Leveraging Knowledge to Manage Your Data Risks
Years ago, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) designated the last week of January asIdentity Theft Awareness Week. For 2026, this week is devoted to education and awareness about identity theft, which is an ever-present problem.
According to the FTC, “identity theft is one of the most-reported problems to the FTC every year.” The FTC…
Gmail users are being urged to review and disable two key “Smart Features” settings following privacy concerns stemming from reports that these tools may allow Google to access email content to support AI‑driven services and may use users’ data for training. The two features are included in Gmail, Chat and Meet, and Google Workspace Smart…
An analysis by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows that, since 2020, consumers have been swindled out of $65 million by rental scams. This statistic is particularly relevant during the holiday season when many people are traveling and renting places to stay.
According to the FTC, most of the scams involve fake rental listings…
On December 17, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a press release announcing that it is taking action against Illusory Systems, Inc. “for failing to implement adequate data security measures, leading to a major security breach in which hackers stole $186 million from consumers.”
In its complaint, the FTC alleged that Illusory, doing business…
The holidays are always a busy time—sending holiday cards, cooking, present shopping and giving, and spending time with family and friends. It’s also an opportune and busy time for scammers too.
A new report by KrebsonSecurity reminds us that fraudsters use the holidays to launch new campaigns, in this case, SMS phishing scams. According to…
In its 40th anniversary report, Trouble in Toyland 2025, the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) warns that “[T]oys with artificial intelligence bots or toxics present hidden dangers. Tests show A.I. toys can have disturbing conversations. Other concerns include unsafe or counterfeit toys bought online.”
The report outlines PIRG’s testing of four toys (Curio’s Grok…
In a recent blog post, KnowBe4 reported that it has “uncovered an emerging advanced phishing campaign targeting Microsoft 365 users globally to steal their credentials. The attackers are wielding a powerful new tool that’s completely changing the game for cybercriminals—turning what used to be complex, technical phishing setups into simple one-click launches that can bypass…
Nevada suffered a ransomware attack in August 2025 that caused a significant disruption in services. The attackers deleted the state’s backups, encrypted virtual machines, and deployed ransomware that affected 60 state agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Public Safety, and Motor Vehicles.
Despite the significance of the attack, Nevada refused to pay…
The use of AI tools is revolutionizing our society. The efficiency it presents is like nothing we have ever experienced. That said, there are risks worth considering.
“AI poses risks including job loss, deepfakes, biased algorithms, privacy violations, weapons automation and social manipulation. Some experts and leaders are calling for stronger regulation and ethical…
We are seeing an increase in cybersquatting incidents. What is cybersquatting and how can it affect you?
According to Sentinel One, cybersquatting, or domain squatting, “involves the registration, selling, or use of an Internet domain name in bad faith to profit from the goodwill of a trademark that belongs to someone else.” Cybersquatting spoofs…
