Insights
Welcome to the Black Belt Secure cybersecurity blog, your trusted source for the latest cybersecurity insights, news, and best practices in the ever-evolving world of digital security. Here, you’ll find a wealth of information covering everything from emerging threats and vulnerabilities to practical tips and strategies for protecting your business. Our cybersecurity blog is dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations with the knowledge they need to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape and stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Protecting Your Family: The Rise of Virtual Kidnapping Scams and How to Fight Back
In an era where our digital lives are an open book, cybercriminals are flipping the pages to write terrifying new chapters on virtual kidnapping scams. Imagine receiving a frantic text: "We've kidnapped your child. Pay up now, or else." Attached is a photo that looks...
A New 2FA Phishing Platform On the Market. Just in-time for the Holidays
The 2FA phishing platform known as Tycoon has become the hottest underground commodity of 2025, a browser-based Phishing-as-a-Service (PaaS) tool that completely bypasses traditional multi-factor authentication in real time. Perfectly timed for the holiday rush, this...
ShinySp1d3r Ransomware: New Kid on the Block
The ShinySp1d3r ransomware has burst onto the cybercrime scene as the latest Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) from the notorious ShinyHunters group, marking a bold evolution in their extortion playbook. In a shadowy alliance dubbed Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters (SLH), this...
Why Gen Z’s Password Habits Are the Worst of Any Generation
Gen Z’s password habits are officially the weakest of any generation, according to the shocking 2025 NordPass report. In an era where cybersecurity threats lurk around every digital corner, you'd think the generation that grew up with smartphones glued to their...
US Offensive Cyber Strategy: From Defense to Hitting Back at Nation-State Hackers
US offensive cyber strategy is no longer just talk. At the 2025 Aspen Cybersecurity Summit, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross announced a fundamental shift: America is moving from passive defense to actively imposing costs on adversaries through sanctions,...
Chinese Hackers Targeting Russia: Jewelbug Group Infiltrates Major Russian IT Provider for 5 Months
Chinese hackers targeting Russia — once almost unthinkable given the “no-limits” partnership — are now a reality. A new report from Check Point Research’s Symantec Threat Hunter Team reveals that Jewelbug, a sophisticated Chinese state-linked APT group, quietly...
North Korean IT Workers Inside U.S. Companies: 5 Just Pleaded Guilty in Largest Remote-Hire Fraud Scheme Ever
North Korean IT workers have been secretly employed by hundreds of U.S. companies for years—until November 13, 2025, when five conspirators stood in a Washington, D.C. federal courtroom and pleaded guilty to orchestrating the largest remote-worker identity fraud in...
Why Hackers Can’t Quit the Cloud: Unpacking the 15 Tbps Azure DDoS Attack and Its Ominous Implications
In the ever-escalating arms race of cybersecurity, the 15 Tbps Azure DDoS attack in October 2025 turned the cloud into a full-fledged battleground. This record-breaking assault, measuring 15.72 terabits per second (Tbps) and nearly 3.64 billion packets per second, was...
Prompt Injection: How AI Models Are Being Tricked into Self-Sabotage
As prompt injection becomes a defining vulnerability in artificial intelligence, the very tools designed to enhance productivity—from customer service bots to internal decision-making systems—are now prime targets for exploitation. A groundbreaking 2024 study by...
Cisco DoS Attacks: What You Need to Know About Vulnerabilities in Firewalls and Routers.
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, Cisco DoS attacks are turning trusted enterprise-grade equipment into weapons in the hands of attackers. Recent reports reveal that vulnerabilities in Cisco firewalls and routers—once exploited for full system...
They Are Coming for the AI Agents
The rise of AI agents—autonomous software powered by large language models like those from OpenAI—promises to revolutionize business operations, from automating customer support to streamlining code development. But as these intelligent tools integrate deeper into...
Linux Ransomware: Hackers Are Increasingly Targeting Linux, Not Just Windows
Linux ransomware is surging as a major threat. For years, cybersecurity conversations have revolved around Windows vulnerabilities—think ransomware campaigns exploiting Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or zero-days in Microsoft Office. But a new alert from the...
Co Founder and Vice President
Peter Vavrosky, a cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience in infrastructure and network engineering, co-founded Black Belt Secure in 2020, transforming it into one of North Texas’ most acclaimed cybersecurity firms, recognized with multiple national awards. His work securing critical systems and designing tailored solutions for SMBs highlights his commitment to digital safety. As a university educator, Peter also shapes the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, while his speaking engagements across DFW inspire businesses to prioritize robust security. Read Peter’s full profile for more details.
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