Sara

Sara

Sara is an award-winning marketing leader in the cybersecurity and GRC spaces. Before joining Optery to lead their B2B marketing function, she was at the helm of marketing for a privacy-focused cybersecurity startup, a multinational organization, and a creative agency. She blends strategy, technology, and creativity to boost brand stories, fuel growth, and create sustained and measurable demand. Known for steering high-impact projects with a data-driven approach, Sara also regularly publishes content on cybersecurity, privacy, and related risk topics.

95 articles

Articles by Author

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Optery Releases 2026 Enterprise Social Engineering Survey Report

Survey of 421 cybersecurity leaders finds data brokers are viewed as the top attacker intelligence source, while employee data reduction ranks as the top defense and investment priority Optery today announced the release of its 2026 Enterprise Social Engineering Survey Report, The Data Behind the Deception, based on a survey of 421 cybersecurity leaders acrossContinue reading "Optery Releases 2026 Enterprise Social Engineering Survey Report"

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Identity-Based Attacks Continue to Surge, and Black Basta Targets Senior Personnel Harder

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #12, published April 30, 2026, we cover: Red Canary: Identity Attacks and Direct Social Engineering Defined the 2025 Threat Landscape Identity threats surge as attackers lean harder on browsers, tokens, and direct social engineering Red Canary’sContinue reading "Identity-Based Attacks Continue to Surge, and Black Basta Targets Senior Personnel Harder"

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Optery Wins Best of Category in Social Engineering in the 2026 Globee® Awards for Cybersecurity

Globee Awards honors Optery for helping organizations prevent social engineering attacks. Optery, the award-winning personal data removal platform helping individuals and businesses remove exposed personal information from data broker and people-search websites, is honored to be named the Best of Category winner in Social Engineering in the 2026 Globee® Awards for Cybersecurity, a globally recognizedContinue reading "Optery Wins Best of Category in Social Engineering in the 2026 Globee® Awards for Cybersecurity"

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Optery Ranked No. 12 Fastest-Growing Private Company in 2026 Inc. Regionals: Pacific List

Escalating demand for Optery’s industry-leading personal data removal service resulted in 763% revenue growth over a two-year evaluation period Optery, the award-winning personal data removal platform helping individuals and businesses remove exposed personal information from data broker and people-search websites, has been ranked No. 12 on the 2026 Inc. Regionals: Pacific list of the fastest-growingContinue reading "Optery Ranked No. 12 Fastest-Growing Private Company in 2026 Inc. Regionals: Pacific List"

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Age of the AI adversary, evasive browser attacks and phishing trends

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #11, published March 31, 2026, we cover: CrowdStrike 2026 Global Threat Report: Year of the Evasive Adversary AI is accelerating attacks as response windows keep shrinking The result is faster and more scalable social-engineering campaigns, allowingContinue reading "Age of the AI adversary, evasive browser attacks and phishing trends"

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Optery Wins Market Disruptor – Digital Risk Protection in the 14th Annual Global InfoSec Awards at RSAC 2026

Optery, the leader in enterprise personal data removal, has been named Market Disruptor in the Digital Risk Protection category by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industry’s leading electronic information security magazine. Now in its fourteenth year, the Global InfoSec Awards recognize cybersecurity companies delivering innovative solutions that address today’s most pressing security challenges. Optery isContinue reading "Optery Wins Market Disruptor – Digital Risk Protection in the 14th Annual Global InfoSec Awards at RSAC 2026"

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Cybercrime Is Personal: What Most People Get Wrong About Cyber Insurance

By Neil Rekhi, Personal Cyber Insurance Product Lead, The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company and Paul Mander, Chief Commercial Officer & GM of Optery for Business. When people think “cybercrime,” they often picture hackers breaching corporate networks or large-scale ransomware attacks. But the truth is, cyber threats are increasingly personal — and theyContinue reading "Cybercrime Is Personal: What Most People Get Wrong About Cyber Insurance"

February 20, 2026

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Record breach levels, social engineering dominating, and an active campaign targeting 100+ organizations

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #10, published February 17, 2026, we cover: Breach Activity Hits Record High as Social Engineering Remains the Leading Root Cause The ITRC’s 2025 report shows phishing, smishing, and BEC dominating across public and private sectors TheContinue reading "Record breach levels, social engineering dominating, and an active campaign targeting 100+ organizations"

February 17, 2026

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Data Privacy Week Essentials, The Rising Abuse of Google Tasks SaaS Workflows, & Fake Calendar Invites Increasing the Attack Surface

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #9, published January 26, 2026, we cover: Data Privacy Week 2026: Reducing Personal Data Exposure and Preventing Exploitation Privacy should be treated as a core security control to limit attacker intelligence and prevent targetingContinue reading "Data Privacy Week Essentials, The Rising Abuse of Google Tasks SaaS Workflows, & Fake Calendar Invites Increasing the Attack Surface"

January 27, 2026

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Data Privacy Week 2026: Reducing Personal Data Exposure and Preventing Exploitation

