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ever feel like you're navigating the digital world

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and it's like tiptoeing through a minefield?

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Yeah.

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Well, today we're going to dive deep into application attacks.

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OK.

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Those sneaky tactics that hackers use to exploit weaknesses

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and software.

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Yeah.

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It's almost like you know, leaving a window open in your house.

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You might think you're safe, but it's an open invitation

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for trouble.

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Exactly.

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And to help us map out this minefield,

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we're using a guide by cybersecurity expert,

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Krishna Kumar Mahadev and also known as MKK.

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Oh, yeah.

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And he's laid out 12 common attack vectors, essentially a hackers playbook.

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It's fascinating how these attacks exploit not just the technical vulnerabilities.

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Right.

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But also human psychology.

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Yeah.

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It's understanding how these hackers think and how they manipulate systems and users.

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OK.

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So let's unpack this before we jump into this.

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This is a picture.

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Can you give us a clear definition of what an application attack actually is?

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So in simple terms, it's about exploiting weaknesses in software to gain unauthorized access.

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OK.

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Steel data or cause damage.

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It's like finding a secret back door into a supposedly secure system.

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Yeah.

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So it's not about brute force.

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No.

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But more about finding those subtle cracks in the foundation.

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Precisely.

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Mm-hmm.

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And that's why MKK stresses the importance of a security first mindset for developers.

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OK.

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It's about anticipating these vulnerabilities during the design phase, not just trying

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to patch them up afterward.

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Makes sense building a fortress from the ground up rather than adding flimsy locks later.

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Exactly.

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So MKK outlines 12 specific attack vectors.

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We're going to go through all those.

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Let's do it.

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Let's start with something that sounds pretty straightforward.

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Exposure of sensitive information.

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OK.

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What is that?

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As the name suggests, this is one private data like passwords or financial details are

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accidentally revealed due to coding errors or misconfigurations.

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OK.

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Think of it like accidentally uploading your personal diary to a public cloud server.

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Oh, it's definitely not the kind of exposure you want.

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Exactly.

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Put about this next one in search of sensitive information in the sense data.

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OK.

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That sounds a little more complex.

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What's going on there.

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Imagine you send an email that seems harmless.

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But hidden within the message content is your credit card number.

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A hacker intercepting that email could extract that information without you ever knowing.

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Wow.

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So it's like hiding a secret message and plain sight.

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Exactly.

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Sneaky.

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OK.

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Moving on to prostate requests for jury CSRF.

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Right.

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Is this like forging a signature to trick someone?

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In a way, yes, imagine you're logged into your bank account.

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You click a link that seems harmless.

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Right.

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But behind the scenes, that link sends a hidden request to your bank authorizing a transfer

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of funds without you ever realizing it.

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Yeah.

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That's the essence of CSRF.

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So it's exploding your existing logged in status to perform actions you never intended.

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Exactly.

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That's devise.

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Next up is use of hard-coded passwords.

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Oh, boy.

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I am struggling to imagine why a developer would ever do this.

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Yeah.

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Isn't it cybersecurity 101 to avoid that?

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You'd think so.

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But you'd be surprised how often it happens.

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Especially in fast-paced development environments, developers might hard-coded passwords

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as a temporary fix, thinking they'll remove it later.

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But often it gets overlooked leaving a gaping security hole.

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So it's like hiding your spare key under the door map.

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Exactly.

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Convenient, but incredibly risky.

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Got it.

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Now we're getting into some potentially more technical territory, Kiri.

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Broken or risky cryptographic algorithms?

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All right.

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What does that even mean?

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Think of encryption as a lock box for your data.

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Okay.

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A strong cryptographic algorithm is like a heavy duty padlock.

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While a week or outdated one is like a flimsy lock that can be easily picked.

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Makes sense.

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And that brings us to insufficient entropy.

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Okay.

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Which if I'm being honest, sounds a bit like something out of a physics textbook.

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Sure.

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Can you break that down for us?

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Imagine you're creating a password if it's something simple like password 123.

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It has low entropy, meaning it's predictable and easy to guess.

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Right.

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High entropy on the other hand means the password is highly random and difficult to crack,

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even with powerful computers trying to brute force it.

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So it's all about maximizing randomness to create strong passwords and encryption keys.

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Exactly.

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Gotcha.

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Next up is excess cross-site scripting.

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Okay.

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This is anything like fishing.

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It's a different kind of attack but equally dangerous.

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Imagine visiting a website and seeing a pop-up message that looks legitimate.

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But it's actually injected by a hacker.

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When you click it, it can steal your cookies, log in credentials, or even redirect you

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to a malicious site.

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So it's about compromising the integrity of what users see and interact with on a website.

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Exactly.

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That's scary now for SQL injection.

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Alright.

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Can you demystify that one for us?

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Think of a database like a giant library and SQL is the language used to search for

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specific books.

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SQL injection is like slipping a malicious note into a book request, tricking the librarian

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into revealing information they shouldn't.

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Okay.

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So it's about speaking the database's language to manipulate it.

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Exactly.

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Seriously, we're on the home stretch next up, unprotected storage or credentials.

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This one seems pretty self-explanatory.

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Right.

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But what are the real world implications?

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It's as simple as it sounds but the consequences can be devastating.

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Imagine a company storing customer passwords without any encryption.

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Okay.

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If a hacker gains access, they have a treasure trove of sensitive data at their fingertips.

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That's a cybersecurity nightmare.

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It is.

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Alright.

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Two-wort ago, number 11 is improper authentication and session fixation.

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Alright.

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Break this one down for us.

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Authentication is about verifying your identity, like logging into an account.

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Right.

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Weaknesses in this process can allow hackers to bypass security measures and gain access

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to your account.

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Imagine someone stealing your driver's license and using it to impersonate you.

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Wow.

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That's a powerful analogy.

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Yeah.

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Okay.

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Last but not least improper logging in air handling is it's about more than just sloppy coding

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practices.

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Absolutely.

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It's as a record of everything that happens within an application.

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If these logs aren't properly secured, they can leak sensitive information like system

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configurations or even user data which hackers can exploit.

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So it's about keeping a tight lid on behind the scenes information as well.

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This has been a fascinating.

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All be it slightly underving deep dive.

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It is.

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What are the key takeaways for our listeners, even those who aren't tech savvy?

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The key takeaway is awareness.

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And if you don't understand the technical intricacies.

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Right.

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Knowing these attacks exist can help you be more cautious online.

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Right.

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Think twice before clicking suspicious links, choose strong passwords and be wary of sharing

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sensitive information.

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Great advice.

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It's easy to feel overwhelmed but ultimately knowledge is power.

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Absolutely.

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The more you understand about the digital threats out there, the better a quick you are to

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protect yourself.

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Right.

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And remember cybersecurity is a constantly evolving feel.

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New threats emerge all the time, so staying informed is key.

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So a final thought to leave our listeners with.

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Okay.

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Think about the apps you use daily social media.

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Right.

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Banking, online shopping, what vulnerabilities might they have.

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Yeah.

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It's a thought provoking exercise at highlights how deeply intertwined our lives are with

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the digital world and how crucial cybersecurity isn't today's world.

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It really is.