Hacker Horror Stories

October is here, and our office relishes any opportunity to lean into horror: scary movies, creepy novels, gruesome comic books, video games that make you yelp.  To celebrate spooky season, we at SpitzerTech have gathered a few recent horrifying tech headlines to keep you up at night.

Have you heard about the fake wifi network on a Delta flight?

A domestic flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta had multiple Wi-Fi networks available, including one labeled “Delta Wifi Fast.” This network was not hosted by Delta. Authorities presume one of the passengers set up this network in the hopes that fellow travelers would join and then use that internet access to log into sensitive financial accounts, allowing the hacker to skim their information

Takeaway: Ack! This story is a good reminder to always be wary of which network you are connected to, while out in public.

Did you see? Even the FBI can fall prey to hackers.

The FBI’s personnel and recruitment files have been breached, putting the personal information of both agents and bureau applicants in the hands of a group of hackers known as ShinyHunters. The hackers exploited the hiring software utilized by the FBI, not the entry point you might expect.

Takeaway: Eep! Your security is only as strong as your weakest component. Consistently updating your software and employing a cybersecurity tool can help protect you against attack.

Oh no – fraud is on the rise, by A LOT.

The Federal Trade Commission specifically tracks fraud and has discovered an alarming recent trend. In the six years since 2020, fraud has nearly tripled. The steepest increase has been in “impersonation fraud,” which is when the bad actor pretends to be from an entity known to the victim: their bank, their phone company, their niece or nephew. These scams can come to you through email, text message, phone call, or social media.

Takeaway: The rise of AI means that anyone, not just older generations, can fall prey to these scams.