One of the most common expressions amongst cybersecurity practitioners is “there is no fix for stupid.” This statement is usually accompanied by a shake of the head, laughter, or maybe a shrug. Another version of this sentiment might be “show me something that is fool proof, and I’ll find you a bigger fool.” Inherent in these comments is a sense of derision for the person who was exploited by the latest cyber threat vector. But the members of your organization are also your customers, and these kinds of statements demonstrate a lack of respect for the customer. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by Ken Fanger, from On Technology Partners. Ken has a message to share: deriding the customer would not win a lot of support in most parts of an organization, so why is it acceptable in the world of IT?

Manufacturing has traditionally been subtractive. We start with a piece of material, and we subtract material by cutting it away until we have the object we are trying to create. 3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, works in reverse. We begin with a digital representation of an object, and a machine adds filament material to the object one tiny layer at a time until we have created something physical from its digital design. On this episode of WMD, York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management student, Conner Everett flips the microphone and interviews his guest, Dr. Tamara Schwartz as they discuss how 3D printing is changing manufacturing and the potential disruptions to the manufacturing industry and supply chains.

At some point in time we have all dreamed of being someone else or somewhere else. When you read a fantasy book that felt so real, you wished you could go to that place. Or maybe you were watching a professional sporting event and imagined that it was you who was making that slam dunk, homerun, impossible goal, or touchdown. That time at your first job when you dropped something, the entire room looked at you, and you just wished the floor would open up so you could be anywhere else. Video games give us the opportunity to escape reality, and with the growth of extended reality technologies, escaping our reality can feel ever more real. On this episode of WMD, two of Dr. Schwartz’s students from the York College of Pennsylvania, Sebastian Suriel-Diaz and Chase Shelton discuss how virtual, augmented, and extended reality are changing the video game experience.