Meerkat Alerts
Interaction “hooks” and how to avoid them
While the wording of fake messages is ever-evolving, a scammer’s intention is always the same: to interrupt your rational thought processes long enough that you divulge sensitive security information.
Anatomy of a dodgy message
My niece once had a guinea pig called Mr Bingley. He was a free-ranging fellow who lived underfoot, scuffling and grunting to himself while trying to dodge the children catching him for cuddles. Mr...
Coffee and Wi-Fi
Picture yourself opening the door to your local café. The rain is lashing down outside but indoors everything is safe and cosy, wrapped in the steamy scent of freshly ground coffee beans. You...
Did you really say “catfishing”?
If you haven't yet heard the term catfishing, never fear! Here's a dash of 21st century cultural education to get you up to speed. But before we dive into the details: are you, or perhaps a friend...
One more way to sidestep social engineering
Do you have that one friend on social media who fills in Facebook Quizzes as fast as you drink your morning coffee - or perhaps you ARE that friend on social media? We have all seen something like...
What’s a “phishing email”?
Imagine your gate intercom 'dinged' and, on peering out of the front window, you saw a man wearing a sparkly carnival mask standing on your pavement. There's no way you would let him in, would you?...
The SIM Swap Story & Similar Tales
We're looking at something topical this month, because we have been hearing about numerous "SIM swap story" fraud attempts by phone call. This one is clearly doing the rounds, so let's unpack it and...
How To Lock Hackers Out
Do you have an automated garage which allows access straight into the house? That may be convenient to avoid getting soaked during the wild Cape winter storms, but imagine if someone stole the...
