Discover the stories of infamous hackers, viruses, malware, and learn about influential people in tech. I've always been fascinated by these topics, so I decided to share what I've learned with you.
Discover the stories of infamous hackers, viruses, malware, and learn about influential people in tech. I've always been fascinated by these topics, so I decided to share what I've learned with you.
In this episode, we’ll talk about the differences between hard drives, SSDs, and NVMe storage, and how technologies like RAID and file systems keep information reliable. We’ll also discuss different file system types and full disk encryption.
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🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
References
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/explorer/diy-builder/storage/raid-0-raid-1-and-raid-5-explained/
https://klarasystems.com/articles/openzfs-understanding-zfs-vdev-types/
https://www.open-e.com/blog/introduction-to-zfs/
https://www.kingston.com/en/blog/personal-storage/understanding-file-systems
https://freebsdfoundation.org/resource/an-introduction-to-the-z-file-system/
This episode is all about RAM. The part of your computer that holds everything it’s working on right now. What it is, how it works, and why more of it can mean the difference between smooth operation and constant lag. Plus a look at DDR4 vs DDR5, memory speeds, and why RAM is still way faster than your SSD.
Don't just host your podcast, own it
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
References
https://www.crucial.com/articles/about-memory/support-what-does-computer-memory-do
https://www.kingston.com/unitedkingdom/en/blog/pc-performance/memory-assessor
https://www.crucial.com/articles/about-memory/what-is-the-difference-between-memory-and-storage
https://www.tomshardware.com/features/ddr5-vs-ddr4-is-it-time-to-upgrade-your-ram
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic-core_memory
Ever wonder what’s really doing the thinking inside your computer or phone? Let's talk about the CPU.
Don't just host your podcast, own it
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
References
https://newsroom.intel.com/tech101/the-transistor-explained
https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/digital-logic/12/285
https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/digital-logic/12/284
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/history/virtual-vault/articles/the-intel-4004.html
https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/Milestone-Proposal%3AIntel_4004_Microprocessor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_processing_unit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture_family
Margaret Hamilton may not have stepped on the Moon, but her code helped get us there. From stacks of code taller than she was to a Medal of Freedom decades later, Hamilton’s story is one of intellect, innovation, and true engineering brilliance.
Don't just host your podcast, own it
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
References
https://science.nasa.gov/people/margaret-hamilton/
https://www.wired.com/2015/10/margaret-hamilton-nasa-apollo/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/margaret-hamilton-led-nasa-software-team-landed-astronauts-moon-180971575/
https://news.mit.edu/2009/apollo-vign-0717
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/jul/19/apollo-women-man-walk-on-the-moon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/11/16/president-obama-names-recipients-presidential-medal-freedom
Long before Linux, there was Unix — and Ken Thompson was at the center of it. The quiet legacy of a developer who shaped how computers, code, and operating systems work today.
