November 29, 2025

📰 The Consumer Cyber Sentinel: Your Digital Defense Report 🛡️

Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 Stay Ahead of the Scams: New updates every Monday and Thursday.

Welcome to your essential weekend security briefing. Today's report focuses on major data breaches affecting millions of households and a critical new warning about sophisticated spyware.

🚨 Critical Alert: Comcast Vendor Breach Exposes Social Security Numbers

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that Comcast will pay a fine related to a data breach at one of its former debt collection vendors, Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS).

• The Threat: This breach exposed the personal information of 237,000 current and former Comcast customers.

• The Data Exposed: The stolen data included highly sensitive identifiers like names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers (SSNs), and Comcast account numbers.

• Action You Must Take: If you are a current or former Comcast customer, be extremely cautious. Since SSNs were involved, your risk of identity theft is high. We recommend taking these steps:

  1. Monitor Your Credit: Check your credit reports immediately for any unauthorized activity.

  2. Consider a Credit Freeze: Placing a credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) is the strongest defense against criminals opening new lines of credit in your name.

📱 Government Warning: Spyware Targets Messaging App Users

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an alert that sophisticated spyware is actively being used to compromise the smartphones of users who rely on encrypted messaging apps like Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

• The Threat: While these apps have strong encryption, the spyware is designed to attack the phone's operating system (iOS or Android) directly. Once compromised, the spyware can access data after it has been decrypted on your screen.

• Action You Must Take:

  • Keep Your Phone Updated: Make sure your phone's operating system (iOS or Android) is set to update automatically. These updates contain patches that block the sophisticated methods used by this spyware.

  • Be Wary of Links: Never click on a link sent via text, email, or a messaging app unless you are absolutely certain of the sender and its purpose. These links are often the key way spyware is installed.

🛍️ Ongoing Scam Watch: Account Takeover Fraud

The FBI is still warning holiday shoppers about a surge in Account Takeover (ATO) fraud, where criminals steal your username and password to lock you out of your accounts and steal stored payment information.

• The Target: Scammers are impersonating major retailers like Amazon and your bank through fake emails, texts, and phone calls. Their goal is to trick you into giving away your login details or your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) codes.

• Action You Must Take: Never share one-time security codes (MFA codes) with anyone who calls or texts you, even if they claim to be from the company. A legitimate company representative will never ask for that code.

✨ Quick Cyber Tip of the Day: Use Passkeys

If your bank, social media, or favorite retailer offers Passkeys, turn them on immediately!

• What are Passkeys? A Passkey is a new way to log in that uses your phone or computer's built-in security (like your fingerprint or face scan) instead of a password.

• Why they are safer: Passkeys cannot be phished. Because they don't involve typing a password or sharing a security code, they completely defeat the most common cyber attack—the phishing scam.