It’s Data Privacy Week 2026. To mark the occasion, we’re sharing some tips to help you stay more private and better protect yourself from the dangers of personal data exploitation. Whether it takes the form of phishing, smishing, vishing, password cracking, impersonation, identity fraud, Account Takeover (ATO), or Business Email Compromise (BEC), the weaponization of personalContinue reading "Data Privacy Week 2026: Reducing Personal Data Exposure and Preventing Exploitation"

January 26, 2026

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Merry Marwig

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature privacy strategist and advocate Merry Marwig. Merry Marwig is a privacy expert, researcher, and communications leader whose work spans regulatory strategy, operational privacy, and consumer data rights. She is the Vice President of Global Communications and Advocacy at Privacy4Cars, whereContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Merry Marwig"

January 12, 2026

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The California DROP System: A Positive Step for Privacy—With Important Limitations

The launch of California’s Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP) is an important signal that momentum is building around consumer data rights and accountability for data brokers. As the industry leader in personal data removal, Optery supports privacy-forward changes like this. At the same time, it’s important to understand what DROP does today, what itContinue reading "The California DROP System: A Positive Step for Privacy—With Important Limitations"

January 9, 2026

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2026 Cybersecurity Threat Predictions

Most attacks against organizations don’t begin with technical exploitation, but with the exposed personal data of employees. In 2026, the most consequential threats will be those that combine this data with AI-driven automation to scale social engineering and credential theft. Below we highlight a few key threats on the horizon for 2026 and the needContinue reading "2026 Cybersecurity Threat Predictions"

January 5, 2026

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Optery 2025 Recap

Thank you for being part of the Optery community in 2025! Whether you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of individuals and families protecting your personal information with us, or one of the hundreds of businesses preventing cyber and physical threats with our help, we are deeply grateful for your trust and partnership. 2025 wasContinue reading "Optery 2025 Recap"

December 19, 2025

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Holiday Privacy and Security Tips: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones

The holidays are a time for joy and togetherness—but they’re also a time when scammers and cybercriminals are most active. Staying safe requires keeping your personal information out of their hands. Below are five essential cybersecurity tips for protecting yourself and your loved ones this holiday season. 1. Find and Address Your Personal Data ExposureContinue reading "Holiday Privacy and Security Tips: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones"

December 16, 2025

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AI-Driven Social Engineering, Evasive Phishing Techniques, and a Glimpse into Modern Infostealer Operation

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #8, published December 16, 2025, we cover: The AI-fication of Cyberthreats: Trend Micro 2026 Predictions The cyber threat landscape is evolving into a contest of speed, adaptability, and automation, requiring a shift beyondContinue reading "AI-Driven Social Engineering, Evasive Phishing Techniques, and a Glimpse into Modern Infostealer Operation"

December 16, 2025

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Ambar Chavez Breaks Down Optery’s New Data Broker Directory on the Privacy Exchange

Optery’s General Counsel and VP of Legal, Ambar Chavez, recently joined Merry Marwig on The Privacy Exchange Show & Tell series to discuss the data broker ecosystem, Optery’s Data Broker Directory, and more. With a career spanning regulatory enforcement, consumer protection, incident response, AI governance, and privacy program leadership, Ambar brings a rare, end-to-end perspective on howContinue reading "Ambar Chavez Breaks Down Optery’s New Data Broker Directory on the Privacy Exchange"

December 15, 2025

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Why You Get So Many Spam Texts and Calls, and What You Can Actually Do About It

Contributor note: This article incorporates expert input from data broker researcher Jeff Jockisch If you’re overwhelmed by spam texts and calls and wondering, “Why is this happening to me, and what can I do to stop it?” this article is for you. The real reason you get so much spam is because there’s a vastContinue reading "Why You Get So Many Spam Texts and Calls, and What You Can Actually Do About It"

December 3, 2025

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New Phishing Methods Evade Email Defenses as Social Engineering Dominates Initial Access

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #7, published November 25, 2025, we cover: Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2025 shows social engineering techniques dominating initial access methods, accounting for 89% of observed attacks ClickFix has become a go-to initial access method which traditionalContinue reading "New Phishing Methods Evade Email Defenses as Social Engineering Dominates Initial Access"

November 25, 2025

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CyberVault Podcast Recap: Lawrence Gentilello on data brokers and security risks

Optery CEO & Founder Lawrence Gentilello recently joined Katie Soper on the CyberVault podcast to break down some of the most pressing questions surrounding data brokers and personal data exposure today. The conversation explored: Below are some highlights from the episode. The scale of the data broker ecosystem Lawrence explained the fundamental challenge: data brokersContinue reading "CyberVault Podcast Recap: Lawrence Gentilello on data brokers and security risks"

November 18, 2025

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Threat Reports from Comcast and Red Canary Highlight Recurring and Emerging Phishing Tradecraft

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #6, published October 31, 2025, we cover: Comcast Business 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report Strained defenders face AI-driven phishing, drive-by compromise, and residential proxy abuse, among other threats. Comcast Business’s newly released Cybersecurity Threat Report offers oneContinue reading "Threat Reports from Comcast and Red Canary Highlight Recurring and Emerging Phishing Tradecraft"

October 31, 2025

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Optery Named Winner of the 2025 Top InfoSec Innovator Award for Most Innovative Anti-Phishing

