Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Defense (2026)

A fraudulent attempt to steal sensitive data (passwords, credit card numbers) by disguised as a trustworthy entity in an email or message.

A highly targeted phishing attack that uses specific personal details about the victim to appear more convincing.

Using AI-generated audio or video to impersonate a known person (like a CEO or family member) to trick someone into transferring money.

A security system that requires two or more separate forms of identification to access an account (e.g., password + code from an app).

The psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.

Malicious software that encrypts a user's files, with the attacker demanding a payment (ransom) to restore access.

A security model based on the principle "never trust, always verify," requiring strict identity verification for every person and device.

Phishing attacks conducted specifically through SMS (text messages) rather than email.

A software tool that generates, stores, and encrypts complex, unique passwords for all your online accounts.

Voice Phishing; using phone calls or VoIP to trick victims into giving up personal or financial information.

A service that creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet to hide your IP address and data.

Unsecured networks that allow attackers to intercept your data (Man-in-the-Middle attacks) while you browse.

A cyberattack where malware is installed or data is stolen from a device through a public USB charging port.

An incident where sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, or viewed by an unauthorized individual.

The practice of securing entry points of end-user devices (laptops, mobile phones) from being exploited by malicious actors.

A modern replacement for passwords that uses your device’s local authentication (biometrics/PIN) to log into websites securely.

The process of converting information into a secret code that hides the information's true meaning from unauthorized viewers.

A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge.

Looking over someone's shoulder to steal their PIN, password, or sensitive information while they use a device.

A form of spear phishing aimed specifically at high-level executives (the "big fish") of a company.

Distributed Denial of Service; an attempt to crash a website or server by flooding it with an overwhelming amount of traffic.

A subset of MFA that specifically uses two different layers of security to verify a user's identity.