Introduction You’ve seen them everywhere, from restaurant menus to parking meters, flyers, and even on signs in your favorite cafés. Scanning a QR code is supposed to be easy and convenient. Since their widespread adoption during the 2020 pandemic, when everyone prioritized distance and hygiene, QR codes have been splashed across every city. You probably … Can QR Codes Wreck Your Cell Phone?
Introduction When you hear “deepfake,” your might imagine fake celebrity pictures or convincing prank calls. Maybe you think about those AI tools that can “bring back” famous people as they would look today. However, deepfake technology has also infiltrated our workspaces and become a serious threat to our data privacy. From finance departments to video … The Deepfake Dilemma: Can You Trust What You See Online?
Introduction In every workplace, cybersecurity awareness begins with a laundry list of rules: Avoid unknown links. Never share passwords. Don’t plug in unapproved devices. These rules exist for a reason, of course. They form the foundation of how we protect company data and everybody in the office. Unfortunately, security rules are only as strong as … Why Following the Rules Isn’t the Same as Being Secure
Introduction Your phone pings with another “security notice.” A pop-up flashes about a “new login from an unknown device.” Your inbox fills with system notifications you barely understand. We’ve all been there. After a while, it’s easy to start tuning out these incessant disturbances. That mental exhaustion has a name: Alert fatigue. Your IT guys … Beating Alert Fatigue Without Losing Vigilance
Introduction When you think about security training, you might picture a mandatory module you complete once a year. Maybe you tolerate it, click through it, and move on. Did you know that when done right, security awareness training doesn’t just tick a box — it actually saves money, cuts downtime, and protects your reputation. Security … Hidden ROI of Security Awareness Training
Introduction If you’ve paid attention to your workplace cybersecurity trainings, then you probably know that clicking the right link, using a strong password, or locking your screen helps keep your devices private and your data secure. After hearing this advice enough times, it may become second nature to practice cyber-hygiene every day. When secure behavior … From Routine to Resilience: Turning Security Habits into Second Nature
Introduction Every cybersecurity breach tells a story. More often than not, that story starts with someone clicking, sharing, or scrolling just a little too far. It’s not malice that drives this problem, however. It’s human nature. Curiosity and distraction are part of how we connect online, but they’re also what social engineers exploit best. Curiosity … How Oversharing and Overscrolling Lead to Breaches
Introduction You might think cybersecurity is all about firewalls, patches, and anti-virus, but often, it begins (and sometimes ends) with a conversation. Small check-ins like, “Did you expect that email?” or a verbal confirmation from a coworker add up to Security doesn’t just come from technology, in other words. It comes from people talking with … How Everyday Conversations Shape Cyber Safety
Introduction Convenience has quietly become the new currency. We want to log in faster, share files easier, approve payments instantly. Unfortunately, cybersecurity often ends up taking a back seat to that craving for speed. Each and every shortcut chips away at the layers of protection we rely on. Modern security breaches rarely happen because of … When Convenience Becomes the Enemy of Security
Introduction Have you ever found yourself paying higher phone bills for services you didn’t ask for? It’s not just a breach of your trust and privacy—someone manipulating your consent like this is actually a dangerous tactic that has potentially disastrous financial consequences. Sorting this problem out takes time, too. Contacting your providers, disputing charges, and … Slam the Door on Phone Slamming
Introduction When you see a padlock icon on a website, or your company announces, “We’re fully compliant with XYZ standard,” it’s easy to feel safe. These signals are meant to reassure us that the other person takes security very seriously. How do you know, however, if those defenses are more about looking secure than actually … Are Our Defenses Built to Protect or Reassure?
Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) has overtaken personal lives and workplaces alike. Headlines now promise that AI will catch hackers before they strike, detect threats faster than humans, and make our digital lives safer. In some ways, that’s true. AI is making progress in helping us spot unusual activity and analyze massive amounts of data. Here’s … Is AI Fixing Security, or Just Automating Our Flaws?
Many workplaces have implemented Zero Trust policies. Does yours have one? Do you know what that term really means? At its core, the idea sounds simple: never trust, always verify. That basically means that, instead of believing that everyone and everything on your company network is safe, every request for access must be checked, verified, … When Zero Trust Meets Human Nature
Introduction You hear warnings about phishing, ransomware, malware, but there’s another threat that often flies under the radar: Spoofing. It’s where someone pretends to be someone (or something) they’re not. They do this by faking numbers, websites, or identities. The goal is to trick you, the user, into letting them in under the guise of … Spoofing: When Trust Gets Faked
Introduction Tax season is stressful enough on its own. Now, some California residents face an extra headache: A wave of smartphone scams (also known as smishing campaigns) designed to trick hardworking taxpayers into handing over sensitive information. Whether or not you’re in the red zone for this particular wave of attacks, smishing scams can affect … When Tax Season Texts Turn Into Smishing Attacks
November 25, 2025
November 21, 2025
