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Unsolicited Packages, Hidden Threats

August 27, 2025

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20 min read

Unsolicited Packages, Hidden Threats: Brushing Scams Evolve Into Weaponized Attacks

An increasingly disturbing form of cybercrime is gaining traction across the U.S., merging the old-world tactic of unsolicited “brushing” packages with modern digital deception.

Once considered a quirky annoyance, brushing scams involved merchants sending low-value items—rubber chickens, novelty toys, knock-off electronics—to strangers in order to falsely inflate online reviews. The packages often arrived with the recipient’s name, address, and even phone number, despite no order being placed. While strange, these incidents were generally considered harmless.

That’s no longer the case.

Recent reports from the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service now warn of a darker evolution of the tactic. A growing number of these packages include QR codes—innocuous on the surface but weaponized beneath.

How It Works:

Recipients receive an unexpected package with their correct contact information.
A QR code is included—printed on an insert, stickered to the item, or part of a fake warranty or survey offer.
Once scanned, the QR code leads to:
- Phishing sites designed to harvest personal credentials and banking data
- Malware payloads that infect mobile devices and exfiltrate data silently
- Surveys or contests that act as social engineering traps to gather sensitive information

Security experts say this marks a significant evolution in hybrid attacks—where physical social engineering intersects with digital exploitation. It also raises deeper concerns about how easily threat actors can access or purchase consumer information from data brokers, enabling them to create extremely believable delivery scams.

What You Should Do:

Never scan QR codes from unknown or unsolicited packages.
Report suspicious deliveries to the USPS Inspector General or your local law enforcement.
Monitor your credit and bank accounts if you believe your information may have been compromised.
Consider placing a freeze on your credit file with major bureaus if strange deliveries continue.

Law enforcement officials are still investigating the origin of these campaigns, with some believed to be linked to state-sponsored or international cybercrime rings.

This is no longer about free merchandise. It’s about infiltration, exploitation, and deception—delivered in an Amazon-sized box.

The real question is:

When that next package arrives… will you scan it?

Mobile-Arena

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YOU NEED TO UPDATE ALL OF YOUR DEVICES RIGHT NOW

August 23, 2025

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20 min read

YOU NEED TO UPDATE ALL OF YOUR DEVICES RIGHT NOW

🍎 An Apple a Day… Doesn’t Fix Zero-Day Bugs

The latest iOS 18.6.2 update addresses a serious vulnerability in ImageIO, Apple’s image processing framework. This means a simple image—yes, just a picture—could be the entry point for a full-scale attack on your device.

Why this matters for SMBs, law firms, healthcare, and schools:

This isn’t some theoretical cybercrime. It’s real, it’s targeted, and it’s effective.

Attackers have used this exploit against:

Government officials
Journalists
Human rights advocates
And potentially… your organization next

If your business handles sensitive data—like patient records, legal files, or student information—this exploit could compromise it all through a single image.

What should you do now?

Update all Apple devices immediately (iPhones, iPads, Macs)
Enable automatic updates organization-wide
Review endpoint protection to detect image-based exploits
Consider MDM (Mobile Device Management) for visibility and control

Even if you’re using Android, don’t relax—turn on auto-updates and ensure you’re on the latest software version. This isn’t about Apple vs. Android. It’s about staying vigilant.

What this means going forward:

Cybersecurity isn’t just about blocking phishing links and malware anymore. Threat actors are getting more creative, exploiting features we take for granted—like how a phone processes images.

Staying safe requires layered defenses, regular updates, and a zero-trust mindset. In 2025, patching isn’t optional—it’s operational survival.

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses, I can help protect yours.

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Would you use this phone charger if you saw it in a cafe?

August 22, 2025

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20 min read

Would you use this phone charger if you saw it in a cafe?

That innocent-looking public charger could be a cybercriminal’s bait — and it’s called Juice Jacking.

Here’s how it works:

Hackers leave tampered USB chargers or modify public ports in cafés, hotels, airports, and train stations.

The moment you plug in:

You think you’re charging your phone 📱
But in reality, you’re handing over your data, contacts, and credentials

What can they do?

Copy your personal files and photos
Steal your login details and financial info
Install malware that follows you home

And the worst part?

You won’t even know it happened.

🔒 How to protect yourself:

✅ Use your own charger — plug into a mains outlet only

✅ Carry a portable power bank

✅ If you must use a public USB port, use a USB data blocker (ask me how to get one for free from Gigabit Systems).

Cyber threats aren’t always flashy.

Sometimes, they’re disguised as convenience.

Stay alert. Stay charged — safely.

