SEC595: Applied Data Science and AI/Machine Learning for Cybersecurity Professionals

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Contact UsEmily was having a typical busy Tuesday. She grabbed her morning coffee, glanced at her phone, and noticed a text from her bank: "Did you make this transaction? Reply YES or NO." She frowned. She hadn't made any purchases yet that day. Maybe it was just a glitch.
She replied "NO," and within minutes, a call came in. It was a woman claiming to be from her bank's fraud department, speaking in a calm, professional tone. "We've detected unusual activity on your account. To secure it, we need to verify some details." Emily, still groggy from sleep, complied. The caller walked Emily through a series of steps, asking for her online banking password and even guiding her to approve a notification on her phone. "This will block the hacker's access," the woman assured her. Emily followed along, not realizing she was falling into a trap.
Hours later, Emily's phone buzzed again. This time it was a notification: $5,000 had been withdrawn from her savings account. Panicked, she logged into her bank app, but it was too late. The app wouldn't accept her password. Her account was locked out. Then she saw another withdraw happen, and another.
In a flash, Emily understood. The "fraud department" call was a setup, a well-orchestrated attack by a cybercriminal who now had full control of her account. Emily quickly called her bank hoping she could save her bank account in time.
Our online financial accounts-checking, savings, and investment accounts-hold more than just money; they represent years of hard work, future plans, and financial stability. Cybercriminals are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to get access to your money, and one mistake can lead to significant financial loss. If you think a simple password is going to keep these criminals out, think again.
Today's cybercriminals are smart, sneaky, and relentless. It's crucial to be proactive in securing your financial accounts. Not only will this help prevent unauthorized access, but it will also provide you peace of mind knowing that your hard-earned money is safe.
Elizabeth Rasnick is the Assistant Professor in the Center for Cybersecurity at the University of West Florida, with experience in programming and serving on an incident response team. She serves as the WiCyS Florida Affiliate senior vice president and holds a Doctorate in Information Technology.
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