The Jordan Harbinger Show

Episode 1247: Eric Cole | Protecting Ourselves in an Age of Cyber Crisis

Release Date: November 27, 2025
Guest: Dr. Eric Cole, Cybersecurity Expert and Former CIA Officer

Overview:

Jordan Harbinger sits down with Dr. Eric Cole—a leading cybersecurity expert, former CIA “something or other,” and author of Cyber Crisis—to reveal just how vulnerable we all are in our increasingly digital world. Their fast-paced, no-nonsense conversation exposes the pervasive, often invisible threats lurking in our everyday tech and infrastructure, the global nature of modern cybercrime, state-sponsored hacking, and just how easy it is to become a victim, whether you’re a Fortune 500 CEO or a local sandwich shop. The aim: Arm listeners with practical, reality-check wisdom to navigate the current cyber “Cold War,” minus the dystopian jargon and scare tactics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Constant Barrage: Cyber Attacks Are the New Normal

• Every Minute, a New Attack ([04:03-06:16])
  • Automated AI has enabled cybercriminals to target individuals and organizations at scale.
  • Phishing scams, toll booth texts, and more: "If one person clicks on the link, they get in to yourself, your business, your identity." — Dr. Eric Cole ([05:51])
  • Many attacks go unreported in the media, making them seem rare or unimportant ([07:27-08:53]).
  • Quote: "What if every single store was getting robbed by $20 across the entire United States? I think that's newsworthy." — Dr. Eric Cole ([08:43])

2. Cybercrime as an Industry: Organized, Professionalized, and Global

• From Teen Scam Artists to Corporate Crime Syndicates ([09:10-12:22])
  • Large, well-staffed criminal “companies” in Russia, China, or Southeast Asia run cyber scams with shocking efficiency and impunity.
  • "It's not illegal in those countries, and there are no extradition treaties." — Dr. Eric Cole ([10:20])
  • Quote: "Imagine a company with a 20,000 square foot office...their entire job is to target you...and here's the crazy part—it's not illegal in those countries." ([09:49])

3. Most People—and Small Businesses—Are Easy Targets

• Nobody Is Too Small to Get Hacked ([12:49-15:55])
  • Criminals prefer attacking small businesses or individuals—those with minimal security.
  • Medical practices, dry cleaners, and even sandwich shops store valuable personal data.
  • Quote: "They don't need to steal a million dollars from one person. They steal $100 from a million people." — Dr. Eric Cole ([12:56])
• Default or weak passwords ("dog's name + 123!") are the norm—not the exception.

4. The Dark Web: Amazon for Criminals

• What’s Really for Sale? ([24:59-27:18])
  • Full spectrum: credit cards, social security numbers, drugs, weapons, phishing software.
  • Stolen personal info can be bought in bulk for pennies, and fraudulent software is easy to obtain.
  • Quote: "For about $20,000, you can make about $20 million within two to three weeks." — Dr. Eric Cole ([25:15])

5. Critical Infrastructure: Danger Lurks Beneath the Surface

• Power Grids, Nuclear Reactors & ATM Hacking ([21:35-23:50])
  • Much of the infrastructure runs on outdated, insecure systems (think “password123” and software from 1985).
  • "They want your best minds to hack this...How did you do it? Because we need to fix that problem yesterday." — Jordan Harbinger ([22:51])
  • Capable hackers often opt to sell exploits to adversaries rather than help companies fix them.

6. Personal Devices: Functionality Versus Security

• “You Want 100% Security? Go Amish.” ([27:36-28:50])
  • The more convenient a device, the less secure it likely is.
  • Everything from Alexa to your phone’s free apps: "If you have no functionality or benefit, you can be 100% secure. But zero functionality." — Dr. Eric Cole ([27:58])
  • Alexa and smart home devices can be used to record conversations—and have already been used as evidence in court ([30:08-30:50]).

7. Surveillance Capitalism: 'Free' Apps, Always Listening

• Phones/Echo/Home Devices as Always-on Spies ([32:15-34:23])
  • "The most dangerous word on the Internet is the F word...and it's not what you're thinking. It's 'free.'" — Dr. Eric Cole ([32:15])
  • Apps often request—and receive—far more access than users realize, turning microphones and cameras into ad targeting engines.

