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Cybersecurity Awareness

Articles on cybersecurity awareness cover the foundational knowledge individuals and organizations need to recognize and respond to digital threats. Topics include safe browsing habits, password hygiene, social engineering tactics, and building a security-first culture across teams.

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Whaling Attack

Whaling Attack Cybersecurity: How Execs Get Targeted

The $47 Million Email That Fooled a Fortune 500 CFO In 2016, an Austrian aerospace company called FACC lost €42 million (roughly $47 million USD) because a threat actor impersonated the CEO in an email to the finance department. The message requested an urgent wire transfer for a fake acquisition

Carl B. Johnson Apr 08, 2024 7 min read
Vishing Scam Awareness

Vishing Scam Awareness: Stop Voice Phishing Attacks

The Phone Call That Cost One Company $25 Million In early 2024, a finance worker at engineering firm Arup was tricked into transferring $25 million after receiving a video call that appeared to include the company's CFO and other colleagues — all deepfake recreations. The attack started with a

Carl B. Johnson Apr 08, 2024 7 min read
Ransomware

What Is Ransomware? A Security Pro's Blunt Guide

In September 2023, MGM Resorts watched its slot machines go dark, hotel room keys stop working, and reservation systems crash — all because a threat actor social-engineered the company's help desk with a ten-minute phone call. The attackers deployed ransomware that cost MGM an estimated $100 million in lost

Carl B. Johnson Feb 28, 2024 6 min read
Ransomware Prevention

How to Prevent Ransomware: A Practical Defense Guide

The $1.1 Billion Year That Changed Everything In 2023, ransomware payments topped $1.1 billion globally, according to Chainalysis research. That's more than double the previous year. If you're reading this wondering how to prevent ransomware, understand this first: threat actors aren't slowing

Carl B. Johnson Feb 09, 2024 7 min read
Ransomware Recovery

Ransomware Recovery Steps: A Battle-Tested Playbook

The Phone Call No One Wants to Get at 3 AM I got the call on a Tuesday morning. A mid-sized logistics company had every file server locked with a .lockbit extension. Their dispatchers couldn't route a single truck. Their accounting team was staring at ransom notes instead

Carl B. Johnson Feb 09, 2024 7 min read
Ransomware Examples

Ransomware Examples: What 2024 Attacks Teach Us

The Ransomware Landscape Right Now Is Brutal In January 2024, the Hive ransomware group's infrastructure had barely been dismantled by the FBI before new ransomware gangs filled the vacuum. If you searched for ransomware examples hoping to understand what's coming next, the best place to start

Carl B. Johnson Feb 09, 2024 7 min read
Data Breach

What Causes a Data Breach: 7 Root Causes Behind Every Attack

In September 2023, MGM Resorts International lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor social-engineered a help desk employee with a single phone call. One conversation. That's all it took to cripple slot machines, hotel check-in systems, and digital room keys across Las Vegas for over a

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
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