Tag

Credential Theft Prevention

Addresses the tactics attackers use to steal login credentials and the countermeasures organizations can deploy. Topics include multi-factor authentication, credential monitoring, dark web surveillance, secure authentication protocols, and employee awareness training.

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Fake Mail

Fake Mail: How to Spot It Before It Costs You

In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that phishing — including fake mail delivered via email, text, and voice — was the most reported cybercrime category for the fifth consecutive year, with over 298,000 complaints. And that only accounts for what gets reported. In my experience,

Carl B. Johnson Apr 12, 2026 5 min read
Social Engineering Examples

Social Engineering Examples That Fool Even Experts

The Phone Call That Cost MGM Resorts $100 Million In September 2023, a threat actor called MGM Resorts' IT help desk, impersonated an employee they found on LinkedIn, and convinced the technician to reset credentials. That single phone call triggered a ransomware attack that disrupted operations across Las Vegas

Carl B. Johnson Apr 04, 2026 5 min read
Phishing Email Detection

How to Recognize a Phishing Email Before You Click

In March 2024, a finance director at a mid-size manufacturer in Ohio wired $2.3 million to a threat actor who impersonated the company's CEO — all because of a single phishing email. The message looked perfect: right logo, right tone, right email signature. It even referenced an actual

Carl B. Johnson Apr 04, 2026 5 min read
Phishing Training for Employees

Phishing Training for Employees: What Actually Works

The Click That Cost One Company $47 Million In 2023, MGM Resorts was brought to its knees — not by a sophisticated zero-day exploit, but by a social engineering phone call that led to credential theft and a devastating ransomware attack. The estimated cost exceeded $100 million. The attack vector? A

Carl B. Johnson Apr 02, 2026 5 min read
Insider Threat Awareness

Insider Threat Awareness: What Most Companies Miss

In January 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice charged a former Google engineer with stealing proprietary AI trade secrets while secretly working for two China-based companies. He had access for years. He passed background checks. He was a trusted employee. And that's exactly the point — the most

Carl B. Johnson Mar 31, 2026 5 min read
Password Manager Benefits

Password Manager Benefits That Stop 80% of Breaches

One Reused Password Cost This Company $4.6 Billion In 2017, a single set of reused credentials let threat actors walk into Equifax's systems and expose 147 million records. The total cost exceeded $4.6 billion when you factor in the FTC settlement, lawsuits, and remediation. One password.

Carl B. Johnson Mar 29, 2026 5 min read
Phish Setlist

Phish Setlist for Security: Building Your Attack Plan

One Band's Name Became Cybersecurity's Favorite Metaphor In 2024, the FBI's IC3 report documented over 298,000 phishing complaints — making it the most reported cybercrime category for the fifth consecutive year. And yet, most organizations still run phishing simulations like they're checking

Carl B. Johnson Jan 18, 2026 8 min read
Gmail Phishing Attacks

Gmail Sophisticated Attacks: FBI Phishing Warnings for 2025

The FBI Didn't Issue Gmail Warnings for Fun In late 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) flagged a sharp escalation in sophisticated phishing attacks targeting Gmail users — attacks so convincing that even security-savvy professionals were getting fooled. By mid-2025, the bureau doubled down, warning

Carl B. Johnson Dec 27, 2025 7 min read
Fake Mail

Fake Mail: How to Spot It Before It Costs You

In May 2025, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that business email compromise — a sophisticated form of fake mail — accounted for over $2.9 billion in adjusted losses in 2023 alone. That number has only grown. I've personally worked cases where a single convincing email

Carl B. Johnson Dec 27, 2025 7 min read
Vishing

FBI Warning on Vishing and Smishing: What to Do Now

The Phone Call That Cost One Company $23 Million In early 2024, a finance worker at engineering firm Arup was tricked into wiring $25 million to threat actors after a deepfake video call that impersonated senior leadership. That incident made headlines worldwide. But for every deepfake video heist, there are

Carl B. Johnson Dec 27, 2025 7 min read