What the Hack? – Episode 232: The Very Private Digital New Year Episode

Released: December 30, 2025
Host: Beau Friedlander
Guest: Nicholas Olson, OSINT Expert, DeleteMe

Episode Overview

This special New Year’s episode of "What the Hack?" dives deep into digital privacy threats for 2026 and arms listeners with practical advice on staying safe online. Host Beau Friedlander is joined by Nicholas Olson, OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) researcher at DeleteMe, for a candid, sometimes witty, discussion about modern cyber risks, people-search sites, the myth of being a “low value” target, and realistic steps everyone should take to protect their data in the coming year.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Why Me?" Fallacy: Everyone's a Target

Modern cybercrime doesn't discriminate. Attackers don’t just go for CEOs or celebrities; anyone can be a stepping stone in a larger scheme.
- Quote (Beau): “Being a low value target, that's a myth. You aren't just a name on a spreadsheet. You're a stepping stone. Sometimes, sometimes a shortcut.” [00:59]
Proximity and usefulness, rather than status, determine who becomes a target.
- Tactics include: Leveraging calendar invites, Slack mentions, organizational trust, and exploiting overlooked employees.

2. The Scope of Data Exposure

OSINT is about using what’s public.
- Quote (Nick): “A big part of open source intelligence is finding things that are publicly accessible… background checks. It’s what I do.” [03:17]
People-search and real estate sites leak home addresses, property values, family details, and more.
Attackers use the "cyber kill chain" model—most people are somewhere “on the way” to a main target.
- Quote (Nick): “No one's off the table anymore. There is no such thing as a low value target at this point.” [04:45]

3. Persistent Data and the Limits of Removal

Some information, like voting records, can’t be fully removed.
- Quote (Nick): “Those leaks can't inherently be taken down, they can't be removed. But a big part of it is knowing that it’s there.” [08:28]
Foreign-owned people-search sites (e.g., Radaris) can be especially problematic, monetizing US data for overseas profit and possibly threatening national security.
- Quote (Nick): “A lot of these places are run from overseas. A lot of them use US people’s data in order to make some sort of currency out of it…” [08:47]

4. Efficacy of Personal Info Removal – Raising the Bar

The main goal: Remove or obscure as much personal information as possible to become less attractive (“close the door on attackers”).
- Attackers seek low hanging fruit—with less info, they move on.
- Quote (Beau): “You stay in the middle of the herd because if you're out at the, at the edges with all your stuff hanging out, you're going to get picked off by the predators.” [12:07]

New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Privacy (Main Segment: 15:18–33:37)

1. Establish a Family Safe Word

Purpose: Fight AI voice/deep fake scams that mimic loved ones.
- Quote (Nick): “Establishing a safe word is easily the best thing that people can do... ask, what's our safe word? They're going to have no idea.” [15:27]

2. Secure Smart Devices and Change Defaults

Update or remove IoT/smart devices that lack MFA (multi-factor authentication) or still have default passwords.
- Quote (Beau): “If you have something... that doesn't support multifactor authentication and it came with a default password that you're still using by January 15th, I want you to get those devices out of your house.” [17:54]
Avoid or harden Amazon/Alexa, Google Home, or Ring products by altering privacy settings and disabling unnecessary functions.
- Quote (Nick): “If you have an Amazon owned anything… I would suggest trying to move away for something that's more privacy centric.” [20:08]

3. Understand Car and Mobile Device Privacy

New cars and many apps leak vast, poorly-documented data.
- Quote (Beau): “Your car knows more than you would like about your sex life. How is that possible?” [22:37]
Advice: Limit connectivity and review privacy policies.

