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Phishing Awareness

Phishing awareness articles teach readers to identify and avoid phishing attacks across email, SMS, voice calls, and social media. Content includes real-world phishing examples, red flags to watch for, reporting procedures, and tips for running phishing simulation campaigns.

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Trojan Horse Malware

Trojan Horse Malware: How It Gets In and How to Stop It

In September 2023, MGM Resorts watched helplessly as its systems went dark — slot machines frozen, hotel check-ins offline, operations paralyzed for ten days. The estimated cost exceeded $100 million. The attack vector? Social engineering that led to credential theft, which opened the door for malware deployment across the enterprise. That&

Carl B. Johnson Dec 19, 2024 7 min read
Man in the Middle Attack

Man in the Middle Attack: How Hackers Steal Data

In January 2024, security researchers at Sekoia documented a massive adversary-in-the-middle campaign that used phishing kits to intercept Microsoft 365 credentials and session tokens in real time — bypassing multi-factor authentication entirely. The attack wasn't theoretical. It hit thousands of organizations across multiple industries. And it reminded every security

Carl B. Johnson Dec 19, 2024 8 min read
Phishing Awareness

How to Spot a Phishing Email Before It Costs You

In January 2024, a finance employee at a multinational firm in Hong Kong joined what appeared to be a routine video call with the company's CFO. Everything looked normal — the CFO's face, voice, and mannerisms were all spot-on. The employee followed instructions and wired $25 million

Carl B. Johnson Dec 10, 2024 7 min read
Phish

Phish: Why One Click Still Causes Million-Dollar Breaches

In January 2024, a finance employee at engineering firm Arup received an email inviting them to a video call with the company's CFO. Everything looked legitimate — the email, the meeting link, even the faces on the screen. It was all a deepfake-powered phish. That single interaction cost Arup

Carl B. Johnson Nov 07, 2024 7 min read
Smishing

FBI Warning on Smishing Texts: What You Must Do Now

10,000 Fake Domains and Counting In early 2024, the FBI issued a stark FBI warning on smishing texts targeting Americans in every state. The attack campaign involved over 10,000 newly registered domains impersonating toll collection agencies, delivery services, and government agencies. Victims received text messages claiming they owed

Carl B. Johnson Oct 17, 2024 7 min read
Phishing Definition

Phishing Definition: What It Really Means in 2024

In January 2024, a finance employee at a multinational firm in Hong Kong wired $25 million to threat actors after a video call with what appeared to be the company's CFO. It was a deepfake. The attack started with a single phishing email. If your phishing definition still

Carl B. Johnson Oct 17, 2024 7 min read
Spear Phishing

Spear Phishing: Why Targeted Attacks Beat Your Defenses

In January 2024, a finance employee at British engineering firm Arup joined a video call with what appeared to be the company's chief financial officer and several colleagues. Every face on the screen was a deepfake. The attackers had spent weeks researching the company's org chart,

Carl B. Johnson Sep 18, 2024 7 min read