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Cybersecurity Basics

Foundational cybersecurity knowledge for beginners and anyone looking to strengthen core security habits. Posts cover essential topics like strong password creation, software updates, recognizing social engineering attacks, securing home networks, and understanding common threat types.

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Phishing Definition

Definition of a Phishing Attack: What It Really Looks Like

In March 2022, the hacking group Lapsus$ breached Okta by phishing a single contractor's credentials. That one successful social engineering attack gave threat actors access to systems used by thousands of companies worldwide. If you're searching for the definition of a phishing attack, that incident is

Carl B. Johnson Oct 24, 2022 7 min read
Phishing Links

What Is a Phishing Link? Anatomy of a Click That Costs Millions

In March 2022, a single employee at Okta clicked a link in what appeared to be a routine IT notification. That one click gave the Lapsus$ threat actor group access to internal systems, ultimately affecting roughly 2.5% of Okta's customer base — hundreds of organizations. The attack didn&

Carl B. Johnson Sep 04, 2022 8 min read
What Is Cybersecurity

What Is Cybersecurity? A Practitioner's Real-World Guide

In March 2022, Lapsus$ — a threat actor group made up largely of teenagers — breached Microsoft, Nvidia, Samsung, and Okta in rapid succession. They didn't use sophisticated zero-day exploits. They used social engineering, credential theft, and the kinds of gaps that exist in almost every organization. If you'

Carl B. Johnson Aug 11, 2022 7 min read
Cyber Security Definition

Cyber Security Definition: What It Really Means in 2022

Costa Rica declared a national emergency in May 2022 after the Conti ransomware gang crippled 27 government institutions. Tax systems went offline. Foreign trade ground to a halt. An entire country — not just a company — was brought to its knees by a cyberattack. If you think the cyber security definition

Carl B. Johnson Jun 27, 2022 7 min read
Cybersecurity Definition

Cybersecurity Definition: What It Actually Means in 2022

In March 2022, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that Americans lost over $6.9 billion to cybercrime in 2021 — a 64% jump from the year before. That number makes the standard cybersecurity definition you'll find in a textbook feel almost dangerously quaint. If you&

Carl B. Johnson Jun 20, 2022 6 min read
Define Cyber

Define Cyber: What It Really Means for Your Security

In May 2021, a single compromised password shut down Colonial Pipeline — the largest fuel pipeline in the United States — for six days. The company paid a $4.4 million ransom. Flights were disrupted. Gas stations ran dry across the Southeast. All because one set of credentials was exposed on the

Carl B. Johnson Jun 20, 2022 6 min read
Cyber Hygiene

What Is Cyber Hygiene? The Basics That Stop 85% of Attacks

In March 2021, a single compromised password led to the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack that shut down fuel delivery across the U.S. East Coast. The account didn't even have multi-factor authentication enabled. That's not a sophisticated nation-state exploit — that's a basic cyber hygiene

Carl B. Johnson Nov 28, 2021 7 min read
Phishing

What Is Phishing? The Attack Behind 36% of Breaches

In March 2021, a massive phishing campaign impersonating Microsoft Office 365 hit over 10,000 mailboxes across the financial services sector in a single week. The emails were nearly flawless — correct logos, legitimate-looking sender domains, and urgent language about password expiration. Dozens of employees handed over their credentials before anyone

Carl B. Johnson Aug 31, 2021 7 min read
Phishing Definition

Phishing Definition: What It Really Means in 2021

In March 2021, a single phishing email led to a credential theft incident at a European banking authority that exposed personal data from thousands of email accounts. The attack wasn't sophisticated. It didn't exploit some exotic zero-day vulnerability. It started with a convincing email and a

Carl B. Johnson Aug 25, 2021 7 min read
Phishing Scams

What Is a Phishing Scam? Anatomy of the #1 Cyber Threat

In July 2021, a single phishing email gave attackers access to an employee's credentials at a Florida-based managed service provider, ultimately cascading into the massive Kaseya VSA supply-chain ransomware attack that hit over 1,500 businesses worldwide. One email. One click. Billions in damages. If you've

Carl B. Johnson Aug 18, 2021 7 min read