Threat Intelligence

Security awareness tips, industry news, and product updates.

Security analyst reviewing a suspicious device login code on a laptop
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Device Code Phishing Is Moving Into Criminal Toolkits

Device code phishing is spreading through criminal toolkits and phishing-as-a-service offerings. Here is how the Microsoft 365 attack works and what teams should do next.

Marcus Chen·5/15/2026·8 min read
Driver checking a suspicious toll payment text message on a mobile phone
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Road Toll Smishing Scams: Lessons from Operation Road Trap

Bitdefender's Operation Road Trap research shows how toll, parking, and traffic-fine smishing has scaled across countries. Here is what employees and security teams should watch for.

Elena Vasquez·5/15/2026·7 min read
Security team reviewing a suspicious compliance email on a laptop
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Microsoft AiTM Phishing Alert: Lessons for US Teams

Microsoft is warning US organizations about a sophisticated code-of-conduct phishing campaign using PDFs, CAPTCHA gates, and AiTM token theft. Here is what security teams should watch for next.

Rachel Andersen·5/6/2026·7 min read
Marketing employee reviewing a social media account alert on a laptop
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Facebook Phishing Through Google: What Teams Should Do

A new campaign abused Google AppSheet emails to steal Facebook business accounts at scale. Here is what your team should watch for and how empowsec helps build the right response habits.

Marcus Chen·5/5/2026·7 min read
Aerospace technology and rocket engineering facility representing the defense software targeted in the spear-phishing campaign
Phishing & Social EngineeringThreat Intelligence

Chinese Spy Used Spear Phishing to Steal NASA Defense Software

A Chinese national posed as U.S.-based researchers for years, using spear-phishing emails to trick NASA employees and military personnel into handing over restricted aerospace software. The case is a masterclass in why identity verification matters.

Marcus Chen·4/30/2026·7 min read
Person scanning a QR code on a smartphone with a laptop open in the background
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Quishing in 2026: The QR Phishing Tricks Your Tools Still Miss

QR code phishing has evolved far beyond a simple scan-and-steal. Split codes, Unicode fakes, CAPTCHA gates, and state-sponsored campaigns are rewriting the rulebook — and most security stacks still can't read a QR code.

Elena Vasquez·4/22/2026·13 min read
Healthcare worker reviewing patient records on a secure computer terminal
Compliance & RegulationsThreat Intelligence

NTBHA Breach: 285K Records and HIPAA Lessons for 2026

A three-day intrusion at North Texas Behavioral Health Authority exposed 285,086 patient records. Here's what went wrong and how healthcare teams can harden their HIPAA defenses.

Natalie Hoffmann·4/21/2026·6 min read
Employee taking a suspicious phone call while working at a laptop
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

ATHR Vishing-as-a-Service: AI Voice Scams Go Plug and Play

A new criminal toolkit called ATHR bundles AI voice agents, phishing emails, and real-time credential harvesting into a single browser-based platform. Here's how vishing-as-a-service is reshaping social engineering and what your organization can do about it.

Marcus Chen·4/19/2026·10 min read
Business traveler reviewing a hotel booking on a laptop in an airport lounge
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Booking.com Breach Fuels Targeted Phishing: How to Protect Your Team

Hackers breached Booking.com and are already using stolen reservation data to launch hyper-targeted phishing attacks via email, WhatsApp, and phone. Here's what organizations need to know and how to prepare employees for these real-world social engineering tactics.

Rachel Andersen·4/15/2026·9 min read
Cybersecurity professional analyzing a phishing email alert on a computer screen
Phishing & Social EngineeringSecurity Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

FBI Dismantles $20M Phishing Network: Why Employee Training Is Your Best Defense

The FBI just took down a global phishing-as-a-service platform responsible for $20 million in fraud. Here's what this operation reveals about modern phishing threats and why workforce education is the most effective countermeasure.

Marcus Chen·4/13/2026·6 min read
A municipal government building representing the cybersecurity challenges facing local governments
Security Awareness TipsThreat Intelligence

Foster City Paralyzed by Cyberattack: What Municipal Governments Must Learn

A cyberattack left Foster City, California in a state of emergency for over a week. Here's how it likely happened, why small governments are prime targets, and what municipalities can do to prevent becoming the next headline.

Thomas Eriksson·4/9/2026·7 min read
Smartphone scanning a QR code with a warning overlay indicating a phishing threat
Phishing & Social EngineeringThreat Intelligence

QR Code Phishing Is Surging: How Quishing Bypasses Your Email Security

QR code phishing attacks increased 587% in 2025. Unlike traditional phishing links, QR codes bypass most email security filters entirely. Here's how quishing works and what your organization can do about it.

Marcus Chen·4/8/2026·6 min read