Posts exploring how attackers steal usernames, passwords, and authentication tokens through phishing, keylogging, brute force attacks, and credential stuffing. Includes actionable guidance on multi-factor authentication, password managers, and monitoring for compromised credentials.
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In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center flagged Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) as one of the top three initial access vectors used in ransomware incidents. That wasn't a surprise to anyone who's worked an incident response engagement. I've personally investigated breaches
In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that business email compromise — a category built almost entirely on the fake email — cost victims over $2.9 billion. That wasn't from sophisticated zero-day exploits. It was from emails that looked real but weren't. I&
In March 2024, a single compromised employee credential at Change Healthcare led to a ransomware attack that disrupted pharmacy operations across the United States for weeks. The attackers didn't kick down a digital door — they logged in. That's what account takeover looks like in practice, and
A Single Text Message Cost This Company $15 Million In 2022, Twilio disclosed that a coordinated smishing campaign tricked employees into entering credentials on a fake login page. Attackers used those credentials to access internal systems and compromise data for over 100 customers. The whole thing started with a text
In 2024, a finance clerk at a mid-sized manufacturing firm wired $25 million to a threat actor after joining a deepfake video call where every other "participant" — including the CFO — was AI-generated. The clerk wasn't careless. She wasn't stupid. She simply hadn't
The FBI Told You About Medusa. Are You Listening? In March 2025, the FBI and CISA issued a joint advisory — AA25-071A — warning that the Medusa ransomware gang had compromised over 300 organizations across critical infrastructure sectors. Healthcare systems, school districts, legal firms, manufacturers. The common thread? Almost every intrusion started
The Breach That Started With "Summer2024!" In 2024, the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found that stolen credentials were involved in roughly 31% of all breaches over the prior decade — and that number hasn't meaningfully dropped. I've personally investigated incidents where an entire corporate
In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 298,000 phishing complaints — making it the most reported cybercrime for the fifth consecutive year. Despite billions spent on security technology, a single deceptive email still remains the most reliable way for a threat actor to breach an
The $20 Million Breach That Started on a Home Wi-Fi Network In 2024, a healthcare company disclosed a breach that exposed 11 million patient records. The root cause? A remote employee connected to an unsecured home network, clicked a phishing link, and handed over VPN credentials to a threat actor.
Your Employees Are Eating Phish Food Every Day In March 2024, MGM Resorts was still tallying the damage from a social engineering attack that started with a single phone call. The estimated cost exceeded $100 million. The threat actor didn't exploit a zero-day vulnerability or deploy some exotic