Don't just host your podcast, own it
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Thompson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(programming_language)
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenneth-Lane-Thompson
https://amturing.acm.org/award_winners/thompson_4588371.cfm
https://catonmat.net/unix-philosophy
https://research.swtch.com/utf8
Steve Jobs is often hailed as a visionary who reshaped the technology and entertainment industries—from humble beginnings and Apple’s meteoric rise, to the creation of Pixar, and the legacy he left behind.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/steve-jobs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/fundamental-analysis/12/steve-jobs-apple-story.asp
https://www.cultofmac.com/apple-history
https://www.leadershipstorybank.com/steve-jobs-death-and-legacy/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/steve-jobs-technology-alone-is-not-enough
https://www.apple.com/stevejobs/Apple
https://www.apple.com/stevejobs/
https://pixar.fandom.com/wiki/Steve_Jobs
https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/steve-jobs-pixar-animation-history
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/09/bob-iger-remembers-steve-jobs
https://www.forbes.com/sites/timbajarin/2019/10/07/steve-jobs-legacy-still-drives-apples-current-and-future-products/
https://time.com/3466506/apple-steve-jobs-tim-cook/
https://masonbates.com/2022/02/04/blog-the-legacy-of-steve-jobs/
https://goodwhale.com/how-steve-jobs-saved-disney-from-bankruptcy-and-made-it-a-global-leader/
https://commoncog.com/c/cases/jobs-second-act-apple/
From his childhood fascination with electronics to co-founding Apple Computer and helping ignite the personal computing revolution. A story of quiet genius, loyalty, and a lasting legacy in technology.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://www.biography.com/inventors/steve-wozniak
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/steve-wozniak-on-apple-steve-jobs-and-the-value-of-a-good-prank/
https://woz.org/
https://agentpalmer.com/secret-files/steve-jobs/
https://www.museumofplay.org/blog/steve-jobs-breakout-pioneer/
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btwozn.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniak
https://www.invent.org/inductees/steve-wozniak
https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-wozniak-gave-early-apple-employees-10-million-in-stock-2014-9
From Harvard dropout to tech titan, Bill Gates helped ignite the personal computing revolution and built Microsoft into a global powerhouse.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://www.gatesnotes.com/
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/
https://forum.beyond3d.com/threads/microsoft-50th-anniversary-from-gates-days-to-dark-ages-ballmer-to-embracing-open-source-loving-linux-nadella-to-saving-open-ai-worlds-1st.64009/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Microsoft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair_8800
https://youtu.be/5J3FUOCRXPo
https://youtu.be/lahX_ARGTqA
https://youtu.be/zZrgVG2k8vU
https://youtu.be/I3fBW6XkL34
Steve Ballmer is often remembered for his wild stage antics and the infamous “Developers!” chant—but there’s so much more to the man behind the memes. Passionate, bold, and endlessly energetic, Ballmer’s journey from Detroit math whiz to Microsoft CEO is anything but typical.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://youtu.be/8fcSviC7cRM — “Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers”
https://youtu.be/lAkuJXGldrM — Windows 95 Launch
https://youtu.be/f__n8084YAE — “I LOVE THIS COMPANY”
https://youtu.be/eywi0h_Y5_U — Ballmer laughs at iPhone
https://youtu.be/xqmj-9XlDzY — Ballmer farewell speech
https://youtu.be/5woKTCFXems — Ballmer at LA Clippers Conference
https://www.pcworld.com/article/434836/in-his-own-words-best-quotes-of-steve-ballmer.html
https://www.britannica.com/money/Steve-Ballmer
https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/bill-gates-got-steve-ballmer-to-quit-school-join/486932
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Ballmer
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-steve-and-connie-ballmer-give-away-billions-60-minutes/
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/07/former-microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-wrong-iphone/
https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-ballmer-microsoft-zaniest-moments-chanting-dancing-la-clippers-2023-11
https://www.geekwire.com/2014/real-reason-ballmer-left-board-battles-growing-tension-gates-difference-hardware-strategy/
After stepping away from his antivirus empire in 1994, John McAfee's life spiraled into a web of intrigue, controversy, and adventure. Part 2 dives into his astonishing transformation from tech pioneer to international fugitive.
This is part 2 of a two part series.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McAfee
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-insane-life-of-john-mcafee-2015-7
https://www.wired.com/2012/12/ff-john-mcafees-last-stand/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-27/john-mcafee-internet-security-virus-software-dead-crime/100244606
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57591682
https://screenrant.com/john-mcafee-2020-presidential-campaign/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKgf5PaBzyg
https://www.adweek.com/creativity/john-mcafee-goes-full-charlie-sheen-bizarre-ad-full-guns-drugs-and-women-150493/
https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/06/john-mcafees-wild-video-how-to-uninstall-mcafee-anti-virus
https://wired.me/news/john-mcafee-found-dead-in-spanish-prison-after-extradition-order/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/john-mcafee-wife-suicide-note-b1883585.html
https://firstdraftnews.org/articles/conspiracy-theories-are-spreading-about-john-mcafees-death/
John McAfee faced the Brain virus and built the world’s first commercial antivirus from his tiny California home, sparking a cybersecurity revolution. From a troubled childhood to coding for NASA, the wild early life and relentless drive of the man who shielded the digital world—until he walked away.