4. Be Active and Passionate About Privacy

Attend city meetings—challenge things like city-wide license plate scanners ("Flock" cameras).
- Quote (Nick): “Be passionate about security, be passionate about privacy, especially knowing that you're the product.” [25:09]

5. Poison the Data Well

Strategy: Provide “harmless” fake info (e.g., for waivers), use burner emails and phones, get a mailing PO box or LLC for registrations.
- Quote (Beau): “Poison your data with bad information.” [26:27]
- Quote (Nick): “If that information does get exposed, you don't have to worry about it because there's nothing that's real out there.” [27:49]

6. Use Password Managers and Strong Passwords

Create a single, unguessable master password for your manager.
- Quote (Beau): “That's the one password you need to know because it's protecting all your other passwords...” [30:24]
- Password managers are so secure, vendors offer million-dollar hack bounties.

7. Set Up Trusts/LLCs for Major Purchases

Purpose: Keep your real name and address out of public, aggregated records.
- Quote (Nick): “Set up an LLC, set up a trust, set up something and put all of that into that. That would be my...” [29:11]
- Use generic names and registered agents—not your own information.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On data exposure:
“People search sites are the biggest one. ... If I could know before I even meet you where your entrances to your home are or... where your kids go to school. That's all things that people should be worried about...” (Nick, [04:12])
On why hackers don’t care about your title:
“It's not about titles or org charts. It's about proximity and usefulness. If I'm an attacker, I don't care that you're not the CEO.” (Beau, [06:19])
On urgency as a tool for hackers:
“Urgency is how you're going to get got at the end of the day.” (Beau, [17:51])
On default passwords:
“No default passwords ever. Right.” (Nick, [24:19])
On being the product:
“At the end of the day, they're not selling this information because they... want to do the best that they can for the world. They're really selling you this information because you are the product.” (Nick, [25:09])
On car privacy:
“Mozilla did a report on cars that is very important and you should read it. ...your car knows more than you would like about your sex life.” (Beau, [22:37])

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:59 — Why “Why me?” is the wrong question; everyone is a target
03:15 — What is OSINT? How do background checks work?
04:08–05:20 — Why and how personal info is removed; the role of people-search and real estate sites
08:26 — Limits to what data can be removed; data breach permanence
09:29–10:33 — Foreign data brokers and national security
11:17 — How data removal raises attacker “costs”
12:07 — Explanation of “herd protection” in privacy
15:18–18:59 — New Year’s Resolutions: Safe words, device security
20:03 — Smart device trade-offs and privacy risks
21:35–22:37 — Car privacy, modern vehicles as data vacuums
24:04–25:09 — Community activism in privacy (e.g., Flock cameras)
26:27 — Data poisoning for OPSEC
29:11–30:24 — Setting up LLCs/trusts and using password managers
31:54–32:50 — The dangers of lax privacy settings on apps
32:50–33:37 — Recap and final recommendations for 2026

Final Takeaways & 2026 Privacy Checklist

Establish family safe words: Defend against voice/deepfake scams
Audit and secure devices: Use multifactor authentication, never default passwords
Limit data-sharing in cars and apps: Review privacy settings, prefer privacy-centric tech
Actively remove data from broker sites: Be proactive; use trusted services
Be privacy-minded: Read app privacy policies, minimize what you download
Obfuscate info when possible: Use burner emails, phone numbers, P.O. boxes, LLCs
Support privacy policy advocacy: Get involved in local data/privacy issues
Use password managers: Create strong, unique master passwords

“We're not going to get hacked in 2026 because we're all going to do what we just talked about… because we are going to get hacked. But anyway…” — Beau Friedlander [32:50]

For more on personal info removal, visit JoinDeleteMe.com/wth (20% discount for listeners).

This summary captures all practical insights, vivid examples, and the candid, sometimes playful tone of Beau and Nicholas. It’s intended to help listeners and non-listeners alike get real, actionable steps to safeguard digital lives in the New Year.

What the Hack? – Episode 232: The Very Private Digital New Year Episode

Released: December 30, 2025
Host: Beau Friedlander
Guest: Nicholas Olson, OSINT Expert, DeleteMe

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Why Me?" Fallacy: Everyone's a Target

Modern cybercrime doesn't discriminate. Attackers don’t just go for CEOs or celebrities; anyone can be a stepping stone in a larger scheme.
- Quote (Beau): “Being a low value target, that's a myth. You aren't just a name on a spreadsheet. You're a stepping stone. Sometimes, sometimes a shortcut.” [00:59]
Proximity and usefulness, rather than status, determine who becomes a target.
- Tactics include: Leveraging calendar invites, Slack mentions, organizational trust, and exploiting overlooked employees.

