Cyber adversaries in China and Russia continue to be a formidable threat to U.S. based companies. In the past, scams might be detected because a word was misspelled or the context didn’t make sense. Now, with the help of young Western hackers, cyber adversaries in Russia will be able to use insider knowledge of language
Privacy Tip #389 – FTC Outlines Top Scams in 2023
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) keeps track of scams that are reported to it and summarizes those scams in a report outlining the most successful scams of the prior year.
Last year’s statistics are disturbing, as many of the same techniques from previous years are still being used successfully by threat actors. Old scams are…
Privacy Tip #386 – What? Gen Z is Bigger Cybersecurity Risk than Boomers
OK boomers—instead of being on the end of an “OK boomer” comment, now you have some ammunition. Boomers have been reported to be less of a cybersecurity vulnerability to the workforce than Gen Z. An article by Karina Zapata of CBC News outlines findings from cybersecurity tech company Check Point that posit Gen Z as…
Privacy Tip #379 – Protecting Veterans from Scams
Let us take time this week to thank current members of the military and all veterans for their service in protecting our country and democracy. As the daughter of a veteran, I am profoundly grateful to all of our service members who put their lives and families at risk every day, and those that forged…
Privacy Tip #371 – Internet Safety Guide for Seniors
I was talking to a client today about a security incident and the discussion turned to how threat actors are using increasingly more sophisticated ways to attack individuals and companies. She lamented that we know more than the average individual about how they implement attacks, but she worries about her mother, who is frequently online.
Social Media Enables Social Engineering Scams
The more one uses and shares on social media, the more information is publicly available for cyber attackers to use to exploit users’ personal and professional information.
It is hard for people to realize that every single thing shared on any social media platform is available for friends and foes alike to access and use.
Privacy Tip #355 – Avoid Employment Offer Scams
In response to a rash of employment offer scams, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a scam alert intended to educate job seekers so they can avoid being victimized.
Not only are individuals subject to these scams, but legitimate businesses are spoofed and used to conduct the scams and they only find that out…
Privacy Tip #354 – Scammers Use Weather Emergencies Against Victims
It has been difficult to watch the extreme weather patterns that have been happening around the U.S. over the past few months. Fires and torrential rainstorms in California, tornadoes down south, blizzards in the Midwest and New York, and a devastating hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. It is heartbreaking to see the devastation and…
Privacy Tip #279 – IRS Imposters Targeting Students and Faculty
How many times can we say that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will NOT email or telephone you? We will say it again. If you receive a telephone call, email or text from someone saying they are from the IRS, it is A SCAM. It’s that simple. If you don’t believe me, check out…
Privacy Tip #259 – On Veterans Day: Tips for Veterans to Avoid Scams
Today on Veterans Day, we thank all veterans for their service and dedication to our democracy.
Unfortunately, it is well-known that veterans are targeted with scams, so providing tips today to help prevent scams against them is timely.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has provided such tips for veterans, which can be read here.
The…