Optery has been named the winner of the 2025 Most Innovative Anti-Phishing award from Cyber Defense Magazine! Now in its 13th year, the Cyber Defense Awards, presented during CyberDefenseCon 2025, honor companies delivering exceptional solutions in cybersecurity. Optery is unique among personal data removal solutions, combining sophisticated patented search technology with automated opt-out software to discover andContinue reading "Optery Named Winner of the 2025 Top InfoSec Innovator Award for Most Innovative Anti-Phishing"

October 28, 2025

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New Privacy Law in Maryland with Authorized Agent Provisions

Maryland has become the latest state to enact a comprehensive privacy law. Signed in May 2024, the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA) took effect October 1, 2025, with enforcement beginning April 1, 2026 under the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Maryland is the sixteenth state with a comprehensive privacy law to take effect,Continue reading "New Privacy Law in Maryland with Authorized Agent Provisions"

October 15, 2025

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Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025: Complete Your Defenses With Personal Data Removal

This year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month highlights the Core 4 habits: strong passwords, MFA, scam awareness, and software updates. Put another way: protect your passwords, protect your accounts, protect against social engineering, and protect against exploitable vulnerabilities. One of the most effective things one can do along these lines is to address exposed personal data, becauseContinue reading "Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025: Complete Your Defenses With Personal Data Removal "

October 13, 2025

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Salesforce Breaches, Social Engineering & Agentic AI Threats

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #5, published September 30, 2025, we cover: Salesforce Attacks: FBI FLASH Alert UNC6040 and UNC6395 are breaking into Salesforce environments to steal data and extort victims. The FBI, in an alert from September 12, hasContinue reading "Salesforce Breaches, Social Engineering & Agentic AI Threats"

September 30, 2025

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Data Brokers, Social Engineering, and Enterprise Security: Optery’s Paul Mander on the Unscripted Podcast

Optery for Business GM Paul Mander recently joined cybersecurity expert and host David Raviv on the Unscripted Podcast to reveal how personal data is collected, sold, and weaponized, and how Optery helps individuals and companies fight back. From cookies to data brokers to playing offense against social engineering, this episode covers it all. Paul satContinue reading "Data Brokers, Social Engineering, and Enterprise Security: Optery’s Paul Mander on the Unscripted Podcast"

September 9, 2025

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Optery Wins SiliconANGLE TechForward Award in the Digital Risk Protection Platform Category

Optery has been named a winner in SiliconANGLE’s 2025 TechForward Awards in the Digital Risk Protection category. The company was recognized for tackling one of today’s most critical security gaps: the online exposure of employee and executive personal data, a leading driver of modern cyberattacks. Optery protects companies from social engineering, credential compromise, and otherContinue reading "Optery Wins SiliconANGLE TechForward Award in the Digital Risk Protection Platform Category"

August 27, 2025

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Data Brokers Used to Target Orgs, Social Engineering is #1 Attack Vector

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #4, published August 26, 2025, we cover: New Joint CISA/FBI/CNMF Advisory Is Latest Confirmation that Attackers Use Commercial Data Brokers to Target Organizations Advisory follows a string of evidence showing attackers leveraging data brokers forContinue reading "Data Brokers Used to Target Orgs, Social Engineering is #1 Attack Vector"

August 26, 2025

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New Joint CISA/FBI/CNMF Advisory Is Latest Confirmation that Attackers Use Commercial Data Brokers to Target Organizations

Advisory follows a string of evidence showing attackers leveraging data brokers for recon and social engineering The joint CISA/FBI/CNMF updated advisory on Scattered Spider acknowledges what several analysts have previously noted: the threat group is using commercial data brokers as part of their reconnaissance toolkit and as fuel for social engineering. In its July 29,Continue reading "New Joint CISA/FBI/CNMF Advisory Is Latest Confirmation that Attackers Use Commercial Data Brokers to Target Organizations"

August 25, 2025

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Optery vs. DeleteMe vs. Incogni – Cybersecurity Expert Names Optery the Clear Winner

When it comes to personal data removal, consumers and businesses rely on reviews to evaluate solutions. Unfortunately, most online reviews cannot be trusted as they are posted by affiliate marketers and influencers paid to generate sales for the vendors. This is why when selecting a personal data removal service, our #1 recommendation is to signContinue reading "Optery vs. DeleteMe vs. Incogni – Cybersecurity Expert Names Optery the Clear Winner"

August 25, 2025

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Data Brokers Caught Hiding Opt-Out Pages

Data brokers have a financial incentive to keep personal data online, and to make it difficult to opt out. A new joint investigation by The Markup and CalMatters found that more than 30 registered data brokers in California were hiding their data deletion instructions from Google search results. 35 data brokers used code to blockContinue reading "Data Brokers Caught Hiding Opt-Out Pages"

August 22, 2025

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Key Insights from IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report

IBM has released its 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report, and its findings show phishing is the top attack vector, breach costs are rising in the U.S., attackers are going after personal data, and AI is rapidly reshaping the threat landscape for both attackers and defenders. Here are some highlights: In addition to this,Continue reading "Key Insights from IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report"

August 21, 2025

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Unit 42 Report: Social Engineering Is the #1 Initial Access Vector