2. The Scope of Data Exposure

OSINT is about using what’s public.
- Quote (Nick): “A big part of open source intelligence is finding things that are publicly accessible… background checks. It’s what I do.” [03:17]
People-search and real estate sites leak home addresses, property values, family details, and more.
Attackers use the "cyber kill chain" model—most people are somewhere “on the way” to a main target.
- Quote (Nick): “No one's off the table anymore. There is no such thing as a low value target at this point.” [04:45]

3. Persistent Data and the Limits of Removal

Some information, like voting records, can’t be fully removed.
- Quote (Nick): “Those leaks can't inherently be taken down, they can't be removed. But a big part of it is knowing that it’s there.” [08:28]
Foreign-owned people-search sites (e.g., Radaris) can be especially problematic, monetizing US data for overseas profit and possibly threatening national security.
- Quote (Nick): “A lot of these places are run from overseas. A lot of them use US people’s data in order to make some sort of currency out of it…” [08:47]

4. Efficacy of Personal Info Removal – Raising the Bar

The main goal: Remove or obscure as much personal information as possible to become less attractive (“close the door on attackers”).
- Attackers seek low hanging fruit—with less info, they move on.
- Quote (Beau): “You stay in the middle of the herd because if you're out at the, at the edges with all your stuff hanging out, you're going to get picked off by the predators.” [12:07]

New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Privacy (Main Segment: 15:18–33:37)

1. Establish a Family Safe Word

Purpose: Fight AI voice/deep fake scams that mimic loved ones.
- Quote (Nick): “Establishing a safe word is easily the best thing that people can do... ask, what's our safe word? They're going to have no idea.” [15:27]

2. Secure Smart Devices and Change Defaults

Update or remove IoT/smart devices that lack MFA (multi-factor authentication) or still have default passwords.
- Quote (Beau): “If you have something... that doesn't support multifactor authentication and it came with a default password that you're still using by January 15th, I want you to get those devices out of your house.” [17:54]
Avoid or harden Amazon/Alexa, Google Home, or Ring products by altering privacy settings and disabling unnecessary functions.
- Quote (Nick): “If you have an Amazon owned anything… I would suggest trying to move away for something that's more privacy centric.” [20:08]

3. Understand Car and Mobile Device Privacy

New cars and many apps leak vast, poorly-documented data.
- Quote (Beau): “Your car knows more than you would like about your sex life. How is that possible?” [22:37]
Advice: Limit connectivity and review privacy policies.

4. Be Active and Passionate About Privacy

Attend city meetings—challenge things like city-wide license plate scanners ("Flock" cameras).
- Quote (Nick): “Be passionate about security, be passionate about privacy, especially knowing that you're the product.” [25:09]

5. Poison the Data Well

Strategy: Provide “harmless” fake info (e.g., for waivers), use burner emails and phones, get a mailing PO box or LLC for registrations.
- Quote (Beau): “Poison your data with bad information.” [26:27]
- Quote (Nick): “If that information does get exposed, you don't have to worry about it because there's nothing that's real out there.” [27:49]

6. Use Password Managers and Strong Passwords

Create a single, unguessable master password for your manager.
- Quote (Beau): “That's the one password you need to know because it's protecting all your other passwords...” [30:24]
- Password managers are so secure, vendors offer million-dollar hack bounties.