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Travel

The Rise of Mobile SMS Blaster Attacks

August 22, 2025

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20 min read

The Rise of Mobile SMS Blaster Attacks

Smishing is on the Move…

New cybercriminal tactics show that spam isn’t just digital anymore

Forget everything you know about SMS spam. Cybercriminals have upped the game—and they’re doing it from the back of a car.

A new scheme originating from China involves mobile smishing units: vehicles equipped with SMS blasters that broadcast phishing messages directly to nearby phones, completely bypassing traditional spam filters and carrier-level protections.

How It Works

Here’s how these smishing attacks are being deployed:

🚘 Drivers are paid ~$75/day to operate in 8-hour shifts.
📡 Each SMS blaster has a broadcast range of roughly 100 yards.
🛍️ Routes often target residential areas, shopping centers, and high-foot-traffic zones.
📍Vehicles are GPS-tracked to verify coverage and completion.

The result? Localized phishing attacks that don’t rely on email servers or spoofed numbers—just proximity.

Why This Is So Dangerous

Unlike traditional spam, which can be filtered out at the carrier or device level, these broadcast-style smishing messages are undetectable until they hit your phone.

They don’t need internet access.

They don’t need contact lists.

They just need to be nearby.

This is a physical + digital hybrid threat—and it’s forcing cybersecurity experts to think differently.

What You Can Do

For businesses and institutions (especially those managing sensitive data), here’s how to respond:

Educate employees to never click on links in unsolicited text messages—even if they seem local or urgent.
Implement mobile device management (MDM) tools that can flag or sandbox risky SMS content.
Harden Wi-Fi and guest network access, as attackers could also use proximity to stage broader attacks.
Report strange activity—especially clusters of smishing complaints in a geographic area—to law enforcement or mobile carriers.

This isn’t just spam.

It’s weaponized mobility.

And it’s only a matter of time before it spreads beyond China.

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses. I can help protect yours.

#CyberSecurity

#Smishing

#MobileThreats

#MSP

#PhishingAttack

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Businesses running Windows 10 are on a ticking clock

August 15, 2025

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20 min read

⌛ Tick Tock: Windows 10 Support Ends October 2025

Businesses running Windows 10 are on a ticking clock

Microsoft has officially announced the end-of-servicing date for Windows 10, version 22H2 and other legacy builds:

🗓️ October 14, 2025.

This includes:

Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education (22H2)
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise (22H2)
Windows 10 2015 LTSB
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB 2015

The October 2025 Patch Tuesday will be the final round of security updates, bug fixes, and support. After that—no more protection.

What This Means for Your Business

If you’re a school, healthcare provider, law firm, or SMB still running Windows 10, here’s what happens after October 14, 2025:

🚨 No more security patches—leaving systems vulnerable to cyber threats.
⚠️ Compliance risks—especially in HIPAA, FERPA, and client confidentiality contexts.
🐞 No bug fixes or technical support from Microsoft.
💸 Increased exposure to attacks from threat actors targeting outdated systems.

What You Should Do Now

Here’s how to protect your organization and stay compliant:

Inventory your devices — Identify all machines still running Windows 10 22H2, 2015 LTSB, or IoT Enterprise LTSB 2015.
Upgrade eligible devices to Windows 11 — Use tools like Microsoft Intune, Autopatch, or Autopilot.
Enroll in the ESU (Extended Security Updates) program — If you can’t upgrade in time, this will buy you a bit more runway with critical patches.

Delaying this process puts your entire network at risk.

Don’t wait until October 2025 to act. We can help you assess, upgrade, and secure every endpoint.

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses. I can help protect yours.

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Must-Read

Is Apple dropping the ball

August 15, 2025

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20 min read

Is Apple dropping the ball? 🤔📱

Because lately, my iPhone’s talk-to-text has been straight-up chaos.

Mid-sentence—💥—it freezes.

Mic’s on. Nothing types.

The “solution”? Restart the whole phone like it’s 2007.

And when it does work? Buckle up.

I said: “Let’s touch base next week.”

It typed: “Let’s touch bass next week.” 🎸

I said: “Thanks for the quick update.”

It gave me: “Thanks for the thick cupcake.” 🧁

(Not mad about it… just confused.)

I said: “Let’s circle back.”

It heard: “Let’s twerk in the back.” 😳

(…Not the corporate vibe I was going for.)

Apple, you’re supposed to be the gold standard in UX.

How did one of your most helpful features turn into a glitchy improv show?

Anyone else experiencing this?

Drop your funniest talk-to-text fails below.

Let’s make some noise. 🗣💬

Technology

Must-Read

RANT TIME- Google, you broke Gomez superpower

August 15, 2025

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20 min read

RANT TIME: Google, you broke Gomez’s superpower. 😡

He used to be that guy — the one who could find any photo in seconds.

