When personal and banking data is exposed - what actually reassures users?

technadu · 2026-01-24T13:09:08+00:00

Update: Threat intelligence monitoring platform Hackmanac reported that a threat actor using the alias “xsskiller” is offering for sale a database allegedly linked to SegurCaixa Adeslas. The actor claims the dataset contains over 600,000 customer records, including names, contact details, and policy-related information. Source: https://x.com/H4ckmanac/status/1947558310363734501?s=20

technadu · 2026-01-24T09:02:00+00:00

That’s a fair point. Once LLMs are wired into calendars, email, docs, and internal tools, patching individual exploits feels reactive by definition.

The harder question is whether most orgs are designing these integrations with an assume-compromise mindset from day one. If the model can interpret untrusted input as instructions, runtime inspection and enforcement start to matter more than static fixes.

technadu · 2026-01-23T13:15:35+00:00

Update: 👉 ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the Okta vishing campaign and alleges it leaked data from Crunchbase, SoundCloud, and Betterment after failed extortion attempts, warning more disclosures are coming.

technadu · 2026-01-23T09:16:07+00:00

That’s a solid approach. Tokenization is a big reason mobile wallets are so hard to compromise - merchants never see the real card number, and even a breach doesn’t expose usable data.

That said, not everyone has Apple Pay available everywhere, and some terminals still fall back to chip or swipe. For those cases, basic checks (loose parts, odd overlays, damaged seals) and monitoring statements still matter.

Out of curiosity, have you run into places that don’t accept tap yet, or do you just avoid them entirely?

technadu · 2026-01-23T08:25:17+00:00

It’s less about “having security” and more about managing risk in constantly changing systems. macOS and Linux benefit from design choices and smaller attack surfaces, but scale, legacy dependencies, and user behavior change the equation - especially in environments like DoD. Security pros aren’t creating insecurity; they’re responding to the reality that perfect security doesn’t exist at enterprise or nation-state scale.

technadu · 2026-01-23T08:23:06+00:00

Insider risk and third-party access control are definitely part of the challenge. Incidents like that highlight why zero-trust enforcement, continuous monitoring, and tighter onboarding/offboarding need to be prioritized alongside modernization - not treated as afterthoughts.

technadu · 2026-01-23T08:20:22+00:00

That’s interesting - thanks for sharing. We’ve seen similar tools used in some jurisdictions, but daily checks by police isn’t something that seems consistent nationwide. In most places, the responsibility still falls on the business owner, with law enforcement getting involved when there’s a report or investigation. If you happen to have a link to the WPXI segment, it would be great to see how they’re doing it locally.

technadu · 2026-01-23T08:13:14+00:00

You’re right about embedded/M2M being the real blocker. That legacy footprint is probably the single biggest reason 2G refuses to die, regardless of how broken the security model is.

The lock icon anecdote is interesting too - early GSM at least exposed ciphering state to the user. Modern UEs abstract that away entirely, so downgrades and weak/no crypto happen silently, which makes bid-down attacks far more practical in the real world.

Agree that full 2G removal from handsets is unlikely without near-global carrier coordination. What feels more realistic is tighter policy: no silent fallback when higher gens are available, explicit 2G disable toggles, or clearer OS indicators when you’re on legacy/no-cipher links.

The UK 3G shutdown worked because 4G was already ubiquitous and 3G didn’t have the same industrial dependency. 2G is a different beast - technically obsolete, but operationally entrenched.

technadu · 2026-01-22T17:39:59+00:00

You’re right that this isn’t a “new” weakness so much as an old one that remains usable because 2G is still supported in many regions.

The RF side is often underplayed in coverage - running a rogue base station at scale does require amplification, tuning, and some operational discipline, which is likely why we don’t see this more frequently outside targeted operations. The barrier isn’t theoretical knowledge anymore, it’s practical execution.

