the logo for "NTSC," the National Technology Security Coalition, featuring a gold shield emblem with a dark blue lightning bolt inside. To the right, large dark blue letters spell "NTSC," and below it, the full organization name, "NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY SECURITY COALITION," appears in gold uppercase letters. At the bottom is the bold black text, "Always keeping you safer online." The design is straightforward and professional, set against a clean white background, communicating reliability and cybersecurity expertise.
an elderly couple, a man and a woman, sitting closely together at a wooden table. They are looking intently at a tablet computer that the man is holding. Superimposed over the image are glowing red, futuristic graphics, including a frame around the couple and three cybersecurity icons (a padlock and shields) floating above the tablet. Across the bottom of the image, the text reads: "Digital Defenses for Mom and Dad".

Cybersecurity News You Can Use

a stylized, futuristic illustration against a vibrant blue and teal background. On the left, white text reads: "What you're doing on social media could explain why you're getting so many spam calls." On the right, a glowing smartphone is surrounded by neon lines of code, data charts, and digital icons. The scene also includes a cup of coffee, a notepad with a pen, and a small plant, creating the impression of a digital workspace.

MAKE IT STOP! Robocalls are up 10% during the first half of this year, especially telemarketing calls generated by AI. We’re talking nearly 30 billion calls, in all! And if you’re getting more than your share, it could be because of what you’re doing on your social media feeds.

  • If your phone number is visible on your social media profile, even just to “friends,” on your online bio, or a business post, it can be scraped and sold to spam call lists. Check LinkedIn, in particular.
  • Oversharing personal details like your job, birthday, or recent purchases helps scammers craft targeted, believable calls.
  • Accepting friend requests from strangers can expose your contact info to bad actors posing as real people.
  • Engaging with quizzes, or “comment to win” posts can easily link your profile to scam databases.


Four steps to managing the flood of calls:

  • Keep your number private. Don’t ever include it in what you post.
  • Enable call-blocking features on your phone (such as “Silence Unknown Callers” on iPhone or call-blocking tools on Android).
  • Consider subscribing to call-blocking apps like Hiya, Robokiller, or Truecaller or carrier-provided solutions (like AT&T ActiveArmor, Verizon Call Filter).
  • And if you get an unidentified call, let it go to voice mail.
the logo for "Cyber Game" on a dark green background. The words "Cyber" and "Game" are stacked vertically in a large, black, sans-serif font. To the upper right, a white, pixelated, hand-shaped mouse cursor with a black outline is pointing at the text.
the CyberKnot logo on a dark green background. The logo features the word "Cyber" in a black, modern font, followed by a gray, intricate symbol of an endless knot. The design concludes with the word "Knot" in the same black font.

Your goal is to find all the words hidden in the puzzle — including one special word called the Master Knot.

  • To make a word, connect letters that touch each other (up, down, sideways, or diagonally). You can either click and drag across the letters or tap them one by one. Tap the last letter again to submit the word.
  • Some words will relate to cybersecurity — others won’t. But finding non-theme words fills up your Hint Meter, which will reveal a hidden theme word.
  • The game ends when you find all the theme words, including the Master Knot. Every letter in the puzzle will be used — and sometimes, the Master Knot may cross over other words!
a police officer with a mustache and a stern expression, sitting at a cluttered desk in a dimly lit office while on the phone. Text at the top of the image reads, "Vish of the Week: The police need to talk to you. Now.", with the word "Now" highlighted in red. Text at the bottom explains the scam: "Using information about you collected from social media and public databases, scammers call and try to scare you into wiring them money. Click to listen to their voicemail. Don't even return the call. You're fine."

Click here to listen to the actual voicemail.

Update Your Passwords Now

These organizations say they have been hacked recently. If you do business with any of these companies, change your account password and use two-factor authentication wherever possible.

a grid of six company logos, arranged in two rows of three. Top row, from left to right: the Allianz logo in blue; the black Louis Vuitton LV monogram; and the black Dior wordmark. Bottom row, from left to right: the blue Columbia University crest; the epiSource logo in green and blue; and the PeopleCheck logo, featuring white text on a green square.

