Founded in 1991, Future Quest Technologies was created based on a fresh consumer need: on-site technology delivery. Future Quest Tech strove to be, and successfully became, a woman-owned trusted provider of Information Technology products, services and support.
For 20+ yrs now, I've focused on financial crimes and digital investigations. My aim is to guide other FinCrime Investigators to be the best investigators they can be.
Nate realized his mistake exactly 30,000 feet in the air.
Nate realized his mistake exactly 30,000 feet in the air. His stomach dropped faster than the plane could — he’d left his phone in the airport bathroom while rushing to make his flight. The same phone that automatically logged into his email, banking apps, and company Slack. The same phone that had his address stored in Google Maps. The same phone where he’d recently photographed his passport and driver’s license “just in case.” The phone he failed to secure because he was POSITIVELY SURE he would NEVER EVER leave it somewhere unattended. Oops.
Free Money!
Meanwhile, on the ground, Marcus smirked as he picked up the unlocked iPhone. Within an hour, he had:
Transferred $2,000 from Nate’s banking app to a digital wallet
Accessed Nate’s work email to send “urgent wire transfer” requests to accounting
Downloaded his stored passwords from the browser
Found his home address and added himself to Nate’s Amazon account
Used Nate’s rideshare app to take free trips around the city
Accessed personal photos and documents for potential blackmail
By the time Nate landed three hours later, his life had unraveled. His bank account was empty, his company was compromised, and his identity was at risk.
his life had unraveled
If only he’d followed basic mobile security:
A strong screen lock would have stopped immediate access
Two-factor authentication would have prevented account access
Remote wiping could have erased sensitive data
Password manager encryption would have protected his credentials
Automatic logout settings would have required sign-in for sensitive apps
Find My Phone could have located or disabled the device immediately
Instead, Nate spent the next six months dealing with identity theft, explaining the data breach to his employer, and rebuilding his digital life from scratch.
enable every security feature available
When he finally got a new phone, the first thing he did was enable every security feature available. Sometimes the best lessons are learned the hard way.
Looking to bring your story to life? I’m a professional writer, ghostwriter and cybersecurity expert available for creative and commercial projects. Let’s collaborate on making your vision a reality. Learn More About Me, I’d love to know how I may help you with your current or next project.
In today’s interconnected world, our social media presence can transform from a source of joy to a gateway for those with malicious intent. Just ask Faye Anne, whose digital journey took an unfortunate turn…
Faye Anne’s Digital Dilemma
Faye Anne loved making people smile, both in person and online. When she joined Facebook, her witty comments and kind heart quickly drew attention. Each friend request came with a lovely message — a fellow gardener admiring her prize roses, a supposed distant cousin researching family history, or someone claiming to share her passion for vintage teacups.
“Well, isn’t that sweet?” she’d think, clicking “Accept” while sipping her morning coffee. What Faye didn’t realize was that each acceptance gave strangers access to her carefully curated photo albums, including pictures of her grandchildren, her home, and her beloved cat Mr. Whiskertons.
Within months, fake Faye Annes began sprouting across social media. Her smiling profile picture appeared on dating sites, and scammers used her trusted face to request emergency funds from her real friends. They pieced together her life like a puzzle — her maiden name (proudly displayed in her family genealogy group), her high school (visible in her “Class of ‘78” posts), and even her first pet’s name (mentioned in a nostalgic throwback Thursday post).
Picture by Author
Soon, these digital breadcrumbs led to compromised email accounts, bank logins, and credit card fraud. Her natural wit and charm, weaponized by scammers, had unknowingly helped them seem more credible to her friends and family.
Only accept friend requests from people you know personally
Use privacy settings to limit what strangers can see
Avoid posting identifying information like your birthday, hometown, or mother’s maiden name
Use unique, complex passwords for each account
Enable two-factor authentication on all accounts
Be cautious about posting photos that show your home’s exterior or location
Regularly review your friend list and remove unfamiliar connections
Check privacy settings after each platform update, as they can sometimes reset
Be wary of sharing personal stories that might reveal answers to security questions
Report suspicious duplicate accounts immediately
Remember: in the world of social media, kindness should always be balanced with caution. Don’t let your friendly nature become a tool for those with sinister intentions.
