Articles by Ben Martens

Ben Martens is a cybersecurity journalist with a background in internet ethics, malware testing, and public policy. He resides in Oregon, and when he's not advocating for the rights of internet users, he's walking with his dog and inventing stories with his daughter.

What Is a Zero-Day Threat? [Complete Guide 2023]

Short on time? Here’s how to stay protected against zero-day attacks in 2023: Zero-day attacks are really complicated, but staying safe online is actually pretty simple. Here’s what you should do to keep your device safe from zer...

by Ben Martens

What Is Fleeceware & How to Prevent Fleeceware Scams in 2023

Short on time? Here’s how to stay protected against fleeceware scams in 2023: Fleeceware apps are low-quality apps with deceptive free trials and subscription terms that are designed to hugely overcharge users for basic function...

by Ben Martens

What Is a Backdoor & How to Prevent Backdoor Attacks (2023)

A backdoor is any method that allows somebody — hackers, governments, IT people, etc. — to remotely access your device without your permission or knowledge. Hackers can install a backdoor onto your device by using malware, by expl...

by Ben Martens

What Are Antivirus False Positives & How to Fix Them in 2023?

When an antivirus scanner labels a legitimate file as a malware file, this is called a “false positive”. Firewalls and anti-phishing protections can also detect false positives at the network and browser level, respectively. As an...

by Ben Martens

What Is Spoofing & How to Prevent Spoofing Attacks in 2023?

Short on time? Here’s how to stay protected against spoofing attacks in 2023: You don’t need to know the difference between DNS, ARP, or MAC to protect yourself against the most common spoofing attacks in 2023. Here are some qui...

by Ben Martens

What Is a Rootkit & How to Prevent a Rootkit Infection in 2023?

Short on time? Here’s how to stay protected against rootkits in 2023: Hypervisors, MBRs, and memory dump analysis are pretty complicated, but fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your devices rootkit-fre...

by Ben Martens

Will Antivirus Software Slow Down Your Devices in 2023?

Short on time? Here is the best lightweight antivirus in 2023: 🥇Bitdefender: One of the fastest and most lightweight antivirus solutions on the market that also boasts a high malware-detection rate and comes with a ton of additi...

by Ben Martens

How to Stay Safe (& Protect Your Privacy) on OnlyFans in 2023

Short on time? Here’s how OnlyFans creators and subscribers can stay safe in 2023: Create your account using an anonymous email service like ProtonMail (it’s free). Use common sense cybersecurity practices: Don’t follow link...

by Ben Martens

10 Common Cyber Attacks to Protect Against in 2023

Short on time? Here’s the best antivirus to protect against cyber threats: 🥇Norton 360: Powerful protection against all of the most common cyber threats — malware, phishing, ransomware, spyware, and more. Norton also comes with...

by Ben Martens

11 Facts + Stats on Smishing (SMS Phishing) in 2023

If you’ve ever received a text message saying there was some kind of problem (like with your “recent delivery” or your PayPal account or your Amazon account) with instructions for you to click on a link to resolve the issue, you...

by Ben Martens

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