May 22, 2026 • 3 mins
In this episode, Jen and Alex break down the surge in QR code phishing attacks, the cautionary tale of a ransomware negotiator who defrauded healthcare clients, and practical strategies for reducing security friction. They also cover new tools for HIPAA-compliant email automation and self-service archive exports that streamline compliance workflows.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
You're listening to Pow Box Weekly, fully automated.
SPEAKER_01 (00:03):
I'm Jen, cybersecurity analyst, perpetual
reader of breach reports.
SPEAKER_00 (00:07):
And I'm Alex, healthcare IT guy who still
believes we can fix things.
Good week?
SPEAKER_01 (00:13):
Define good.
Microsoft just told us theyblocked 8.3 billion phishing
emails in Q1 alone.
SPEAKER_00 (00:20):
Billion.
With a B.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
With a B.
And here's the kicker.
QR code phishing went from 7.6million attempts in January to
18.7 million by March.
That's not a trend.
That's a structural shift.
SPEAKER_00 (00:34):
Because QR codes bypass a lot of traditional
email filters.
SPEAKER_01 (00:38):
Exactly.
The payload isn't in the linktext anymore.
It's hiding in an image.
Your filters see a picture.
The user sees, scan this toverify your account.
SPEAKER_00 (00:48):
So the takeaway for our listeners train your people.
SPEAKER_01 (00:52):
QR codes and emails should be treated like
suspicious attachments.
If you didn't ask for it, don'tscan it.
SPEAKER_00 (00:58):
Speaking of trust issues, the ransomware
negotiator story.
Oh, this one hurts.
A negotiator, someone healthcareorgs hired to help them during
attacks, was secretly workingwith the Black Cat gang,
maximizing ransoms, taking acut.
SPEAKER_01 (01:15):
$75 million.
That's what they extracted.
From their own clients.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
It's a brutal reminder.
When you're in crisis mode,you're vulnerable.
And the people you bring in, youhave to vet them.
Due diligence doesn't stop whenyou're panicking, especially
then.
Alright, let's shift tosomething more hopeful.
Powbox launched a CLI this week.
SPEAKER_01 (01:37):
Command line interface.
For sending HIPAA compliantemail.
SPEAKER_00 (01:41):
Right from the terminal.
Or, and this is the interestingpart, from an AI agent.
SPEAKER_01 (01:47):
So any automated workflow that can invoke a shell
command can now send secureemail.
No human in the loop required.
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
They built it as part of becoming more AI native.
It pairs with their MCP server.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
Install takes 30 seconds.
For the devs listening, this isthe kind of tool that just
removes friction.
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
Which actually connects to something else.
Powbox hosted a dinner inNashville last week.
Healthcare IT and securityleaders.
And friction was a big theme.
SPEAKER_01 (02:18):
One quote stuck with me.
Some of these security solutionscome with the need for a
full-time employee just tomanage them.
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
That's the math no one talks about.
You can buy the tool, but canyou actually run it?
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
And another one.
Email still feels too reactive,too dependent on users making
the right decision.
SPEAKER_00 (02:37):
Which is why automation matters.
If you're waiting for a human tocatch every phishing attempt,
you're already behind.
The CLI, the archive exports,it's all about reducing that
dependency.
SPEAKER_01 (02:49):
Speaking of archive exports, Powbox added
self-service mail exports totheir archiving feature.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
So admins can now search, select, and download
archived messages directly fromthe dashboard.
SPEAKER_01 (03:01):
Compliance reviews, audits, e-discovery, no support
ticket, no waiting.
SPEAKER_00 (03:07):
For the compliance officers listening, this is the
kind of thing that saves you aWednesday.
Maybe even a Thursday.
So let's tie this together.
We've got billions of phishingattempts.
A negotiator who was supposed tohelp, but was actually helping
himself.
And healthcare IT teamsstretched so thin that tool
usability becomes a dealbreaker.
SPEAKER_01 (03:28):
None of this is bad luck.
It's bad configurations, blindspots, misplaced trust.
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
And most of it, fixable.
SPEAKER_01 (03:37):
Vet your benders, train your users, automate where
you can, and stop assuming thetools you bought are actually
being used.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
That's the week.
