo and I examine the inner workings of the most popular password managers for Apple's iOS devices to determine whether and to what degree they offer enhanced security for safe password storage.
50 MB 12 MB 153 KB 90 KB 166 KB

Episode #346 | 28 Mar 2012 | 103 min.
Listener Feedback #140

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
50 MB 12 MB 153 KB 90 KB 166 KB

Episode #345 | 21 Mar 2012 | 108 min.
Buffer Bloat

After catching up with the week's news, Leo and I examine the growing concern over, and performance problems created by, the Internet's “Buffer Bloat,” which has been silently creeping into our networks as the cost of RAM memory used for buffers has been dropping. It's easy to assume that more buffering is good, but that's not true for the Internet.
52 MB 13 MB 131 KB 85 KB 153 KB

Episode #344 | 14 Mar 2012 | 108 min.
Listener Feedback #139

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
52 MB 13 MB 161 KB 98 KB 175 KB

Episode #343 | 06 Mar 2012 | 77 min.
HTTP & SPDY

This week, after catching up with the week's security and privacy news, Steve and Leo take a detailed look at the World Wide Web's current TCP & HTTP protocols, and examine the significant work that's been done by the Chromium Project on “SPDY”, a next-generation web protocol for dramatically decreasing page load times and latency and improving performance and interactivity.
37 MB 9.2 MB 84 KB 60 KB 110 KB

Episode #342 | 29 Feb 2012 | 109 min.
Listener Feedback #138

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
52 MB 13 MB 153 KB 94 KB 168 KB

Episode #341 | 22 Feb 2012 | 90 min.
Can “Anonymous” Take Down the Internet?

This week, after catching up with the week’s security and privacy news, Steve and Leo examine the feasibility of the hacker group “Anonymous” successfully taking the Internet offline after a disavowed Internet posting has claimed they intend on March 31st.
43 MB 11 MB 112 KB 72 KB 133 KB

Episode #340 | 15 Feb 2012 | 116 min.
Listener Feedback #137

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
56 MB 14 MB 181 KB 97 KB 182 KB

Episode #339 | 08 Feb 2012 | 82 min.
“ScriptNo” for Chrome

This week, after catching up with a busy and interesting week of security news and events, Leo and I take a close look at “ScriptNo”, a new Chrome extension created by a developer who left Firefox (and NoScript) for Chrome and was pining for NoScript's many features.
39 MB 9.8 MB 113 KB 66 KB 105 KB

Episode #338 | 01 Feb 2012 | 92 min.
Listener Feedback #136

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
44 MB 11 MB 148 KB 83 KB 157 KB

Episode #337 | 25 Jan 2012 | 74 min.
WPS: A Troubled Protocol

This week, after catching up on an interesting week of Security and Privacy news and legislation, Leo and I examine the troubled Wi-Fi Protected Security (WPS) protocol in detail to understand its exact operation, and to examine a series of limitations that cannot be resolved.
36 MB 8.9 MB 107 KB 61 KB 121 KB

Episode #336 | 18 Jan 2012 | 96 min.
Listener Feedback #135

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
46 MB 12 MB 120 KB 78 KB 144 KB

Episode #335 | 09 Jan 2012 | 83 min.
Wi-Fi Protected (In)Security

After catching up with only a small bit of the week's security news, Leo and I discuss the recent revelation of a fundamental security flaw in the functioning of the WiFi WPA standard. WiFi Access Points, following the certification-mandated default configuration, allow an attacker to obtain network access within just a few hours.
40 MB 10 MB 103 KB 63 KB 121 KB

Episode #334 | 04 Jan 2012 | 98 min.
Listener Feedback #134

Leo and I discuss the week's major security events and discuss questions and comments from listeners of previous episodes. We tie up loose ends, explore a wide range of topics that are too small to fill their own episode, clarify any confusion from previous installments, and present real world 'application notes' for any of the security technologies and issues we have previously discussed.
47 MB 12 MB 165 KB 87 KB 163 KB

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