Palo Alto Networks’ latest Unit 42 Global Incident Response Report: Social Engineering Edition shows that social engineering remains the #1 initial access vector. Among the more than 700 cases Unit 42 investigated between May 2024 and May 2025, 36% of all incidents began with social engineering. Of those: More Stats from the Report Additional InsightsContinue reading "Unit 42 Report: Social Engineering Is the #1 Initial Access Vector "

August 12, 2025

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Scattered Spider, Social Engineering, and Ransomware

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #3, published July 24, 2025, we cover: Scattered Spider’s Use of Data Brokers Reconnaissance, Targeting, Threats One of today’s most dangerous threat groups is using data brokers to build detailed victim profiles, impersonate employees, andContinue reading "Scattered Spider, Social Engineering, and Ransomware"

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Scattered Spider’s Use of Data Brokers: Reconnaissance, Targeting, and Threats

Update: A new joint CISA/FBI/CNMF advisory has confirmed that Scattered Spider uses commercial data brokers. Read more here. The hacker collective known as Scattered Spider is once again dominating headlines with a wave of high-profile cyberattacks that span multiple industries. According to threat intelligence sources, the group has pursued a sector-by-sector strategy, recently hitting retailContinue reading "Scattered Spider’s Use of Data Brokers: Reconnaissance, Targeting, and Threats"

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Social Engineering Is the #1 Attack Vector: Highlights from the ITRC’s H1 2025 Data Breach Report

The Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2025 H1 Data Breach Report is out. AI-powered phishing attacks continue to rise, phishing/smishing/BEC topped the list of known attack vectors, the supply chain is a critical weakness, breach notifications still lack critical details, and financial and healthcare sectors remain prime targets. Here are some highlights: “The overwhelming majority ofContinue reading "Social Engineering Is the #1 Attack Vector: Highlights from the ITRC’s H1 2025 Data Breach Report"

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Phishing, OSINT Defense, and Physical Data Broker Risks

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #2, published June 26, 2025, we cover: Phishing’s Role in Breaches: Behind the Numbers of Verizon’s 2025 DBIR When the extent of phishing’s hidden impact is factored in, it is likely the initial source of compromiseContinue reading "Phishing, OSINT Defense, and Physical Data Broker Risks"

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Phishing’s Role in Breaches: Behind the Numbers of Verizon’s 2025 DBIR

The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) is one of the most respected and widely cited sources on cybersecurity incidents. Each year, its analysis shapes how organizations and security leaders understand the threat landscape. At first glance, the 2025 report shows phishing falling behind: it ranks phishing as the third most common initial accessContinue reading "Phishing’s Role in Breaches: Behind the Numbers of Verizon’s 2025 DBIR"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Ray Heffer

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature world-renowned privacy and security expert Ray Heffer. Ray is a cybersecurity veteran with 30 years of experience across areas such as secure cloud architecture, penetration testing, strategic advisory roles, privacy engineering, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) threat mitigation. He currently servesContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Ray Heffer"

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Suspect in Minnesota Shootings Used Data Broker Sites to Find Targets

The Minnesota shooting suspect, Vance Boelter reportedly used data broker and people search sites to gather personal information in preparation for his attacks. As reported by WIRED, “according to an FBI affidavit, police searched the SUV believed to be the suspect’s and found notebooks that included handwritten lists of ‘more than 45 Minnesota state andContinue reading "Suspect in Minnesota Shootings Used Data Broker Sites to Find Targets"

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Optery Wins 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Award for Privacy Enhancing Technologies

Optery has been named a winner in the 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group. We were recognized in the category of Privacy Enhancing Technologies for our work in reducing the online exposure of employee and executive personal data—the most exploited vulnerability in modern cyberattacks. The Fortress Cybersecurity Awards program honors the industry’s leading companies andContinue reading "Optery Wins 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Award for Privacy Enhancing Technologies"

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Agentic AI, phishing, and proactive defense

Welcome to The Optery Dispatch — a newsletter delivering the latest insights on threat intelligence and proactive cybersecurity strategy. In Issue #1, published May 27, 2025, we cover: Cybersecurity in the Age of Agentic AI Insights from Industry Leaders Agentic AI was everywhere at RSAC 2025—and it’s quickly emerging as a major force reshaping cybersecurity. In aContinue reading "Agentic AI, phishing, and proactive defense"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Bailey Marshall

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature ethical hacker and educator Bailey Marshall. Bailey Marshall is a hacker, cybersecurity educator and consultant whose technical expertise spans penetration testing, red-team engagements, dark web investigations, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and proactive security strategy. She is the Founder and Principal ConsultantContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Bailey Marshall"

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Cybersecurity in the Age of Agentic AI: Insights from Industry Leaders

Agentic AI was everywhere at RSAC 2025—and it’s quickly emerging as a major force reshaping cybersecurity. In a recent in-depth feature by Cybersecurity Tribe, twenty-one cybersecurity leaders shared how agentic AI is already transforming the cybersecurity landscape—from accelerating threat detection and automating defense, to creating new challenges posed by adversaries. Among them was Optery’s Founder and CEO, LawrenceContinue reading "Cybersecurity in the Age of Agentic AI: Insights from Industry Leaders"

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Fortinet’s 2025 Threat Report Makes the Case for Proactive Exposure Management

