If you don’t control your message—someone else will! What if your

company’s private information suddenly became public—and you weren’t the

one who shared it?

In today’s episode of the Learn Online Security Podcast, Chris Howells,

Director of IT and Head Instructor, explains how to take back control of

your message when communication slips out of your hands.

When unexpected events hit—like public announcements, travel plans, or

emergencies—information can spread fast. Chris shows you how to stay

ahead by creating clear communication policies, educating your team,

and reducing opportunities for attackers to exploit confusion or chaos.

You’ll discover how to:

✅ Build a communication plan that keeps your organization secure and

professional

✅ Prevent social engineering attacks by controlling information flow

✅ Empower your staff and community to respond with consistency and

confidence

✅ Develop “away policies” that protect both privacy and productivity

✅ Strengthen your company’s defense through proactive messaging and

teamwork

This video delivers practical cybersecurity strategy mixed with

real-world communication planning. It's perfect for IT leaders,

business owners, and security-conscious teams.

Join our Learn Online Security community on Skool for deeper training,

discussions, and tools to help you secure your organization’s

communications from the inside out.

What are my next steps?

📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here

🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes

🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees &

business certification courses

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training

Follow Learn Online Security:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity

Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity

Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com

⌚Time Stamps ⌚

00:26 Introduction to Learn Online Security

00:39 When You Can't Control the Message

01:19 Planning for Emergencies and Worst-Case Scenarios

02:08 Educating Staff and Preparing in Advance

03:37 Regaining Control After Losing Information

04:06 Out-of-Office Messaging and Extended Absences

05:16 Empowering Surroundings and Preventing Social Engineering

07:01 Join Skool!

08:03 Reviewing Company Policies and Communication Procedures

10:03 Real-World Example: Medical Emergency Response and Lessons Learned

#CyberSecurity #InformationSecurity #CrisisManagement #SocialEngineering

Wondering what happens to your old devices when they’re recycled,

upgraded, or passed down? In this video, Chris and Sarah Howells from

Learn Online Security explain how laptops, phones, printers, gaming

systems, and even smart home devices can hold sensitive information—and

why scammers target them.

Learn practical tips for wiping, factory resetting, and safely disposing

of your devices to protect your personal and business data.

Key topics we cover:

📌 Wipe or destroy end-of-life devices

📌 Business and home devices hold sensitive data

📌 Factory reset, remove memory, or physically destroy

📌 Children’s and seniors’ devices need extra care

📌 Include how you'd like your devices handled in your will

What are my next steps?

📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here

🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes

🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees &

business certification courses

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training

Follow Learn Online Security:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity

Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity

Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com

#DigitalSecurity, #LearnOnlineSecurity, #DeviceSafety

Scammers are using your out-of-office replies against you! In this

video, Chris Howells from Learn Online Security breaks down the most

common and preventable attack happening today. Learn how AI and social

engineering make it easier than ever for attackers to impersonate

authority and trick YOU or your team into sending money or gift cards.

Protect yourself and your business by understanding the risks and

implementing simple defenses.

Defense tips: verify by voice, use security words/passphrases, and route

requests through official channels

Key Points Covered:

📌What an out-of-office attack is and why it’s so easy to prevent

📌How attackers use AI to identify who’s away and who has authority

📌The reversed attack: attackers posing as underlings to pressure the

boss

📌Real-world example: a staffer almost tricked into buying gift cards

while on vacation

📌Why email and text are risky channels for urgent requests

Stay safe, stay alert, and remember: always verify before you act!

What are my next steps?

📖 Start learning for free at https://learnonlinesecurity.com/start-here

🔐 Become a superhero and support the channel

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/heroes/superheroes

🏢 Learn more about our social engineering training for employees &

business certification courses

https://learnonlinesecurity.com/business-training

Follow Learn Online Security:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnOnlineSec

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnonlinesecurity

Rumble: https://www.rumble.com/learnonlinesecurity

Website: https://www.learnonlinesecurity.com

⌚Time Stamps ⌚

00:00 Out-of-Office Attacks: The Most Dangerous Scam

00:17 How Attackers Exploit Absence to Impersonate Authority

01:53 How AI Identifies Targets Through Out-of-Office Replies

03:04 Mapping the Organization: Targeting the Right Employees

04:45 Why Email and Text Are Risky Channels for Financial Requests

05:30 Real-World Example: Staffer Tricked While on Vacation

07:41 Slowing Down Scammers: Building Time to Protect Yourself

09:43 Unpredictable Responses: Disrupting Attacker Plans

12:22 Using Security Words and Passphrases to Safeguard Transactions

13:33 Removing Electronics: Safer Financial Communication

#CyberSecurity #SocialEngineering #OnlineSafety