Tech Tips

Losing access to your email or social media account feels personal—because it is. Your inbox is often the “master key” to everything else (password resets, receipts, banking alerts, and security notifications). And once a hacker is in, they can impersonate you, scam your contacts, and quietly set up back doors that keep them in even after you change your password. This guide is designed to help you move from panic to progress in a clear, repeatable way. It’s based on the same practical steps the Federal Trade Commission recommends, plus a few extra “real-world” checks attackers commonly abuse. First, confirm the signs (so you don’t waste time) You might be dealing with a hacked account if you notice any of these: You can’t log in (password suddenly “wrong”). You receive alerts about changes you didn’t make (email, phone number, password, 2FA). Messages were sent from you that you didn’t write. Friends or coworkers report strange links or “urgent” requests coming from you. You see lo...

ScamAgent: Researchers Just Built an AI That Can Scam You — And It's Terrifyingly Good By Tech Brewed | Cybersecurity & Privacy This isn't a chatbot doing party tricks. This is a research-grade proof-of-concept that blows the doors off what we thought AI-powered fraud could look like. And it arrives at a moment when phone scams are already costing Americans billions of dollars per year, with scammers increasingly using AI technology and AI-powered tools to make scam texts harder to spot and calls harder to doubt. Let's break down what's happening, why it matters, and what you can do about it — including practical tips to protect your personal information. ScamAgent is an AI pipeline that combines a large language model (LLM) with advanced text-to-speech (TTS) technology to simulate a complete scam phone call. But unlike a simple chatbot or a single "jailbreak" prompt, ScamAgent operates across multiple turns of conversation — it remembers what was said,...

Photographer: appshunter.io | Source: Unsplash ​Who’s Listening to Your Phone? (Hint: More Than You Think) Your phone knows a lot about you. Not just the obvious stuff — your contacts, your recent photos, the apps you use — but also details you probably assumed were more private: where you live, how often you go to the gym, even pieces of your financial life. And the company that usually holds that map of your habits? Your mobile carrier. AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon — the big three — collect and share more data than most people realize. Here’s what they gather, why it matters, and what you can do about it. What they collect (spoiler: it’s a lot) Carriers log the usual identification details: your name, home address, email, date of birth — the information you provide when you sign up. But it goes further. In some cases, that includes Social Security numbers, driver’s license or passport numbers used for identity verification. They also keep records of your location history, billing and...

Photographer: Solen Feyissa | Source: Unsplash Beware of the New Google Calendar Notification Attack The Threat: A new type of cyberattack is targeting Google Calendar users by sending malicious notifications that appear to come from legitimate sources. These notifications can trick users into clicking on links that lead to phishing sites or malware downloads. Steps to Avoid the Threat: 1. Be cautious with notifications: Always verify the sender's email address before clicking on any links in Google Calendar notifications. Look for suspicious or unfamiliar email addresses. 2. Enable two-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your Google account by enabling two-factor authentication. This will make it harder for attackers to access your account even if they obtain your password. 3. Keep your software up to date: Regularly update your operating system, browser, and other software to ensure you have the latest security patches and protections against known vulner...