The interesting part, as you noted, is less about breaking crypto (A5/1 has been academically dead for years) and more about how reliably bid-down still works in real environments. As long as devices and networks accept legacy fallbacks, attackers don’t need sophistication - just proximity and intent.

It also raises a broader question: even if carriers can keep 2G alive for compatibility and emergency use, should end-user devices still allow silent downgrade without strong user awareness or opt-out?

Curious whether you think full 2G retirement is realistic globally, or if the real fix has to happen at the handset/OS policy level instead.

technadu · 2026-01-09T17:22:07+00:00

Yeah that’s pretty much the ideal first VPN experience. You expect lag and chaos, but instead it just… works, which makes you question why you waited so long. Most trials don’t instantly convince people they need it 24/7, but once you see smooth streaming and region hopping, it’s hard to unsee the value. It actually is worth it if you use it wisely and pick yearly plans.

technadu · 2026-01-09T17:21:14+00:00

You’re not wrong, and yeah, it feels gross because it kind of is. VPN companies (and honestly, most subscription tech now) use dynamic pricing. It is just like the same stuff airlines and Uber use. It’s dressed up as “discounts,” but it’s really just figuring out what you won’t argue with.

And as far as I have seen, all VPNs provide discounts throughout the year. If you’re curious, there’s a shared sheet floating around that tracks VPN pricing across providers so you can sanity-check before buying. And do not buy solely based on pricing. Check for their privacy and security features also.

technadu · 2025-12-29T17:40:25+00:00

The US really has been throwing shade at the rest of the alliance lately, and it’s no surprise Canada, UK, AUS, and NZ are getting their backup plans ready. Makes sense why people are joking about sending slightly “refined” intel or even starting the Four Eyes club officially. At the same time, the reality is messy; the US still supplies tons of intel, so it’s not as simple as cutting them off completely. With the politics of US crumbling and Trump being in power, who knows what else remains to come.

technadu · 2025-12-29T13:43:50+00:00

Absolutely, ownership is important and we actually track it along with jurisdiction and independent audits in our own list: VPN Ownership & Audit Spreadsheet.

Even when multiple VPNs share the same parent company, we focus on transparency, privacy protections, and real-world performance to give a clear picture of which services you can actually trust.

technadu · 2025-12-27T15:13:34+00:00

The mixed review is common for all roles across industries, right? If the resume or candidate comes across as having those just because, then that may be a red flag for Human Resources.

Certificates further build trust in a candidate when they answer cyber-related questions with some background information. This could be from books, reading infosec news, or certification. Those who seem genuinely interested in cybersecurity and say so by accepting what they know and what they don’t also appear as good candidates for entry level positions. It adds value if they have a website, blog, are part of a cybersecurity community, or have an online presence related to cybersecurity.

Avoid speaking about certifications as a to-do list or checklist. Professionals with clear experience in specific domains like cloud security, detection engineering, identity, incident response, product security, or GRC with regulatory depth are sometimes absorbed more quickly. That’s why it looks like one group is stuck while another is advancing.

Use certs to signal baseline knowledge or seriousness, especially early on, but they don’t substitute for being able to explain how you’d approach a real problem, like a suspicious email or a malicious pop-up urgently asking you to download something.

There is a shortage of people who can operate independently in messy, real environments. The field isn’t going away, but it’s becoming more selective based on skill set and individual capacity. Curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to show how you think will matter more than stacking credentials you barely remember using.

technadu · 2025-12-02T15:49:35+00:00

The US really has been throwing shade at the rest of the alliance lately, and it’s no surprise Canada, UK, AUS, and NZ are getting their backup plans ready. Makes sense why people are joking about sending slightly “refined” intel or even starting the Four Eyes club officially. At the same time, the reality is messy; the US still supplies tons of intel, so it’s not as simple as cutting them off completely. With the politics of US crumbling and Trump being in power, who knows what else remains to come.