7. Set Up Trusts/LLCs for Major Purchases

Purpose: Keep your real name and address out of public, aggregated records.
- Quote (Nick): “Set up an LLC, set up a trust, set up something and put all of that into that. That would be my...” [29:11]
- Use generic names and registered agents—not your own information.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On data exposure:
“People search sites are the biggest one. ... If I could know before I even meet you where your entrances to your home are or... where your kids go to school. That's all things that people should be worried about...” (Nick, [04:12])
On why hackers don’t care about your title:
“It's not about titles or org charts. It's about proximity and usefulness. If I'm an attacker, I don't care that you're not the CEO.” (Beau, [06:19])
On urgency as a tool for hackers:
“Urgency is how you're going to get got at the end of the day.” (Beau, [17:51])
On default passwords:
“No default passwords ever. Right.” (Nick, [24:19])
On being the product:
“At the end of the day, they're not selling this information because they... want to do the best that they can for the world. They're really selling you this information because you are the product.” (Nick, [25:09])
On car privacy:
“Mozilla did a report on cars that is very important and you should read it. ...your car knows more than you would like about your sex life.” (Beau, [22:37])

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:59 — Why “Why me?” is the wrong question; everyone is a target
03:15 — What is OSINT? How do background checks work?
04:08–05:20 — Why and how personal info is removed; the role of people-search and real estate sites
08:26 — Limits to what data can be removed; data breach permanence
09:29–10:33 — Foreign data brokers and national security
11:17 — How data removal raises attacker “costs”
12:07 — Explanation of “herd protection” in privacy
15:18–18:59 — New Year’s Resolutions: Safe words, device security
20:03 — Smart device trade-offs and privacy risks
21:35–22:37 — Car privacy, modern vehicles as data vacuums
24:04–25:09 — Community activism in privacy (e.g., Flock cameras)
26:27 — Data poisoning for OPSEC
29:11–30:24 — Setting up LLCs/trusts and using password managers
31:54–32:50 — The dangers of lax privacy settings on apps
32:50–33:37 — Recap and final recommendations for 2026

Final Takeaways & 2026 Privacy Checklist

Establish family safe words: Defend against voice/deepfake scams
Audit and secure devices: Use multifactor authentication, never default passwords
Limit data-sharing in cars and apps: Review privacy settings, prefer privacy-centric tech
Actively remove data from broker sites: Be proactive; use trusted services
Be privacy-minded: Read app privacy policies, minimize what you download
Obfuscate info when possible: Use burner emails, phone numbers, P.O. boxes, LLCs
Support privacy policy advocacy: Get involved in local data/privacy issues
Use password managers: Create strong, unique master passwords

“We're not going to get hacked in 2026 because we're all going to do what we just talked about… because we are going to get hacked. But anyway…” — Beau Friedlander [32:50]

For more on personal info removal, visit JoinDeleteMe.com/wth (20% discount for listeners).

Episode 232: The Very Private Digital New Year Episode

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Summary

What the Hack? – Episode 232: The Very Private Digital New Year Episode

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Why Me?" Fallacy: Everyone's a Target

2. The Scope of Data Exposure

3. Persistent Data and the Limits of Removal

4. Efficacy of Personal Info Removal – Raising the Bar

New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Privacy (Main Segment: 15:18–33:37)

1. Establish a Family Safe Word

2. Secure Smart Devices and Change Defaults

3. Understand Car and Mobile Device Privacy

4. Be Active and Passionate About Privacy

5. Poison the Data Well

6. Use Password Managers and Strong Passwords

7. Set Up Trusts/LLCs for Major Purchases

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Final Takeaways & 2026 Privacy Checklist

Summary

What the Hack? – Episode 232: The Very Private Digital New Year Episode

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Why Me?" Fallacy: Everyone's a Target

2. The Scope of Data Exposure

3. Persistent Data and the Limits of Removal

4. Efficacy of Personal Info Removal – Raising the Bar

New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Privacy (Main Segment: 15:18–33:37)

1. Establish a Family Safe Word

2. Secure Smart Devices and Change Defaults

3. Understand Car and Mobile Device Privacy

4. Be Active and Passionate About Privacy

5. Poison the Data Well

6. Use Password Managers and Strong Passwords

7. Set Up Trusts/LLCs for Major Purchases

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Final Takeaways & 2026 Privacy Checklist