Fortinet’s 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report shows attackers are moving faster and with greater precision—fueled by automation, AI, and a thriving underground economy for stolen credentials. Here are some of the key findings: “From pre-attack reconnaissance to post-compromise persistence, attackers now operate with unprecedented speed, precision, and reach, challenging organizations to shift from reactive defenseContinue reading "Fortinet’s 2025 Threat Report Makes the Case for Proactive Exposure Management "

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SMBs in the Crosshairs: Key Findings from CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike’s latest survey on SMB cybersecurity shows smaller businesses are in the crosshairs. Phishing is surging. Ransomware is hitting the smallest businesses hardest. And most SMBs are still operating with outdated tools, limited budgets, and big execution gaps. Below are some of the report’s findings. “Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are no longer flying underContinue reading "SMBs in the Crosshairs: Key Findings from CrowdStrike"

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Optery Wins Best Service for Attack Surface Management in the 13thAnnual Global InfoSec Awards at RSAC 2025

Optery has won the Best Service for Attack Surface Management award from Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industry’s leading electronic information security magazine. Now in its thirteenth year, the Global InfoSec Awards recognize cybersecurity companies with innovative and compelling solutions that push the industry forward. “Data broker exposure, now officially part of the enterprise attackContinue reading "Optery Wins Best Service for Attack Surface Management in the 13thAnnual Global InfoSec Awards at RSAC 2025"

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Credential Phishing and Infostealers Surge in IBM’s X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index

The IBM X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index shows a rise in infostealers delivered via phishing emails and credential phishing. Organizations must limit their exposure as part of their threat management strategy. Below are some of the report’s findings. The report notes that “threat actors are using AI to build websites and incorporate deepfakes in phishingContinue reading "Credential Phishing and Infostealers Surge in IBM’s X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index"

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Organizations must shift to proactive cybersecurity, according to the 2025 Armis Cyberwarfare Report

The 2025 Armis Cyberwarfare Report highlights the ramifications of AI and the need for organizations to move beyond reactive measures if they want to protect their operations and the people they serve. This latest study, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 1,800+ IT decision-makers in companies with 1,000+ employees in the U.S., UK, Italy, France, Australia,Continue reading "Organizations must shift to proactive cybersecurity, according to the 2025 Armis Cyberwarfare Report"

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Optery CEO Lawrence Gentilello Joins Debbie Reynolds on “The Data Diva” Talks Privacy Podcast

Optery CEO Lawrence Gentilello recently sat down with data privacy expert Debbie Reynolds on “The Data Diva” Talks Privacy Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation. They discussed the massive scale and granularity of data collection by data brokers, the growing privacy rights divide in the U.S., the power of the data broker lobby to water downContinue reading "Optery CEO Lawrence Gentilello Joins Debbie Reynolds on “The Data Diva” Talks Privacy Podcast"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Daniel J. Solove

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature international privacy law expert Professor Daniel J. Solove! Daniel J. Solove is the Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor of Intellectual Property and Technology Law at George Washington University Law School. He serves as the co-director of the GWContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Daniel J. Solove"

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Optery Named Winner in Three Categories by the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

Optery is excited to announce its recognition for the second consecutive year as a winner in three categories by the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in the cybersecurity industry. Optery’s recognition in these categories highlights its ongoing commitment to mitigating risks associated with exposed executive and employee PII—commonly exploitedContinue reading "Optery Named Winner in Three Categories by the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards"

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Personal Data Removal: A Core Cybersecurity Measure

Why data broker removal is a must-have for organizations Personal data exposure is the biggest cyber threat to organizations today. It enables the most successful attack vectors: social engineering and the use of compromised credentials. Despite this reality, many companies continue to overlook a major security risk—vast amounts of employee and executive personal data readilyContinue reading "Personal Data Removal: A Core Cybersecurity Measure"

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CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report Reveals Phone-Based Social Engineering Is Surging

CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report reveals adversaries are increasingly using identity compromise and social engineering to gain initial access and perform lateral movement. In 2024, CrowdStrike Intelligence tracked a sharp rise in distinct campaigns leveraging telephone-based social engineering for initial access, including vishing and help desk impersonation tactics. Multiple adversaries incorporated vishing into their intrusionsContinue reading "CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report Reveals Phone-Based Social Engineering Is Surging"

February 27, 2025

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Leaked Chat Logs Reveal Black Basta’s Use of Data Brokers for Targeting Victims

A newly leaked trove of internal chat logs has exposed how the Black Basta ransomware gang leverages data broker info to research and target their victims. Black Basta is a notorious Russian-language ransomware group responsible for hundreds of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and businesses worldwide. Known for its aggressive tactics, Black Basta has targeted majorContinue reading "Leaked Chat Logs Reveal Black Basta’s Use of Data Brokers for Targeting Victims"

February 24, 2025

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Optery at RSA Conference™ 2025

The RSA Conference™ is one of the most significant events in the cybersecurity industry, featuring hundreds of vendors, timely insights, thoughtful interactions, and actionable intelligence. Optery is an exhibitor at RSAC 2025 this year. Visit us at booth N-6467 in the North Expo for a demo or to talk about how Optery can dramatically reduceContinue reading "Optery at RSA Conference™ 2025"

February 19, 2025

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Executive Protection: Digital Protection Firm CEO Protects High-Profile Clients with Optery’s API

The CEO of a growing digital executive protection firm uses Optery’s API to protect his high-profile clients from being tracked, profiled, and targeted.