This is part 1 of a two part series.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McAfee
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-insane-life-of-john-mcafee-2015-7
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/john-mcafee-6497.php
https://nasa.fandom.com/wiki/John_McAfee
https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/5-lesser-known-facts-software-mogul-john-mcafee
https://www.cybersecurityeducationguides.org/john-mcafee-godfather-of-antivirus-software/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-mcafee-antivirus-criminal-obituary-b1875513.html
https://hive.blog/interview/%40jasonnavallo/interview-with-john-mcafee-founder-mcafee-software
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAfee
https://locall.host/where-is-mcafee-antivirus-made/
https://historyofbranding.com/mcafee/
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/john-mcafee-obituary-remembrance-1188855/
Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel and the mind behind Moore’s Law—the prediction that has shaped the pace of technological advancement for decades. From his early fascination with chemistry to revolutionizing the semiconductor industry, let's talk about transistors.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/resources/gordon-moore-at-intel.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Moore
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/technology/gordon-moore-dead.html
https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/awards/gordon-e-moore-awards/
Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel. From his early coding days on a VIC-20 to launching an open-source revolution, Linus’s journey is packed with innovation, bold decisions, and even a little penguin-inspired fun.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://subsurface-divelog.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Linus-Torvalds
https://computerhistory.org/profile/linus-torvalds/
The world changed forever in 2010. Stuxnet revolutionized the way nations waged war in cyberspace, and there was no turning back. At Iran’s nuclear facility, centrifuges were mysteriously failing, leaving engineers baffled.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-real-story-of-stuxnet
https://www.wired.com/2014/11/countdown-to-zero-day-stuxnet/
https://www.trellix.com/security-awareness/ransomware/what-is-stuxnet/
The infamous Conficker worm, a piece of malware that shook the cybersecurity world in 2008. Conficker exploited a vulnerability in Windows systems (MS08-067) to spread rapidly across millions of machines, from government networks to critical infrastructure.
//DON'T JUST HOST YOUR PODCAST, OWN IT
🟡 Yellowball is a podcast hosting service I built to give podcasters more control and less nonsense. Whether you’re starting fresh, moving your show over, or just curious, check it out at https://yellowball.fm.
//REFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker
https://www.csl.sri.com/users/porras/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/29/opinion/sunday/conficker-worm-ukraine.html
https://www.csl.sri.com/users/vinod/
https://www.csl.sri.com/users/vinod/papers/Conficker/P2P/index.html
https://www.csl.sri.com/users/vinod/papers/Conficker/
https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/NetBIOS
In this episode, we dive into the Agent.BTZ cyber incident—a sophisticated worm that penetrated U.S. military networks through a simple USB drive. Traced to Russian cyber espionage actors, this attack exposed critical vulnerabilities in military cybersecurity, leading to the creation of USCYBERCOM and fundamental changes in digital defense strategies. The episode reveals how a single piece of malware triggered a global reassessment of cyber warfare, highlighting the critical role of human behavior in technological security.
//NO BS PODCAST HOSTING
🟡 Yellowball is a no BS podcast hosting service that I built and run. Whether you're looking to start a podcast, import an existing one, or just want to learn more, head over to https://yellowball.fm to check it out.
//REFERENCES
https://www.wired.com/2008/11/army-bans-usb-d/
https://www.wired.com/2010/03/ff_cyberwar/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803722.html
https://www.symantec.com/security-center/writeup/2008-071813-2408-99
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-241
https://www.nsa.gov/news-features/speeches-testimonies/speeches/
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Dark-Territory/Fred-Kaplan/9781476763279
https://www.kimzetter.com/countdown-to-zero-day
https://www.cfr.org/defense-and-security/cyber-operations-and-cybersecurity
https://www.rsaconference.com/Library
https://www.blackhat.com/html/archives.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7751641.stm
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/us/politics/29cyber.html
https://www.brookings.edu/experts/peter-w-singer/
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/
Let's dive deep into the shadowy world of money mules—unwitting intermediaries in online scams and cybercrime. From stolen banking credentials to elaborate parcel reshipping schemes, scammers rely on these individuals to move stolen funds and goods, leaving the mules to bear the legal and financial consequences.
https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/111/ - Darknet Diaries EP 111: ZeuS
//NO BS PODCAST HOSTING
🟡 Yellowball is a no BS podcast hosting service that I built and run. Whether you're looking to start a podcast, import an existing one, or just want to learn more, head over to https://yellowball.fm to check it out.
