Hacking Humans
Don’t Let Public Ports Bite.
Hacking Humans
•December 11, 2025•50 min
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Hacking Humans•Dec 11, 2025
Key Takeaways
- •Automated chicken coop doors need proper sensor calibration
- •3D-printed splints can quickly treat injured chickens
- •Font licensing scams use automated LinkedIn messages
- •Verify font usage before paying licensing fees
- •Walmart phone scams exploit spoofed caller ID for data
Pulse Analysis
The episode opens with a light‑hearted yet practical look at backyard poultry management. Hosts discuss how a low‑cost, solar‑powered door controller can be fine‑tuned with photo‑sensor thresholds and timers to keep chickens safe after dark. When a bird suffered a foot injury, a quick 3D‑printed splint saved the animal, illustrating how additive manufacturing is becoming a handy tool for hobbyists and small‑scale farmers alike.
The conversation then shifts to a surprisingly serious issue: font licensing enforcement. A design team received urgent LinkedIn messages from Monotype claiming unlicensed use of two fonts. The hosts break down how automated scans often flag false positives, leading to pressure tactics that resemble phishing. They stress the importance of auditing font inventories, confirming purchase receipts, and responding with documented proof before any payment, turning a potential scam into a teachable moment for designers and compliance officers.
Finally, the hosts tackle a wave of Walmart‑related phone scams that leverage caller‑ID spoofing to harvest personal and financial data. They explain the STIR/SHAKEN framework designed to authenticate legitimate calls and recommend screening services, virtual numbers, and carrier‑level protections. By highlighting real‑world examples and practical defenses, the episode equips business leaders with actionable steps to safeguard both digital and voice channels against evolving social‑engineering attacks.
Episode Description
This week, our hosts Dave Bittner, Joe Carrigan, and Maria Varmazis (also host of the T-Minus Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with another chicken update for everyone. Dave’s got the story of a Monotype font-licensing shakedown that totally backfired — automated claims, mass messages, and scary warnings that all unraveled when a typography-savvy employee proved every allegation was wrong, leaving Monotype empty-handed. Joe’s story is on a massive Walmart robocall scam targeting millions of customers. Fake calls, using AI voices claiming a pricey PlayStation 5 order, tricked people into giving personal info. The FCC is cracking down on SK Teleco, the U.S. voice provider behind the calls, threatening to cut them off from U.S. networks if they don’t act fast to stop the scam. Maria has the story on TSA warnings for travelers: avoid plugging phones into public USB ports and skip unsecured airport Wi-Fi. Hackers can sneak malware through USBs or intercept data over open networks, so TSA and the FCC recommend using portable chargers, charging-only cables, or a VPN to stay safe while traveling. Our catch of the day comes from a Microsoft looking email which says the user has been flagged.
Resources and links to stories:
Monotype font licencing shake-down
Millions of Walmart customers victims of major scam
FCC Demands Cessation of Walmart-Impersonation Robocalls
VIA ELECTRONIC DELIVERY AND CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Is charging your phone at the airport safe?
An Open Letter
Man behind in-flight Evil Twin WiFi attacks gets 7 years in prison
Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.
Show Notes
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