In the Name of Psychology
Is there any task a supercomputer shouldn’t try? After all, the three-pound, four-lobed one in our heads contains about one hundred billion neurons and runs all the systems that comprise our bodies. It’s responsible for every thought, move, perception, judgement and calculation you make. Our brains take in data and process it, which is then made usable by way of knowledge. So, is there anything…
COVID-19 and Amygdala Hijacking in Cybersecurity Scams
What races through your mind when you see “Coronavirus” or “COVID-19?” Fear, anxiety, curiosity… these internal reactions can prompt actions that we may not normally take. Recent attacks have been sending out mandatory meeting invites that ask you to log in to accounts. Others have been receiving emails to put themselves on a waiting list for a vaccine or treatment. The heightened emotions we…
Ethical Hackers: Filling a Vital Role in Society
When you hear the words “hackers” or “hacking,” what comes to mind? Do you picture faceless people in hoodies, or Guy Fawkes masks? Or maybe bank robbers wearing gloves hiding in dark basements behind glowing laptops as they wreak havoc on governments, businesses, and healthcare systems? If you do, you're not alone. Unfortunately, that's probably what most people imagine due to the bizarre…
Romance Scams: Stealing Hearts & Money
Romance scams are in the news in a big way. Recently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) charged a New Jersey man for his role in an online romance scam that defrauded more than 30 victims out of millions of dollars. In addition, the DOJ charged a gang of 80 criminals with stealing millions of dollars through online romance and business email compromise scams. Sadly, one of this gang’s victims is…
Lookout for Tax Scams
For most of us tax season is an anxious time. Indeed, criminals are eager to take advantage of our anxiety. And, as we know, the April 15th filing deadline date just a week away. With this is view, it’s important to stay vigilant and be on the lookout for tax scams.
In fact, according to the “Dirty Dozen” list published by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), phishing and vishing continue to…
Zheng’s Datang Coin Ponzi Scheme
Charlie Shrem, age 11, invests early and makes millions in Bitcoin! Dave Carlson makes $8 million per month in Bitcoin! Inspired by these and other true-life stories, some have felt that with the right timing, they too can get in early and become the next cryptocurrency millionaire. After all, if an 11-year-old can do it, how difficult can it be? For thousands of people in northwestern China…
SEVillage at DerbyCon
DerbyCon is one of our favorite places. In the past 4 years we have been the place to go for all things social engineering at DerbyCon. And for the fourth year in a row we will be again holding an entire SEVillage at DerbyCon! This will include not only the old favorite "Can you beat the polygraph?" but we will be bringing back Mission SE Impossible. And for the first time ever,…
I Spy With My Little EyePyramid: Siblings Phish Italy
In recent news, Italian siblings 45-year-old Giulio Occhionero and his 47-year-old sister Francesca Maria Occhionero were arrested for having installed malware on a major bank president’s system, 2 former prime ministers, a sitting mayor, a former deputy governor of the Bank of Italy and thousands more.
While many of the details are still being questioned, one fact that has come out is that…