Chrestarion

In the rapidly evolving world of cybercrime, one of the most disturbing and lesser-known threats emerging today is something I call “Digital Impersonation as a Service,” a term that may sound like the plot of a science fiction film but is, in reality, a growing underground economy where your identity—your name, your profile picture, your verified social media account, your email address, even your voice or face through deepfake technology—can be hijacked, packaged, and rented out to criminals as if it were a piece of software or a subscription service, and the terrifying part is that you don’t need to be a celebrity, politician, or billionaire to be a target; ordinary students, working professionals, and small business owners are now finding their identities cloned and “leased” on dark web marketplaces to anonymous actors who use them for scams, fraud, disinformation campaigns, and even cross-border crimes, often without the victim realizing until it’s far too late; unlike traditional ...

In today’s hyper-connected world, our mobile number has quietly become one of the most critical keys to our digital life, serving as the foundation for everything from online banking and payment apps to email accounts, social media profiles, and work logins, yet most people don’t realize just how dangerous it can be when that number falls into the wrong hands, and one of the fastest-growing cybercrime tactics that exploits this dependency is something known as the “Silent SIM Swap,” a malicious technique where attackers trick or bribe telecom insiders into transferring your phone number from your existing SIM card to a new one in their possession without your knowledge, effectively hijacking your number and intercepting every call, text, and most importantly, every One Time Password (OTP) or verification code sent to you, which are often the final gatekeepers to your most sensitive accounts; unlike traditional hacks that require breaching your device or network, a SIM swap happens at t...

Public Wi-Fi has become such an ordinary part of our daily digital lives that most of us barely think twice before connecting to the free hotspot at an airport, café, shopping mall, hotel, railway station, college campus, or even in public parks, because it feels convenient, fast, and most importantly, free, yet behind this friendly convenience lies one of the most underestimated cybersecurity dangers in the modern world, a hidden playground for hackers where unsuspecting users often serve up their sensitive information on a silver platter without realizing that they are essentially broadcasting their private data in an environment where strangers—some of whom may have malicious intentions—are free to listen in, manipulate, or even hijack their activities, and the problem stems from the fact that most public Wi-Fi networks, especially the completely open ones that don’t require a password, operate without strong encryption, meaning the data you send and receive is often transmitted “in...

In the early days of the internet, the idea of someone demanding money from you through purely digital means seemed like something out of a futuristic thriller, yet as technology has advanced and more of our lives have moved online, cyber extortion has evolved from a rare, isolated occurrence into a sophisticated and rapidly growing criminal industry that now extends far beyond the traditional image of ransomware locking up your files until you pay a fee, because while ransomware remains one of the most well-known forms of cyber extortion, it has mutated into a multi-pronged ecosystem of threats that can involve stealing your sensitive data, threatening to release it publicly, launching sustained attacks to disable your online presence, or even harassing you personally until you give in to demands, and the most alarming part is that these tactics are no longer limited to attacks on big corporations or government agencies but now frequently target small businesses, schools, local govern...

In today’s hyperconnected world, the ability to instantly share information across continents is both a marvel of human progress and a potential weapon of mass deception, because while the internet and social media platforms have enabled ordinary people to broadcast their voices to millions without the need for traditional gatekeepers like publishers or broadcasters, they have also created an environment where misinformation and fake news can spread faster than verified facts, and in many cases, the falsehood travels so far and wide before the truth catches up that it becomes embedded in the public consciousness, influencing beliefs, decisions, and even shaping political, social, and economic outcomes; misinformation, which is false or misleading information shared without harmful intent, and disinformation, which is deliberately false information created to deceive, both thrive on the architecture of modern communication networks that reward engagement over accuracy, meaning posts tha...

Cybersecurity for small businesses and startups is an area often underestimated, as many owners and even employees assume that only large corporations or government agencies are prime targets for hackers, when in reality the majority of cyberattacks globally are aimed at small and medium enterprises because attackers know these organizations often lack the budget, dedicated IT staff, and robust security systems that larger organizations have, making them easier to breach; the common misconception that “we are too small to be worth hacking” leads to a dangerous lack of preparation, and cybercriminals exploit this by launching phishing campaigns, ransomware attacks, and business email compromise schemes specifically tailored to such businesses, knowing that even a single incident can cripple operations or permanently destroy customer trust; for a startup, where growth depends heavily on credibility, an early breach can be catastrophic—not only because of direct financial losses, but also...

Online shopping has transformed the way people in India and around the world buy products and services, making it possible to order clothes, electronics, groceries, and even furniture from the comfort of one’s home, often with attractive discounts, easy returns, and doorstep delivery, but as convenient as e-commerce has become, it has also opened the door to a rising wave of online shopping frauds that target unsuspecting consumers, especially those who are not yet fully aware of the tricks used by cybercriminals to steal money or personal information; these scams take many forms, from fake shopping websites and counterfeit products to payment frauds, non-delivery of goods, and account takeovers, and they affect everyone—from students ordering affordable gadgets to professionals buying work equipment and families purchasing household items; the key problem is that the same factors that make e-commerce convenient—speed, automation, and anonymity—also make it easier for criminals to expl...