//REFERENCES
https://www.schwab.com/schwabsafe/think-twice-before-assisting-money-movement
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/04/how-cybercriminals-are-weathering-covid-19/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vthPmLORVrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxR4EMFH8GU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_HFHd9E1Fk
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2016/09/money-mule-gangs-turn-to-bitcoin-atms
https://chargebacks911.com/reshipping-scams/
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/money-mules
In college, I once showed my class the reality of Remote Access Trojans (RATs) with a live demo—showing how easily someone could take over a computer with the right tool. Years later, the real-world ramifications of these tools are even more chilling. Today, we’re diving deep into Poison Ivy, a notorious RAT that took the cybersecurity world by storm in the mid-2000s, and was linked to high-profile cyberattacks on government agencies, human rights organizations, and corporate giants.
//NO BS PODCAST HOSTING
🟡 Yellowball is a no BS podcast hosting service that I built and run. Whether you're looking to start a podcast, import an existing one, or just want to learn more, head over to https://yellowball.fm to check it out.
//REFERENCES
https://www.theregister.com/2012/08/31/nitro_hackers_abuse_java_exploit
https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/poison-ivy-trojan-just-won-t-die
https://www.mandiant.com/sites/default/files/2021-09/rpt-poison-ivy.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20080208054011/http://www.poisonivy-rat.com/
https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/threat-encyclopedia/malware/poisonivy
In this episode, we dive into the chaotic rise of the Mydoom worm, one of the fastest-spreading computer worms ever recorded. From its origins in Russia to its DDoS attacks on SCO Group and Microsoft, Mydoom wreaked havoc on the internet in the early 2000s. We explore how the worm’s clever tactics—like blocking antivirus websites and spreading through email and peer-to-peer networks—made it a formidable threat. Despite the $500,000 bounty, its creator remains a mystery to this day.
//NO BS PODCAST HOSTING
🟡 Yellowball is a no BS podcast hosting service that I built and run. Whether you're looking to start a podcast, import an existing one, or just want to learn more, head over to https://yellowball.fm to check it out.
//REFERENCES
https://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2004/07/google_attacked.html
https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/novarg.shtml
In 2003, the Fizzer worm took advantage of the growing peer-to-peer file-sharing trend, spreading across Kazaa and beyond. What seemed like a harmless music download on Limewire could turn into a backdoor for hackers. In this episode of In The Shell, I share my personal experience with file sharing on my Blue Dell Inspiron 1100 and how I unknowingly encountered malware for the first time. We’ll explore the origins of the Fizzer worm, its unique ability to auto-update, disable antivirus software, and install keyloggers to steal personal information.
I’ll explain how Fizzer spread through file-sharing platforms and network shares, how it spoofed emails, and the sophisticated techniques it used to stay one step ahead of antivirus programs. From peer-to-peer networks to corporate environments, Fizzer’s reach was global—and the impact on users was profound.
//NO BS PODCAST HOSTING
🟡 Yellowball is a no BS podcast hosting service that I built and run. Whether you're looking to start a podcast, import an existing one, or just want to learn more, head over to https://yellowball.fm to check it out.
//REFERENCES
https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/fizzer.shtml
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?Name=Win32%2fFizzer
https://www.infoworld.com/article/2234751/fizzer-worm-spreading.html
https://threats.kaspersky.com/en/threat/Email-Worm.Win32.Fizzer/
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2003/05/13/fizzer-e-mail-worm-is-spreading-at-an-alarming-rate/
http://virus.wikidot.com/fizzer
https://www.giac.org/paper/gcih/450/w32-fizzera-analysis-infection-prevention-handling/103564