Thanks for listening.
SPEAKER_01 (03:47):
Stay secure out there.
Or at least stay patched.
SPEAKER_00 (03:51):
We'll see you next time.
You're listening to Pow Box Weekly, fully automated.
SPEAKER_01 (00:03):
I'm Jen, cybersecurity analyst, perpetual
reader of breach reports.
SPEAKER_00 (00:07):
And I'm Alex, healthcare IT guy who still
believes we can fix things.
Good week?
SPEAKER_01 (00:13):
Define good.
Microsoft just told us theyblocked 8.3 billion phishing
emails in Q1 alone.
SPEAKER_00 (00:20):
Billion.
With a B.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
With a B.
And here's the kicker.
QR code phishing went from 7.6million attempts in January to
18.7 million by March.
That's not a trend.
That's a structural shift.
SPEAKER_00 (00:34):
Because QR codes bypass a lot of traditional
email filters.
SPEAKER_01 (00:38):
Exactly.
The payload isn't in the linktext anymore.
It's hiding in an image.
Your filters see a picture.
The user sees, scan this toverify your account.
SPEAKER_00 (00:48):
So the takeaway for our listeners train your people.
SPEAKER_01 (00:52):
QR codes and emails should be treated like
suspicious attachments.
If you didn't ask for it, don'tscan it.
SPEAKER_00 (00:58):
Speaking of trust issues, the ransomware
negotiator story.
Oh, this one hurts.
A negotiator, someone healthcareorgs hired to help them during
attacks, was secretly workingwith the Black Cat gang,
maximizing ransoms, taking acut.
SPEAKER_01 (01:15):
$75 million.
That's what they extracted.
From their own clients.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
It's a brutal reminder.
When you're in crisis mode,you're vulnerable.
And the people you bring in, youhave to vet them.
Due diligence doesn't stop whenyou're panicking, especially
then.
Alright, let's shift tosomething more hopeful.
Powbox launched a CLI this week.
SPEAKER_01 (01:37):
Command line interface.
For sending HIPAA compliantemail.
SPEAKER_00 (01:41):
Right from the terminal.
Or, and this is the interestingpart, from an AI agent.
SPEAKER_01 (01:47):
So any automated workflow that can invoke a shell
command can now send secureemail.
No human in the loop required.
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
They built it as part of becoming more AI native.
It pairs with their MCP server.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
Install takes 30 seconds.
For the devs listening, this isthe kind of tool that just
removes friction.
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
Which actually connects to something else.
Powbox hosted a dinner inNashville last week.
Healthcare IT and securityleaders.
And friction was a big theme.
SPEAKER_01 (02:18):
One quote stuck with me.
Some of these security solutionscome with the need for a
full-time employee just tomanage them.
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
That's the math no one talks about.
You can buy the tool, but canyou actually run it?
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
And another one.
Email still feels too reactive,too dependent on users making
the right decision.
SPEAKER_00 (02:37):
Which is why automation matters.
If you're waiting for a human tocatch every phishing attempt,
you're already behind.
The CLI, the archive exports,it's all about reducing that
dependency.
SPEAKER_01 (02:49):
Speaking of archive exports, Powbox added
self-service mail exports totheir archiving feature.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
So admins can now search, select, and download
archived messages directly fromthe dashboard.
SPEAKER_01 (03:01):
Compliance reviews, audits, e-discovery, no support
ticket, no waiting.
SPEAKER_00 (03:07):
For the compliance officers listening, this is the
kind of thing that saves you aWednesday.
Maybe even a Thursday.
So let's tie this together.
We've got billions of phishingattempts.
A negotiator who was supposed tohelp, but was actually helping
himself.
And healthcare IT teamsstretched so thin that tool
usability becomes a dealbreaker.
SPEAKER_01 (03:28):
None of this is bad luck.
It's bad configurations, blindspots, misplaced trust.
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
And most of it, fixable.
SPEAKER_01 (03:37):
Vet your benders, train your users, automate where
you can, and stop assuming thetools you bought are actually
being used.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
That's the week.
Thanks for listening.
SPEAKER_01 (03:47):
Stay secure out there.
Or at least stay patched.
SPEAKER_00 (03:51):
We'll see you next time.
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