Phishing attacks are among the most persistent and dangerous threats in the digital world, targeting everyone from school and college students to professionals, business owners, and even government officials, and yet many people still underestimate how convincing and damaging these scams can be, largely because phishing has evolved far beyond the crude, obvious spam emails of the early internet days into highly sophisticated, tailored attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links, or downloading harmful attachments; the term “phishing” itself comes from the idea of “fishing” for victims using lures—in this case, fake messages designed to look legitimate—and just like real fishing, attackers cast many lines hoping that even a few people will take the bait, but unlike in the past where scams were filled with spelling errors and awkward grammar, modern phishing attempts are often flawless in presentation, carrying official logos, professional...

In today’s hyperconnected world, social media has become an inseparable part of daily life for billions of people worldwide, from school and college students sharing moments with friends, to small business owners marketing their products, to professionals networking for career opportunities, but as much as platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter (X), Snapchat, LinkedIn, and others have empowered communication and creativity, they have also created a vast and fertile ground for scams that target unsuspecting users, draining them of money, personal data, and peace of mind, and while we often think of scams as something that only “careless” people fall for, the reality is that social media fraudsters are highly skilled manipulators who constantly adapt their tactics, making their schemes look legitimate, urgent, and even appealing; these scams range from romance cons where criminals build fake relationships to gain trust before requesting money, to phishing messages disguise...

In recent years, online gaming has transformed from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon attracting millions of players across every age group, but one demographic that has particularly embraced this trend is children, many of whom spend hours every day playing games on smartphones, tablets, consoles, and PCs, often with strangers from around the world, and while gaming can be an entertaining, educational, and even socially enriching activity when approached responsibly, it can also expose young players to significant risks ranging from exposure to inappropriate content to cyberbullying, exploitation, addiction, and financial scams, making it crucial for parents, educators, and policymakers to understand how to protect children in these digital playgrounds; unlike in the past where games were mostly single-player or involved local multiplayer sessions with friends in the same room, today’s online games are highly interactive, often requiring constant internet connectivity, player pro...

In today’s hyperconnected world where smartphones, social media, instant messaging apps, and online services have become part of our daily routines, the digital space has opened up immense opportunities for learning, work, and communication, but it has also created new and dangerous avenues for harassment, exploitation, and crime, making women’s safety in the digital world a pressing issue that cannot be ignored, especially in a country like India where internet penetration is growing rapidly and millions of first-time female users are joining the online ecosystem every year, many of them unaware of the risks lurking behind seemingly harmless online interactions; women now use the internet not just for communication but for education, professional networking, entrepreneurship, activism, and creative expression, and yet the very platforms that empower them are also misused by individuals and organized groups to stalk, threaten, defame, and exploit them, turning what should be a liberati...

The dark web is one of the most misunderstood parts of the internet, often surrounded by myths, fear, and sensational stories in movies and news headlines, yet in reality, it is neither a completely mythical place where anything goes nor a harmless hidden corner—it is a part of the internet that requires awareness, caution, and informed decision-making, especially for the general public, students, and institutions in India and worldwide, because what happens there can directly or indirectly affect everyday internet users, even those who have never intentionally accessed it; to understand the dark web, we must first know that the internet can be thought of as three layers—the surface web, which includes all the websites you can find through search engines like Google and Bing and which makes up only a small fraction of all online content; the deep web, which is not indexed by search engines and includes private databases, academic records, intranet systems, subscription-only platforms, ...

Online privacy in the age of big data and targeted advertising is one of the most critical issues facing not only cybersecurity professionals but every person who uses the internet, whether it’s to search for information, connect with friends, shop online, pay bills, study, or even simply watch videos, because in today’s interconnected digital world, almost every action you take online leaves a data footprint, and while many people think “I have nothing to hide, so why should I care?”, the truth is that online privacy is not just about hiding secrets but about protecting your identity, personal security, freedom of choice, and even your future opportunities, and to understand why, we need to look at how big data works and how targeted advertising has transformed from a simple marketing tool into a sophisticated system of profiling, prediction, and sometimes even manipulation; big data refers to the massive amount of information generated every second from countless sources—social media...

Digital banking and UPI transactions have revolutionized the way people in India and across the world handle money, replacing long queues, physical cash, and limited banking hours with instant, 24/7 access to funds, bill payments, and transfers right from our smartphones or computers, and while this transformation has brought immense convenience, economic growth, and financial inclusion to millions, it has also opened the floodgates to a new era of cyber threats that specifically target the very systems we rely on for our daily financial lives, making cybersecurity in digital banking and UPI transactions not just a matter for banks and tech companies but a personal responsibility for every single user, because in this digital age, money no longer exists only in notes and coins—it’s data, and like all data, it can be stolen, altered, or destroyed if not protected; in India, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has been one of the most revolutionary developments in recent history, enabli...