I am currently seeking opportunities where I can leverage my GRC/Cybersecurity expertise and/or professional writing skills. With experience in security frameworks, risk management, and technical documentation, I offer the rare combination of strong technical understanding and exceptional communication skills. Available for remote positions. Let’s connect to discuss how my dual expertise can benefit your organization.
Greta stared at her inbox in horror. 5,684 unread emails. Her thumb trembled as she scrolled through endless promotional offers, fake banking alerts, and suspicious links promising millions from foreign princes. How had it come to this? Just six months ago, her inbox had been manageable. Now, it was a digital nightmare.
It started innocently enough. Greta had entered a few online contests, signed up for some shopping discounts, and filled out forms for free birthday treats at local restaurants. She’d even registered for a meditation app’s free trial to help with her stress. Oh, the irony.
One morning, after missing an important work email buried in spam, Greta decided enough was enough. She poured herself a large coffee and tackled her inbox like a warrior entering battle.
First, she created a new “shopping” email address just for online purchases and subscriptions. Her personal email would be sacred, shared only with family and close friends. For any public-facing activities or contest entries, she set up a third throwaway address.
Next came the great purge. Instead of just deleting spam, she took the time to properly unsubscribe from legitimate marketing emails using their verified unsubscribe links. She was careful though — anything suspicious went straight to spam without clicking any links. “Nice try, fake Amazon,” she muttered, flagging another phishing attempt.
Greta discovered her email provider’s filter settings were like a hidden superpower. She created rules to automatically sort incoming mail and strengthened her spam filters. When signing up for new services, she started looking carefully for sneaky pre-checked subscription boxes.
The hardest part was breaking old habits. She stopped posting her main email address publicly and became selective about sharing it. When needed, she wrote it as “greta [at] email [dot] com” to outsmart those pesky automated address collectors.
Three months later, Greta’s inbox was transformed. Important emails were easily visible, spam was rare, and her shopping promotions lived in their own dedicated inbox. She even started helping her less tech-savvy friends reclaim their digital lives.
“You know what’s funny?” she told her friend over coffee. “I thought I needed that meditation app to reduce stress. Turns out, I just needed to get my inbox under control.”
The spam didn’t disappear completely — it never does — but Greta had won back control of her digital life. Her new email habits became second nature, and her once-overwhelming inbox became a manageable tool rather than a source of anxiety.
As she looked at her now-organized inbox, showing just five new messages (all legitimate), Greta smiled. Sometimes the best victories are the ones that bring peace to everyday life.
The End
Quick Tips from Greta’s Journey:
Create separate email addresses for different purposes
Use your provider’s spam filters and create custom rules
Properly unsubscribe from legitimate but unwanted emails
Never click links in suspicious emails
Check for automatic subscription boxes when shopping
Protect your main email address from public exposure
Write public email addresses in a format that confuses automated collectors
Take time to mark actual spam as spam to help your filters learn
I am currently seeking opportunities where I can leverage my GRC/Cybersecurity expertise and/or professional writing skills. With experience in security frameworks, risk management, and technical documentation, I offer the rare combination of strong technical understanding and exceptional communication skills. Available for remote positions. Let’s connect to discuss how my dual expertise can benefit your organization.
Meet Mike. He thought he was pretty tech-savvy — until the day his neighbor casually mentioned seeing his garage camera footage. The problem? Mike never shared access to his cameras with anyone.
“But I have a strong Wi-Fi password!” Mike protested, pulling up his phone to check his security camera app. Everything looked normal, but a chill ran down his spine. If his neighbor could see his cameras, who else could be watching?
Mike’s Rude Awakening
Like many of us, Mike had fallen into the “Wi-Fi password trap.” He’d set up his new security cameras last summer, proudly typing in his complex Wi-Fi password: “MikeL0vesP!zza2023!” Sure, maybe he’d left some of the other settings on default (who reads manuals anyway?), but his Wi-Fi was locked down tight. That should be enough, right?