February 11, 2025

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Jeff Jockisch

In the eighth installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature data privacy expert Jeff Jockisch! Jeff Jockisch is a highly regarded data privacy researcher specializing in the data broker ecosystem and commercial surveillance. His expertise spans data science, governance, and operational design, with a strong foundation in building knowledge graphs,Continue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Jeff Jockisch"

January 30, 2025

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Data Privacy Week 2025: Protecting Yourself from Personal Data Exploitation

It’s Data Privacy Week 2025! To mark this week, we’re sharing some tips to help you stay more private and better protect yourself from the dangers of personal data exploitation. Whether it takes the form of phishing, voice and messaging scams, password cracking, impersonation, identity fraud, Business Email Compromise (BEC), or other attack vectors, the weaponizationContinue reading "Data Privacy Week 2025: Protecting Yourself from Personal Data Exploitation"

January 27, 2025

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Optery Named One of Business Insider’s Top 30 Future Unicorns of 2025

We’re excited to share that Optery has been named in Business Insider’s 30 early-stage startups in 2025 most likely to become tech’s next unicorns, an exclusive list compiled by TRAC, a San Francisco-based early-stage venture firm, using their AI-powered “Moneyball for Venture Capital” methodology. This recognition is a testament to Optery’s commitment to innovation and excellence in personalContinue reading "Optery Named One of Business Insider’s Top 30 Future Unicorns of 2025"

January 23, 2025

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Optery 2024 Recap

Thank you for being part of the Optery community in 2024! Whether you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of individuals and families protecting your personal information with us, or one of the hundreds of businesses reducing your attack surface with our help, we are deeply grateful for your trust and partnership. 2024 was aContinue reading "Optery 2024 Recap"

January 6, 2025

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Why Employee Data Privacy Is Essential for Physical Security

The line between online and physical security has become increasingly blurred. The vast amount of personal information available online poses significant risks to employees and organizations alike. Exposed employee data can lead to stalking, harassment, targeted threats, and even serve as a gateway for attackers to gain unauthorized physical access to company premises through socialContinue reading "Why Employee Data Privacy Is Essential for Physical Security"

November 29, 2024

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Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on “Unspoken Security” podcast

Optery Founder and CEO Lawrence Gentilello recently joined intelligence and security evangelist AJ Nash on the Unspoken Security podcast to talk about the shadowy world of data brokers, their impact on privacy and security, the challenges of protecting personal data, state-level data privacy legislation, the evolving role of AI in data brokering, proactive steps to minimize exposure and risk, andContinue reading "Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on “Unspoken Security” podcast"

November 15, 2024

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Optery Named Top InfoSec Innovator Award Winner for Attack Surface Management by Cyber Defense Magazine for 2024

We are excited to announce that Optery has won Cyber Defense Magazine’s Top InfoSec Innovator Award for Most Innovative Attack Surface Management during CyberDefenseCon 2024! We are honored to be recognized in one of the world’s most prestigious cybersecurity awards and to be among such a distinguished group of innovators. The Top InfoSec Innovator AwardsContinue reading "Optery Named Top InfoSec Innovator Award Winner for Attack Surface Management by Cyber Defense Magazine for 2024"

October 31, 2024

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva

In this seventh installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we’re excited to feature Debbie Reynolds, known worldwide as “The Data Diva.” As the Founder, CEO, and Chief Data Privacy Officer of Debbie Reynolds Consulting LLC, Debbie has spent over 20 years at the forefront of Data Privacy and Emerging Technology. Her expertise spans industries including AdTech,Continue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva"

October 29, 2024

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Protecting Employee Data As Part of Attack Surface Management

The concept of the “enterprise attack surface” refers to the sum of all possible security risk exposures for a business. Traditionally, securing this attack surface was a task focused primarily on direct IT infrastructure vulnerabilities, such as network systems, software applications, and endpoints. Aspects like exposed personally identifiable information (PII) on data broker sites, whichContinue reading "Protecting Employee Data As Part of Attack Surface Management"

October 22, 2024

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Doxxing Prevention: Safeguarding Employees and Executives from Online Threats

Doxxing refers to the malicious act of publicly revealing personal information (PII) about an individual or organization without their consent. This information is often gathered from publicly available sources, such as data broker sites, and then published online. The rise in online work and the growing digital exposure of employees and executives make doxxing aContinue reading "Doxxing Prevention: Safeguarding Employees and Executives from Online Threats"

October 17, 2024

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Protect Against Impersonation, Email Forgery, and Business Email Compromise Attacks

Email impersonation attacks, such as Business Email Compromise (BEC), are among the most costly and damaging cyber threats to organizations. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), BEC alone accounted for nearly $2.95 billion in reported losses in 2023, making it one of the most financially devastating forms of cybercrime. While BEC isContinue reading "Protect Against Impersonation, Email Forgery, and Business Email Compromise Attacks"

