Passwords are still the leading cause of breaches, and most of us still treat them like an afterthought. This post breaks down where we’re going wrong, what’s finally getting better, and why passkeys might be our best shot at a password-free future.
10 Ways to Secure Your Laptop
Laptops are magnets for thieves, hackers, and nosy strangers on airplanes. This guide walks you through 10 smart ways to secure your laptop—physically, digitally, and privately—so your files stay safe, your data stays yours, and your webcam isn’t watching you back.
Quishing: Phishing Got a Glow-Up
Quishing is phishing’s slicker, sneakier cousin. It hides behind QR codes, shows up on flyers and parking meters, and tricks you into handing over your credentials, often before your coffee kicks in. Here’s how it works, who it’s targeting, and how to stop it.
Locking Down My Smart Thermostats Was a Nightmare (and What It Taught Me About IoT Security)
When I tried to lock down my smart thermostats, I discovered how hard it is to control what IoT devices connect to. Here’s what I learned—and why we need NetBOM.
Ransomware: Because Who Doesn’t Want to Be Held Hostage by Their Own Files?
Ransomware: Because Who Doesn’t Want to Be Held Hostage by Their Own Files?
Ransomware is no longer just a hacker’s side hustle—it’s big business. In this post, we break down what ransomware is, how it works, who it targets (on purpose and by accident), and what you can do to stay safe. Featuring real-world examples, including some very aggressive office printersmme.
A Note on Our Domain Update
Between The Hacks has updated its default domain name to betweenthehacks.com. Everything is still here, but a few links might need attention. Learn more about this update and let us know if you spot any issues.
Passkeys: The Beginning of the End for Passwords
Still using passwords? It might be time to move on.
Passkeys are a simpler, more secure way to log in—no typing, no phishing, no stress. In this post, I break down how passkeys work, why they matter, and how you can start using them today.
I Finally Segmented My Network… by Cutting the Ethernet Cable!
After years of preaching network segmentation, I took it to the next level—by physically disconnecting everything. Scissors, copper mesh, and a rotating SSID script. What could go wrong?
Unlimited Access: Every Device on Your Network Can Talk to the Internet
Most home devices can access the entire internet—and often each other. Segmentation helps, but without visibility into what your devices are doing, you’re still exposed.
If Troy Hunt Can Fall for Phishing, So Can You
Even cybersecurity experts fall for phishing attacks. When Troy Hunt, creator of Have I Been Pwned, clicked a malicious link and entered his credentials, it was a wake-up call for all of us. In this post, we break down what happened, why today’s phishing is more convincing than ever, and what you can do to protect yourself.
AI Magic: My Blog, LinkedIn, and a 7-Minute Podcast!
So, here’s something that blew my mind: I decided to test Google’s NotebookLM AI tool. I casually uploaded the URLs for my LinkedIn page and my blog, not expecting much more than a basic summary. After about 3–4 minutes of AI whirring away, I had…
A Birthday Party, a Cold War Cipher, and the RSA Stage
If you told me a year ago that I would meet a cold war hero at a birthday party, I wouldn’t have believed you. And I would be even more skeptical if you told me she would be an unintimidating, approachable music professor with an infectious smile. It’s the summer of 2021. After more than a year…
NetBOM
NetBOM, short for Network Bill of Materials, is a concept I drafted to improve IoT and network security. This post explains how NetBOM works, what it includes, and how it supports Zero Trust strategies.
log4shell
UPDATED December 16, 2021
If you are reading this, you likely have heard about Log4Shell, the December, 2021 critical zero-day remote-code execution vulnerability in the popular Log4j software library that is developed and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. Apache has patched this vulnerability in version 2.15.0, however vendors who use this library will need to…
Hacking Humble Bundle
Last year, Humble Bundle teamed up with the great tech publisher, No Starch Press, to offer deeply discounted hacking ebooks for as little as one dollar with the Hacking 101 By No Starch Press Humble Bundle of ebooks. This year, on Giving Tuesday, No Starch Press has a new Hacking Book Bundle. The regular cost for the ebooks is more than $800 but you can get all of these ebooks for thirty dollars or just a few of the ebooks for as little as one dollar.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since this is a cybersecurity blog, we will focus on cybersecurity but let’s take a moment to talk about the important topic of breast cancer.
Colonial Pipeline: Lessons Learned
The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack took down the largest fuel pipeline in the United States and resulted in consumer hoarding of fuel and a short-term shortage of gasoline on the east coast of the U.S.. What could they have done to prevent this attack and what can you do today to prevent a similar attack?
President Biden's Cybersecurity Executive Order
Aiming to improve cybersecurity in the United States, President Biden signed an executive order (EO) on May 12, 2021. Although the EO focuses on U.S. federal departments’ and agencies’ cybersecurity, it will likely result in standards that will change the way the private sector manages cybersecurity within the United States and globally.
This cybersecurity EO was signed soon after the world experienced a series of widespread cybersecurity incidents such as…
World Password Day - May 6, 2021
It’s World Password Day!
Are your passwords strong enough?
Do you have a long, unique password for every account?
Do you use multi-factor authentication where available?
If you answered, “no” to any of these questions…
Facebook Leak Leads To Smishing
I have always considered myself pretty lucky in that I rarely receive fraudulent text messages. That luck recently ran out. Over the past few weeks I have noticed an uptick in the number of SMS phishing (smishing) messages that I receive on my phone. A few days ago, the smishing seemed to become even more frequent…