Wrong. As Mike was about to discover, his digital door was wide open, and he’d practically left the keys under the mat.
there’s the key, under the doormat, come on in
The Adventure Begins: Mike’s Security Investigation
After a sleepless night imagining mysterious figures watching his cameras, Mike decided to channel his inner cyber detective. Here’s what he discovered about how criminals could be accessing his cameras (and maybe yours too):
The Default Password Disaster
Remember when Mike skipped the manual? Turns out his cameras were still using the default password: “admin123”. As he later learned, this is like using “password” as your password — it’s the first thing any would-be intruder tries.
“It’s like I installed a high-tech lock on my front door but left a spare key taped to the doorframe,” Mike groaned.
The Forgotten Firmware Fiasco
Mike’s cameras hadn’t been updated since installation. Each one was basically running last year’s security playbook while criminals had developed this year’s tricks. It’s like trying to defend against modern bank robbers using Wild West tactics — spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.
we’re gonna stop you with these old rusty weapons, mwah ha ha ha
Mike’s Mission: Operation Camera Lockdown
Our hero decided it was time for action. Here’s how Mike transformed from security rookie to home security pro (and how you can too):
Phase 1: The Basic Cleanup
First, Mike tackled the easy stuff:
The Great Password Purge Mike replaced every default password with unique, strong combinations. His new approach? Taking favorite movie quotes and turning them into passwords: “I’ll be back” became “1llB3B@ck2024!”
Update Palooza He discovered his cameras had a “Check for Updates” button (who knew?) and spent one Saturday morning updating everything. “It’s like sending your cameras to security school,” he joked.
Phase 2: Network Ninja Training
Mike learned about network segmentation and decided to give his cameras their own “VIP room” in his network. “If my teenager’s gaming PC gets infected with something, my cameras stay safe,” he explained proudly.
Learn from someone else’s mistakes
Mike’s Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)
The Coffee Shop Test
Mike developed what he calls the “Coffee Shop Test”: “If you can access your cameras from the local coffee shop’s Wi-Fi, so can anyone else sitting there.” He now uses a VPN when checking his cameras remotely.
The Monthly Security Party
Every first Sunday of the month, Mike has a “security party” (okay, it’s just him with coffee and his laptop) where he:
Checks for updates
Reviews access logs
Changes passwords
Pretends he’s a hacker trying to break in
“It’s like a monthly health check-up for my cameras,” he says. “Plus, the coffee makes it almost fun!”
Is there a ghost in your camera?
When Things Get Weird: Mike’s Warning Signs
Mike created a simple list of red flags that mean it’s time to panic (or at least investigate):
Camera movements you didn’t command (unless you have a ghost — then you have bigger problems)
Strange access times (especially during your Netflix binge sessions)
Unknown devices showing up in your logs (no, your toaster shouldn’t be accessing your cameras)
The Happy Ending?
Today, Mike’s cameras are fortress-level secure. His neighbor can’t see his garage anymore (though Mike did catch him trying to copy his new security setup).
“It’s not about being paranoid,” Mike explains, sipping his victory coffee. “It’s about being smart. Plus, now I actually know what all those settings in my camera app do!”
Check it once, check it twice
Your Turn: Mike’s Security Checklist
Ready to follow in Mike’s footsteps? Here’s his beginner-friendly checklist:
The Basics
Change those default passwords (seriously, do it now)
Update everything (yes, everything)
Check your Wi-Fi security (WPA3 is your friend)
2. Level Up
Set up two-factor authentication
Create a separate network for cameras
Keep an eye on those access logs
Need Help?
If all this seems overwhelming, remember: Mike started exactly where you are. Take it one step at a time, and don’t be afraid to:
Contact your camera manufacturer (they want to help!)
Join security-focused communities (Mike swears by them)
Consider professional help (sometimes we all need an expert)
Mike’s Final Words
“Security isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being better than you were yesterday. And yes, my Wi-Fi password isn’t ‘MikeL0vesP!zza2023’ anymore. Nice try, though!”
Remember: Your security cameras should be watching others, not the other way around. Now go forth and secure those cameras! 🎥 🔒
Currently seeking opportunities where I can leverage my GRC/Cybersecurity expertise and/or professional writing skills. With experience in security frameworks, risk management, and technical documentation, I offer the rare combination of strong technical understanding and exceptional communication skills. Available for remote positions. Let’s connect to discuss how my dual expertise can benefit your organization.
