Bee Cyber Fit: Simplifying Cybersecurity for Everyone

What does airport security have to do with protecting your online identity? 🛫💻

Plenty, actually.

In this episode, we chat with Dan Tinari from Yale’s Information Security Office, who breaks down identity and access management (IAM) in a way that actually makes sense—and might even make you smile. 😄

Whether you're logging in at Yale or keeping your personal accounts locked down, this episode is packed with simple ways to level up your digital defenses.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
🔐 What identity and access management really means (hint: it’s more than just passwords)
🛂 Why Dan compares IAM to airport security—and how it helps everything click
👀 How to spot social engineering, phishing, and sneaky spoofed sites
⚠️ The growing threat of MFA fatigue and how to avoid falling for it
🧠 Why a skeptical mindset is your best defense in an AI-fueled world
🛡️ Easy wins: strong passwords, MFA, and the power of least privilege

Ready to Take Action? Here Are 3 Easy Ways to Level Up:

1. Review your passwords 🔑
   Do you reuse passwords across accounts? Take a few minutes to check—and change—any duplicates. Whether it’s a strong password or a passphrase, unique is key.
   💡 New to password managers? Check out this helpful overview from PCMag to explore your options.
   
2. Visit Yale’s Protect Your Identity page 🕵️‍♂️
   It’s full of practical tips to help you guard your digital identity. Start building stronger cyber habits today.
   
3. Join our Hit a Cyber Home Run Challenge! ⚾
   From April 21–May 23, build your cyber muscles as part of a team of four. Learn more and sign up by Friday, May 2 to join us. Compete for fun, swag, and bragging rights!

In a world where threats are constantly evolving, protecting your digital identity is more important than ever.

By embracing simple habits like strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and understanding the principles of identity management, you can stay one step ahead of cyber risks.

Listen to this episode, apply these easy-to-follow tips, and take control of your online safety—because it only takes a few small steps to make a big difference.

Send us a text

Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive Bee Cyber Fit podcast alerts.

It's a fact: cybercriminals target everyone. None of us are immune.
The more distracted, tired or stressed out we are - all the better for them to catch us off guard.
That's why we have to make cyber fitness a priority.
Staying on our cyber toes is key to keeping our most important information safe and secure.
We talk at length about simple ways to boost your cyber fitness with Yale's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Jeremy Rosenberg. And he spills the beans on how he fell victim to a cyber scam and what he gained from the experience.
In this lively interview you'll learn:

• What Jeremy does to protect Yale's data and systems from cyber thieves
• How people get tricked into giving up personal information
• Why we're more vulnerable to cybercriminals than ever before
• How cybercriminals are upping the bar on targeting us
• Why it's so important to use unique passwords across different accounts
• How Jeremy fell victim to a phishing scam and what his story can teach us
• The key question every person should ask themselves to build cyber fitness

Lean in and listen to Jeremy's wisdom and insights. Plus find out how we became the standup comedian CISO.
Plus don't miss our buzzword of the day, human factor, explained in a simple way.
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Call to Action:
Ready to get cyber fit with us?
Here's a simple call to action: Download our "Power up Your Passwords" checklist to help protect your most important online accounts
We invite you to learn more about the Yale Cybersecurity Awareness Program.
Yalies, in October, we amplify cybersecurity during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Learn about what Yale is doing to increase awareness and get involved.
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Send us a text

Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive Bee Cyber Fit podcast alerts.

Did you know that tax-related identity theft has increased by 45% since 2020?
Scammers have tons of tricks up their sleeves to fool you but when you build your cyber awareness, you can steer clear of their cyber traps.
This tax season, be alert to unsolicited emails, phone calls, or text messages claiming to be from the IRS. Cybercriminals are seeking personal information to use against you.

There are several current scams that appear to be from the government. One example is a bogus IRS official claiming that you owe back taxes. A newer example is a fake Biden administration program that claims to provide tax forgiveness for a fee.

