Chris Smith

By Chris Smith, Author of Privacy Pandemic and Founder of DFend In the winter of 2019, I opened my laptop and caught someone else in the act, remotely accessing my device and scraping my Salesforce contacts in real time. I did what anyone might do: I picked up my iPhone and started recording. That video […]

We’re living in the most connected era in human history — and the most vulnerable. Cybercrime is projected to cost the global economy $10.5 trillion this year, yet most security tools still focus on protecting infrastructure, not people. The truth is, we’ve spent decades building digital fences — while leaving the front door open. The

When life presents challenges, it offers us the chance to rebuild, learn, and emerge stronger than before. It’s our resilience that drives us to seek better outcomes, even in the face of adversity. My own disruptive experience with cybercrime and identity theft opened my eyes to a reality I never imagined—one where we are all

According to NIST, did you know that over 95% of organizations allowed the use of personal devices for work even before the pandemic? And that mobile phishing attacks have risen by 161% in recent years? (Lookout) Yet, despite these risks, a majority of companies still lack robust cybersecurity education and policies for remote work and

AI is transforming cybersecurity, reshaping both the threat landscape and defense strategies for companies, and consumers. However, it is estimated that only 10% of companies have integrated AI into their cybersecurity systems, exposing many to increasingly sophisticated, AI-driven cyberattacks. Here’s the problem: Cybercriminals are outpacing AI companies’ use of targeted attacks. For example, did you

Did you know that only an estimated 10% of U.S. consumers*—a mere 34 million out of the 346 million of us—have taken the simple step of freezing their credit files? That’s a powerful statistic, highlighting just how many people remain vulnerable to cybercrime and identity theft. Having experienced a targeted attack on my financial identity,

Biometric data—fingerprints, facial scans, and even voice prints—are often considered the most secure form of identification. However… Recent breaches highlight a concerning vulnerability. Millions of users were potentially exposed to high-profile breaches like the 23andMe incident (October 2023). Hackers used credential-stuffing attacks to access sensitive genetic profiles, raising concerns about identity theft, synthetic identity creation,

The rise of deepfake technology is reshaping how we perceive digital content—and not in a good way. AI advancements have made it easier than ever to create hyper-realistic deepfakes, blending fabricated audio and video with real voices and faces. What once took months to create can now be done in hours. Deepfakes aren’t just being

Identity theft isn’t just a risk anymore—it’s a reality. Right now, there could be hackers trying to steal your personal information, waiting for the right moment to strike. If you think this can’t happen to you, think again. Identity theft happens every 22 seconds. The worst part? Most people don’t even realize their identity has

Have you ever felt a chill down your spine when you hear about a data breach? Have you ever wondered if you were affected, what data was stolen, and what you can do about it? It’s a scary reality that has become commonplace. When companies fail to secure our information, the consequences can be disastrous.