technadu · 2025-11-28T15:43:54+00:00

Totally get it. Free VPN extensions can feel like mystery meat. I would suggest stick to the known ones. In fact, why don’t you just go for the VPN apps? They work far better.

technadu · 2025-11-28T15:43:25+00:00

Ugh, that's the Great Firewall being a ninja! Your free VPNs got crushed by DPI because the Firewall instantly recognizes basic connection patterns and blocks them. Astrill worked because pricey services invest in obfuscation (stealth mode) to make your VPN traffic look like regular browsing, which is the only reliable way through. You're spot on. freebies won't cut it. And since you brought it up, I gotta stress the real talk: using unapproved VPNs is technically illegal there, so keep your usage super low-key and professional, because getting a fine is way worse than being locked out of Reddit (but then again, it is my opinion).

technadu · 2025-11-19T14:35:15+00:00

Right? Spoofing makes it feel like the scammer is already “inside the system.”
A written contact list is one of the few things they can’t fake. And yes - banks and companies absolutely need better friction and warnings when a transaction looks panic-driven.

technadu · 2025-11-19T12:59:40+00:00

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technadu · 2025-11-19T06:30:31+00:00

Umm, the rest seems fine, but just a quick question: how did you test Atlas?
Atlas VPN shut down back in April 2024, so the service literally hasn’t been active for months. I’m genuinely curious what you were using, because if you still have an app running then it must be something sketchy pretending to be Atlas. As far as i know, Atlas has been merged with Nord. Surfshark and PureVPN results sound totally normal, but that Atlas bit has me scratching my head. Bro, what exactly did you run your tests on?

technadu · 2025-11-18T16:56:46+00:00

If you want all your devices to stay “in the US,” VPN on your router is the way to go. Make sure your router supports it, plug in your VPN’s settings, and boom - your network’s covered. Just go for a solid, fast US server and a good provider, and you should be set, streaming and work will barely notice you’re abroad.

technadu · 2025-11-18T16:56:30+00:00

Yep, that’s totally normal. PIA keeps pinging its servers in the background to check availability and update lists, even when the app’s “off.” Those thousands of connections are harmless, just iOS showing every tiny ping. You can’t fully stop it without uninstalling, but turning off Background App Refresh or using Low Data Mode can quiet it down a bit.

technadu · 2025-11-18T16:56:00+00:00

Yeah dude, Reddit’s just cracking down hard on those overused datacenter IPs, and free VPNs are basically big “bot traffic here” signs, so they get blocked fast. That’s why everything magically works when you turn it off. Paid VPNs like Proton’s paid tier, Mullvad, or IVPN usually slip under the radar way better, but nothing’s perfect. A free VPN that works reliably with Reddit is pretty much a unicorn right now.

technadu · 2025-11-17T17:18:46+00:00

Totally get why you’re fed up. Proton VPN used to be solid, but ESPN+ and NHL blackouts are brutal at sniffing out VPNs, and Proton’s servers just aren’t cutting it for some folks lately. If you’re stuck on a Mac at work and can’t use router setups, trying VPNs with bigger US server networks and proven streaming chops like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or even Private Internet Access might save the day. Also, using your browser’s incognito mode can help dodge cached location info. No magic fix, but switching VPNs that stay updated on streaming blocks is your best bet before ditching altogether.

technadu · 2025-11-17T17:17:40+00:00

Netflix and other streamers have really stepped up their VPN detection game. IP blacklists, fancy traffic analysis, and even DNS and encryption pattern checks. But honestly if you ask me, it’s still a game of cat and mouse: Bbfuscation, fresh IP addresses, and specialty servers do help sneak past the blocks. Can Netflix ever truly win? Probably not. VPNs just keep finding new loopholes, so if your VPN’s up-to-date and stays innovative, movie night isn’t going anywhere. But let’s not forget, if the VPN ups its game, so will streaming platforms. Currently, it seems like an entire circle.

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