Listen to this episode and you'll learn about:

▶️ An eye-opening story about a tax scam
▶️ Top scam lines cybercriminals may try to use against you
▶️ Tax scam red flags to avoid
▶️ How to steer clear of spear phishing (our Buzzword of the Day)
▶️ Simple actions you can take to stay safe during tax season

Don't let cybercriminals trick you and steal your money or identity. This episode will help you build behaviors to stay safe online.
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Calls to Action:
Ready to build your cyber muscles and outsmart cybercriminals?
Here are 3 simple things you can do:

• Read the March awareness tip, "Protect your identity during tax season"
• Sign up to get an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number or IP-PIN. It’s an extra layer of protection, like two-factor authentication, and you can use it alongside your social security number when filing your taxes.
• Share this episode with a colleague, friend or family member to help them stay safe during tax season too.

Send us a text

Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive Bee Cyber Fit podcast alerts.

Ever misplaced your phone and felt that momentary pulse of panic?
Listen in as we recount a cautionary tale of lost phones and the perils of unsecured devices, illustrating just how easily our personal and work data can be compromised. Wendy's harrowing experience at a shoe store losing her phone inside a boot serves as a powerful springboard into our discussion on the significance of device security.
In this episode, we're exploring a variety of strategies to keep your digital life safe. From the crucial updates that help keep our systems and software fortified against cyber threats to the simple, yet vital, practice of locking our computers when stepping away.
During this chat, we also navigate the intriguing and sometimes daunting world of the Internet of Things (IoT), examining its conveniences and the new frontiers it presents for cybersecurity.
Wrapping up, we invite you to engage in a lively round of device defense trivia. Put your knowledge to the test while reinforcing the importance of safeguarding our digital gateways.
Join us on the journey to strengthen our cyber fitness and protect our most valuable digital assets.
Calls to Action:
1. Set up your devices with automatic updates to boost security.
2. Build strong physical security habits - lock your screen when stepping away from your computer.
3. Put your cyber know-how to the test. Complete our Device Defense self-paced trivia game.

Send us a text

Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive Bee Cyber Fit podcast alerts.

Join us for another insightful episode of the Bee Cyber Fit podcast that builds on our January episode about building cyber habits that are simple and sustainable.
We discuss the outcomes of our 21-day Cyber Habit Challenge at Yale, designed to bolster cybersecurity know-how among the university community. We know that even the smallest of habits can protect our online presence.
We also share five simple yet powerful behaviors you can adopt – cautious clicking, secure password management, regular updates, risk awareness, and vigilant reporting.
Plus, we tackle the pervasive issue of MFA fatigue, a buzzword you'll soon be well-acquainted with, and dissect the cunning strategies cybercriminals employ to exploit this weakness in our digital armor.
As the conversation progresses, we hone in on practical steps you can take to protect Yale data and systems against ever-evolving cyber threats. From the necessity of keeping your devices and applications up-to-date to the nitty-gritty of screen locks and the nuances of multi-factor authentication, think of this as your cybersecurity clinic.
Ready to transform your cyber fitness routine with easy, actionable steps? We encourage you to identify at least one of the repeatable behaviors we discussed to start practicing regularly.
Whether you're a student, faculty, or staff member at Yale, or someone looking to step up your cybersecurity game, let's get cyber fit together, one click, one password, one update at a time.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Visit the Click with Caution webpage to learn about our Recognize, Relax, Rethink model.
Calls to Action:
Build your cyber fitness by choosing one of the habits we discussed:

• Click with Caution - look for signs of phishing in emails or ask a friend or colleague to confirm if it's real.
• Report suspicious emails even if you're not 100% sure they're fake.
• Check if your email address has been involved in any data breaches at haveibeenpwned.com.
• Set up your devices with automatic updates to boost security.
• Lock your computer screens when you leave your workspace.

Send us a text

Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive Bee Cyber Fit podcast alerts.