Get smarter!

A conceptual digital illustration shows a large white smartphone lying flat on a white surface. Emerging vertically from the phone’s screen are several tall, white bookshelves arranged in a row. Each bookshelf is filled with colorful books and magazines, representing a vast digital library. The shelves appear three-dimensional and realistic, giving the impression that a physical library is coming to life from within the device. The phone’s details — including the home button, charging port, and side buttons — are visible, emphasizing the connection between modern technology and access to unlimited information. The image symbolizes e-libraries, digital learning, and the convenience of mobile access to knowledge.

You can now check out our previous newsletters here.

One more thing...

Show this video to your parents.

It’s made entirely using AI by YouTuber Travis Bible and shows beyond a doubt
how technology is blurring the line between what’s real and what’s computer-generated. 

Created by Travis Bible at @thetravisbible  |  Used with permission. 

Answers to Your
Cybersecurity Questions

a young man in a futuristic setting, looking intently at his smartphone. A bright, blue light emanates from his mouth, visually representing his voice being captured or digitized by the phone. Holographic, high-tech graphics float in the air around him. Superimposed over the scene is white text that reads: "I'm worried about AI stealing my voice."

“How can you prevent AI robocalls from recording your voice and then using it to access your bank information?”

Good question: scammers can use AI to clone voices using only a few seconds of audio. That means your voicemail, a quick phone call, or even a video on social media could be used to fool your bank or your loved ones.

Here are five ways to stay safe:

  • Use your phone’s default greeting. Even a short “Hi, this is Sam…” can give scammers enough to mimic your voice! On your iPhone or Android phone, go to Settings > Voicemail > Choose default greeting.
  • When an unknown number calls, let them talk first. Saying “Hello?” gives them more to work with.
  • Think twice before posting videos that include your voice on social media, especially ones with your name or words like “yes” or “no.”
  • Pick a code word only trusted contacts know. If someone calls in a panic, ask for it before you do anything.
  • And finally, send unknown calls straight to voicemail. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.
a paper shredder in a cool-toned, abstract setting. Instead of paper, the shredder is churning out a pile of glowing, three-dimensional digital data, represented by various letters and symbols. These digital fragments are overflowing from the machine and scattered around, with more blurred fragments falling in the background. Across the bottom of the image, white text asks the question: "Are data removal services worth the money?"

“I signed up for a data removal service but heard that it’s not a great investment. Are data removal services worth it?”

Data removal services say they’ll remove your personal information from people-search sites, but none can wipe you completely. The best ones remove around 60–70% of your data over a few months, while others barely hit 35%. New data broker sites pop up constantly, and your info can reappear even after being removed.

Consumer Reports says EasyOptOuts and Optery had the best success rates. Services like Confidently and ReputationDefender didn’t do as well. Plus, at $8 to $25 a month, they’re not cheap.

Ironically, doing it yourself, submitting opt-out requests manually, is probably faster and more effective, but involves a lot more work on your part. Just know: no service is “set it and forget it.”

a transparent, glass-like robotic hand holding a smartphone. On the phone's screen, an online banking application is open. The scene is illuminated by futuristic red and blue lights against a purple background. At the bottom, white text asks: "Is it safe to use my online banking app?"

“Would it be better to take the banking apps off my phone and just call the bank daily to check on my accounts?”

No, for most people, keeping the banking app with good security practices is safe and far more practical than relying on calling your bank every day.

But be smart. Use two-factor authentication to log into your bank account. (Most banks require that these days anyway.)

Set up instant alerts so you’re notified by text or email when there’s activity on your account.

And log out of your banking app when you’re done.

Send us your cybersecurity question for possible use in a future newsletter.

One more thing video courtesy of Travis Bible, on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFqIZjhLR7b2DaBGVIAEQgQ | Original content © 2025 Aware Force LLC