October 15, 2024

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Safeguard Employees: Phishing Email Protection

Phishing attacks continue to be one of the most widespread and damaging cyber threats to organizations. While new email security measures for bulk senders have made mass email phishing more difficult for attackers, spear-phishing (aimed at a single target) continues to be a top attack vector. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) recently releasedContinue reading "Safeguard Employees: Phishing Email Protection"

October 10, 2024

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Social Engineering Attacks and How Organizations Can Prevent and Defend Against Them

The vast majority of cyber attacks today begin with social engineering: the act of using exposed personal data to manipulate human targets into providing unauthorized access to an organization’s systems or data. As cybercriminals increasingly target the human element, social engineering has become the number one threat to businesses, leading to account takeovers, data breaches,Continue reading "Social Engineering Attacks and How Organizations Can Prevent and Defend Against Them"

October 7, 2024

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Rachel Tobac

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature Rachel Tobac, a renowned expert in human hacking and social engineering defense strategies. Rachel Tobac is an ethical hacker and the CEO of SocialProof Security, a company dedicated to helping businesses and individuals protect their sensitive data from cyber threats, particularlyContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Rachel Tobac"

September 24, 2024

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Introducing AI-Powered Removals Reports: An Optional New Feature From Optery

Optery’s optional AI-Powered Removals Reports powered by OpenAI offer enhanced accuracy and privacy protection.

September 23, 2024

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LinkedIn Auto-Opting Users Into Generative AI Training: How to Opt Out

LinkedIn recently introduced a feature that auto-enrolls users in a setting where their content—like posts, profiles, and media—can be used to train LinkedIn’s generative AI models. This change was rolled out quietly, with no prior update to LinkedIn’s terms of service. If you don’t want “LinkedIn and its affiliates” to “use your personal data andContinue reading "LinkedIn Auto-Opting Users Into Generative AI Training: How to Opt Out"

September 18, 2024

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Optery Named Finalist for Attack Surface Management in Cyber Defense Magazine’s 12th Annual InfoSec Awards

Optery is excited to announce that we’ve been named a finalist in the Attack Surface Management category for the Top InfoSec Innovators Awards 2024 by Cyber Defense Magazine! We are honored to be recognized in one of the world’s most prestigious cybersecurity awards and to be among such a distinguished group of finalists. Read theContinue reading "Optery Named Finalist for Attack Surface Management in Cyber Defense Magazine’s 12th Annual InfoSec Awards"

September 5, 2024

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Finance: Regional Bank CISO Prevents Phishing and Smishing with Optery

The CISO of a regional bank leveraged Optery to protect executives and long-term staff, minimize social engineering risk, and reduce spam, phishing, and smishing attempts.

September 3, 2024

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Healthcare: Analytics CEO Shields His Employees from Spear Phishing Attacks with Optery

The CEO of a healthcare analytics company used Optery to prevent spear-phishing attacks, reduce cyber insurance premiums, and protect his tech staff from targeted attacks.

September 3, 2024

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Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on “The Security Ledger” podcast

Optery Founder and CEO Lawrence Gentilello recently joined seasoned reporter, editor, and industry analyst Paul Roberts on The Security Ledger Podcast to talk about data broker threats, the value of privacy laws, and what makes Optery unique as a personal data removal solution! The Security Ledger podcast features interviews with leading minds in the areaContinue reading "Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on “The Security Ledger” podcast"

August 29, 2024

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: James Everett Lee

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are excited to feature James Everett Lee, a leading figure in the fight against identity crime. James is a seasoned executive and subject matter expert in data security, privacy protection, and identity management. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the IdentityContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: James Everett Lee"

August 23, 2024

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PII Removal for Executives is Not Enough

Protecting a Broader Range of Employees is Essential Are your personal data removal efforts only focused on protecting your executives? In an era where mass SMS-phishing (smishing) campaigns and other social engineering attacks targeting non-executive staff are prevalent, extending personal data removal beyond just the C-Suite is essential. Our new whitepaper, “PII Removal for ExecutivesContinue reading "PII Removal for Executives is Not Enough"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Rebecca Herold

In the latest installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight series, we are pleased to feature Rebecca Herold, a renowned privacy expert with over three decades of experience in information security, privacy, and compliance. Known as “The Privacy Professor,” Rebecca has dedicated her career to educating and advocating for better privacy practices across various industries. BackgroundContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Rebecca Herold"

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Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on the “Unscripted” podcast

Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello recently appeared on the Unscripted podcast with David Raviv. Unscripted is a podcast focused on making the intricacies of security, privacy, and technology more accessible to everyone. Hosted by enterprise cybersecurity expert David Raviv, each episode journeys through the minds of entrepreneurs and leaders, sharing unfiltered stories and insights. It coversContinue reading "Optery CEO and Founder Lawrence Gentilello interviewed on the “Unscripted” podcast"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Tom O’Malley

In the third installment of our Privacy Protectors Spotlight, we are happy to feature Tom O’Malley, a leading figure in the fight against identity theft. Tom is a retired state (1980-1985) and federal prosecutor (1986-2019) who specialized in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime, including computer hacking, identity theft, and identity fraud (2009-2019). He alsoContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Tom O’Malley"