Birthday in 2017? Found.

Blurry shot of a weird sandwich from that road trip? Boom—3 seconds.

Then came the glorious update:

✨ Google Photos AI Search ✨

Oooh fancy. Sparkles and all.

Except now?

He can’t find anything.

type “wedding” → it shows a dog.

type “camp” → it gives snow.

And the best part? THERE’S. NO. WAY. TO. GO. BACK.

Already tried:

🔄 Deleting the app

🧹 Reinstalling

🛐 Praying

🧠 Even thinking like an AI

But nope. Still lost in the matrix.

Google forced the new AI search down our throats, and I went from search ninja 🥷 to flailing Luddite 📵.

Why do tech companies always “improve” the one thing that worked perfectly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Google:

Not every upgrade is an improvement.

You overengineered the wheel and gave us a trapezoid.

Let. Me. Go. Back.

Sincerely,

A frustrated ex-photo-wizard who now can’t find his kid’s 3rd birthday pics.

#UXFail #GooglePhotos #AIOverreach #TechGoneWrong #BringBackClassic #UserExperience #TooSmartToBeUseful #SearchShouldJustWork #ProductivityKillers #ProductDesign #InnovationFail

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WhatsApp, I’ve got your next killer feature idea…

August 14, 2025

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20 min read

WhatsApp, I’ve got your next killer feature idea…

Imagine this:

You want to send a batch of photos the recipient can view once — and then poof, gone forever.

Perfect for:

• The vacation album that’s “fun” but maybe not HR-approved 🏖️😉

• The 1,000 baby pics your mom will screenshot… but now she can’t 🍼📵

• The “what happens in Vegas” shots that should stay in Vegas 🎲🍹

• The surprise gift pics you don’t want accidentally discovered 🎁🫢

Snapchat and Instagram figured it out.

Why not WhatsApp?

Messaging Apps Are the New Workspaces

With millions of professionals relying on messaging platforms for both personal and professional communication, feature innovation isn’t just about fun—it’s about trust and utility.

End-to-end encryption isn’t enough if the user experience is stuck in 2017.

Sometimes we want to share a moment, not create a permanent archive.

Sometimes we want temporary transparency, not lasting liability.

Sometimes we just want to send a pic without it becoming Exhibit A.

Why This Matters for Business

Think about it:

You’re previewing a confidential prototype.
You’re sending visual onboarding docs with sensitive info.
You’re sharing internal updates with the board, or vendor pricing.

Should that live forever in someone’s chat history?

Probably not.

Businesses today demand privacy settings that keep up with the pace of communication.

One-time view photos and expiring messages aren’t a gimmick — they’re a cyber hygiene necessity.

If WhatsApp wants to stay competitive, it has to evolve beyond “blue ticks” and “last seen.”

Would you use this feature?

Or is it just me trying to save my camera roll from becoming a subpoena?

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AI tools like McDonald’s hiring bot are fast and frighteningly insecure

August 14, 2025

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20 min read

🤖 Would You Trust “Olivia” With Your Client Data?

AI tools like McDonald’s hiring bot are fast—and frighteningly insecure

In the race to automate hiring, McDonald’s deployed an AI chatbot named Olivia. She asks for your résumé, schedules interviews, and even makes small talk. But until last week, Olivia had a serious flaw:

Her admin password was “123456.”

Thanks to basic security failures by AI vendor Paradox.ai, the personal data of up to 64 million McDonald’s job applicants was potentially exposed. According to security researchers, anyone could have accessed applicant names, emails, phone numbers, and chat logs—simply by guessing that laughable password.

This Isn’t Just McDonald’s Problem

Think this can’t happen to your organization? Think again.

That AI assistant answering calls at your clinic? What happens if its admin panel is unsecured?
The chatbot handling admissions at your school? Could it be exposing student data?
That outsourced HR platform your firm uses? Is it storing résumés—and vulnerabilities?

When your SMB, healthcare practice, law firm, or school integrates third-party tech, you inherit their risks.

AI Isn’t the Problem—Negligence Is

The real danger isn’t artificial intelligence. It’s artificial confidence—believing that just because it’s automated, it’s secure. This breach highlights three crucial lessons:

Audit your third-party tools—especially those handling personal data.
Vet AI vendors for security history, bug bounty programs, and breach transparency.
Partner with an MSP that enforces cybersecurity best practices and performs vendor risk assessments.

Cyberattacks rarely start with complex code. They start with human laziness—like choosing “123456.”

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses. I can help protect yours.