Computer Security US Blog

Computer Security News and Insights

Data Breach Reporting

How to Report a Data Breach: A Step-by-Step Guide

In September 2023, MGM Resorts lost an estimated $100 million after a social engineering attack compromised its systems. But the financial damage from the breach itself was only part of the story. The chaos that followed — delayed notifications, regulatory scrutiny, class-action lawsuits — showed exactly what happens when an organization fumbles

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 7 min read
Data Breach Examples

Data Breach Examples: What 2024 Trends Tell Us

The Breach That Cost MGM Resorts Over $100 Million In September 2023, a threat actor called Scattered Spider brought MGM Resorts to its knees — not with some exotic zero-day exploit, but with a phone call. A social engineering attack against the company's IT help desk gave attackers the

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 7 min read
Data Breach Notification

Data Breach Notification Requirements: A 2024 Guide

In May 2023, the FTC finalized a revised Health Breach Notification Rule that expanded who must report breaches — and shortened the clock to do it. Most organizations I talk to had no idea the change happened. They found out the hard way: staring down a regulatory inquiry with no incident

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 8 min read
Password Security Best Practices

Password Security Best Practices That Actually Work

The Breach That Started With a Single Reused Password In September 2023, MGM Resorts International lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor social-engineered their way into systems — and weak credential hygiene played a central role. That incident didn't start with a sophisticated zero-day exploit. It started

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 6 min read
Strong Passwords

How to Create a Strong Password That Actually Stops Hackers

In September 2023, a credential stuffing attack against 23andMe exposed the personal data of nearly 7 million users. The root cause wasn't some exotic zero-day exploit. It was reused, weak passwords. Attackers took credentials leaked from other breaches, tried them on 23andMe accounts, and walked right in. That&

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 7 min read
Password Manager Benefits

Password Manager Benefits That Stop 80% of Breaches

The Breach That Started With "Company123!" In September 2023, MGM Resorts lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor used social engineering to compromise employee credentials. The attack didn't require some sophisticated zero-day exploit. It started with identity — with passwords and people. And it'

Carl B. Johnson Jan 22, 2024 7 min read
Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-Factor Authentication Setup: A Practical Guide

In September 2023, MGM Resorts lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor bypassed their security by socially engineering a helpdesk employee into resetting MFA credentials. Let that sink in. The company had multi-factor authentication. It still wasn't enough — because the multi-factor authentication setup and the processes

Carl B. Johnson Jan 20, 2024 7 min read
Password Hygiene Tips

Password Hygiene Tips That Actually Stop Breaches

The 23andMe Breach Started With Recycled Passwords In October 2023, genetic testing company 23andMe confirmed that attackers accessed roughly 6.9 million user profiles. The method wasn't some exotic zero-day exploit. It was credential stuffing — threat actors took username and password combinations leaked from other breaches and simply

Carl B. Johnson Jan 20, 2024 7 min read