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New Privacy Laws in Texas and Oregon with Authorized Agent Provisions

On July 1, 2024, newly enacted privacy laws in Texas and Oregon will come into effect. Optery’s data removal requests are now fully customized to leverage the rights granted by the Texas and Oregon legislation. With Optery as your authorized agent, you can put these privacy laws to work for you immediately. The new consumerContinue reading "New Privacy Laws in Texas and Oregon with Authorized Agent Provisions"

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The Optery Global Privacy Control (GPC) Extension

The Optery Global Privacy Control (GPC) Extension, a free and open-source browser tool designed to significantly reduce unwanted tracking and personal data collection, is now available for anyone to use. What it Does: The Optery GPC browser extension sends a signal to websites you visit, informing them that you do not want your personal informationContinue reading "The Optery Global Privacy Control (GPC) Extension"

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Optery Founder Featured on DomainTools’ RSAC Podcast Mini-Series

Optery Founder & CEO Lawrence Gentilello recently joined Kali Fencl on DomainTools’ RSAC podcast mini-series, The Art of the Possible, to talk about Optery, data brokers, the massive problem of unwanted data collection and use, how it can be mitigated, and more.

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Optery wins 2024 Intellyx Digital Innovator Award

Optery is excited to announce our recognition as a winner of the 2024 Intellyx Digital Innovator Award! Intellyx, an industry analyst firm that focuses on enterprise digital transformation and the leading edge vendors that are driving it, honors innovators in the enterprise IT marketplace with its Digital Innovator Awards, which are given to vendors whoContinue reading "Optery wins 2024 Intellyx Digital Innovator Award"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Justin Sherman

Explore how Justin Sherman has shined a light on the data brokerage ecosystem and provided a clear roadmap to protect personal privacy, safety, and national security.

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The Dark Web vs. The Open Web: Assessing the Greater Threat to Enterprise Security

Many security professionals are rightly concerned about the dangers posed by personal information available on the dark web. Dark web monitoring services play a crucial role in identifying and mitigating these risks, alerting businesses to potential breaches and exposures. However, while the dark web garners much attention for its secretive and often illicit nature, it isContinue reading "The Dark Web vs. The Open Web: Assessing the Greater Threat to Enterprise Security"

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Optery Named Winner in Three Categories by the 2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

Optery is excited to announce our recognition as a winner in three categories by the 2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards! With over 600 entries across more than 300 categories this year, these awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in the cybersecurity industry. Optery’s recognition in these categories highlights our commitment to effectively managing exposed executive andContinue reading "Optery Named Winner in Three Categories by the 2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards"

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Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Tom Kemp

As the first in what will become a series of posts highlighting leaders who are making a difference in advancing personal data rights and individual privacy, this month we recognize Tom Kemp. In an age of mass surveillance and personal data exploitation, Tom Kemp stands out as a remarkable figure. His steadfast advocacy for robustContinue reading "Privacy Protectors Spotlight: Tom Kemp"

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Phishing and Personal Data Breach Crimes are Finally on the Decline

Since the groundbreaking California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect in 2020, consumer data privacy and security has improved dramatically for all Americans. We believe personal data removal services and authorized agents such as Optery have been major contributors to this progress helping educate the public about data privacy, helping maximize data privacy and security protections, and eradicating millions of pieces of unwanted Personal Identifiable Information (PII) from the internet.

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A Network of US-Focused People-Search Sites in China, Operating Under Fake Identities

On March 20, 2024 Brian Krebs of the security blog Krebs on Security published an investigative report entitled “The Not-so-True People-Search Network from China.” The article sheds light on a concerning trend in the people-search industry, revealing a network of US-focused sites based in China that operate under fabricated identities. As the report notes, “It appearsContinue reading "A Network of US-Focused People-Search Sites in China, Operating Under Fake Identities"

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Data Privacy Day 2024: Protecting Yourself from Data Brokers and Data Breaches

As we commemorate Data Privacy Day this year, the theme “Take Control of Your Data” resonates with heightened urgency. The recent ‘Mother of all Breaches’ (MOAB) underscores the critical nature of our conversation around personal data security. In an era where both voluntary sharing and involuntary exposure of our personal information are on the rise,Continue reading "Data Privacy Day 2024: Protecting Yourself from Data Brokers and Data Breaches"

January 25, 2024

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Optery 2023 Recap

Thank you for being part of the Optery community in 2023. Whether you’re one of the tens of thousands of individuals and families using our services to protect your personal information, or among the hundreds of businesses enhancing your cybersecurity posture with our assistance, we are profoundly grateful for your contribution. Our mission to makeContinue reading "Optery 2023 Recap"

January 20, 2024

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2024 Cybersecurity Alert: New Gmail Protections Likely to Increase Smishing and Vishing Threats

As email becomes more secure, threat actors are expected to pivot focus towards other methods like smishing (SMS phishing) and vishing (voice phishing). Here’s why and how you can protect your people and your company. Google’s recent announcement on enhanced email security measures for bulk senders, set to begin in February 2024 and including mandatory emailContinue reading "2024 Cybersecurity Alert: New Gmail Protections Likely to Increase Smishing and Vishing Threats"

December 12, 2023

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