8. Geopolitics: State Actors, Cold War 2.0, and 'Cyber 911'

• Our Power Grids Are Infected—By Friends and Foes ([44:59-46:08], [51:15-52:22])
  • China, Russia, and others are inside US infrastructure—but the US is inside theirs too.
  • Both sides hesitate to crash systems as “mutually assured destruction” rules apply: cyber as the new nukes.
  • Nations like Russia can disconnect entirely from the global Internet to protect themselves; the US cannot ([50:15-51:48]).

9. Supply Chain: Backdoors Baked In

• “Flip Any Device—It's Made In China” ([52:37-54:04])
  • Hardware & chips manufactured in China may have hidden malware.
  • No proof exists, but Dr. Cole argues: “If they're smart—and they are—they’re doing it.”

10. Real-World Scams: Home Sales, Corporate Espionage, and Public Figures ([54:26-56:39])

• Fraudsters routinely hijack real estate transactions or impersonate support personnel at the opportune moment.
  • "They knew his keynote was at 10am...So at 10:05 they called the assistant for his credit card to 'save his room'—and stole the company card."

11. Everyday Tips & Actionable Advice

• Use Credit, Not Debit ([72:23-72:39]): Debit cards put your own money at risk; credit cards offer better fraud protection.
• Never Reuse Passwords: Password breaches propagate via reused credentials.
• BYOD Is a Disaster ([74:53-75:33]): Allowing personal phones to access company data is a huge risk.
• Physical Security: Exec laptops fetch six-figure sums for the data inside ([62:55-64:36]); never let them out of sight.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:51] Dr. Eric Cole: “If one person clicks on the link, they get in to yourself, your business, your identity and your company.”
• [09:49] Dr. Eric Cole: “Imagine a company...with 3,000 employees, they're making $50 million a year, but they reside in Russia or China and their entire job is to target you...it's not illegal in those countries.”
• [12:56] Dr. Eric Cole: "They don't need to steal a million dollars from one person. They steal $100 from a million people, and it adds up."
• [24:59] Dr. Eric Cole: "The Dark Web is basically Amazon for evil people."
• [27:58] Dr. Eric Cole: "I hacked a lot of things in my life; I have not been able to hack a candle and a horse and buggy. It's not hackable."
• [32:15] Dr. Eric Cole: "The most dangerous word on the Internet is the F word...the F word is 'free.'"
• [44:59] Dr. Eric Cole: "The only good news: They're in our power grids—but we're in theirs."
• [54:04] Dr. Eric Cole: “We're terrified of TikTok, yet all of our hardware is made in China...what’s the probability that they're putting malware in those chips?”

Important Timestamps

• Types & Frequency of Attacks: [04:03-06:16]
• Criminal Cyber "Corporations": [09:10-12:22]
• Why Small Businesses Are Targeted: [12:49-15:55]
• What’s Sold on the Dark Web: [24:59-27:18]
• Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: [21:35-23:50]
• Alexa/Siri/Google Home Privacy: [30:08-30:50]
• China & Russian Attacks / Mutually Assured Destruction: [44:59-46:08]
• Russia Disconnects from Internet: [50:15-51:48]
• Supply Chain Malware Concerns: [52:37-54:04]
• Real-World Scam Stories: [54:26-56:39]
• Personal Cyber Best Practices: [72:23-75:33]
• Physical Security for Executives: [62:55-64:36]

Listener Takeaways & Action Steps

• Don’t expect the media to warn you—cyberattacks are happening all the time.
• No target is too small for data thieves; your business—and personal—data is valuable.
• Pay for your apps; 'free' is almost always a tradeoff for your privacy.
• Don’t click suspicious links or respond to texts/calls requesting sensitive info, no matter how urgent the tone.
• Use strong, unique passwords for every account and enable two-factor authentication.
• Beware of BYOD (bring your own device) policies at work—use only secured, company-managed devices if possible.
• Always keep an eye on your laptop—especially in travel situations—and never write down passwords on sticky notes.
• Don’t advertise your travels or speaking gigs in real time—scammers use this info for targeted attacks.
• Treat 'smart' home gadgets as active listening devices.

For more detailed stories and technical deep-dives, check out Dr. Eric Cole’s book Cyber Crisis and revisit the show notes at jordanharbinger.com.

“If you think you’re not being attacked, it just means you don’t know about it yet.” — Jordan Harbinger ([82:09])