A widespread extortion campaign is currently targeting everyday web users, posing as the well-known threat group ShinyHunters. While the email might look scary because it names a specific service you use, the entire threat is a complete bluff.

Here is what is actually happening, why these emails sound so convincing, and what you should do next.

How the Scam Works

In a typical email from this campaign, scammers claim they accessed your device months ago through a corporate security breach. They might list a real company where you have an account—such as Amtrak, Hallmark, Substack, Betterment, CarGurus, ADT, Panera Bread, or McGraw Hill—to make the threat feel personal and real.

The scammer then claims they installed spyware on your phone or computer, logged your keystrokes, and recorded embarrassing footage of you while visiting adult websites. They threaten to send these alleged videos to your friends, family, and co-workers within 48 hours unless you pay $2,000 in Bitcoin.

The Twist: It’s Just Recycled Data

While the email address and company name they mention might be real, the threat is completely fake.

Scammers didn’t hack your personal device or install malware. Instead, they simply downloaded publicly leaked customer data from past corporate data breaches involving ShinyHunters. By cross-referencing your email address with the company name from those old leaks, they create a personalized script designed to spark panic.

Even ShinyHunters itself has denied involvement; this is just an opportunistic scammer using recycled breach records to scare people into sending money.

3 Things You Should Do Right Now

1. Do NOT Pay or Reply: Paying or replying confirms to the scammer that your email address is active, which can make you a target for even more spam and extortion attempts.
2. Delete the Email: Once you’ve read it, flag it as spam or phishing in your email provider and delete it.
3. Secure Your Accounts for Peace of Mind:
   • Change Passwords: If you reuse the password associated with the breached service named in the email, change it immediately on all accounts where it’s used.
   • Enable 2FA: Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) across your primary email and financial accounts to add an extra layer of security.

The Bottom Line

Receiving an email that knows your name or where you shop can be unsettling, but knowing how these scams operate takes away their power. Scammers rely on fear and urgency to force quick decisions.

If you receive one of these extortion emails, remember: it’s just spam fueled by old breach data. Delete the message, secure your passwords, and enjoy your day.

But here is the harsh truth: focusing only on the dark web while ignoring the public internet is like locking your front deadbolt but leaving the garage door wide open.

To truly protect your identity—whether for yourself or your organization—you need a two-pronged defense. You shouldn’t have one without the other. Here is how the two sides of the web expose you, and how to shut the door on both.

1. Dark Web Monitoring with PC Matic Antivirus

Think of the Dark Web as an underground black market. It isn’t indexed by search engines, meaning you can’t just pull up Google to find it. It requires special software and technical know-how to navigate.

• The Threat: If a major corporation, hotel chain, or service you use gets hacked, your passwords, credentials, and Social Security numbers are sold in encrypted hacker forums.
• The Fix: PC Matic Antivirus comes with FREE Dark Web Monitoring. It acts like a digital security guard patrolling the underground market. If your data pops up in a breach, you get an immediate alert so you can react quickly, change your passwords, and protect your accounts.
• The Catch: Dark web monitoring is entirely reactive. It only alerts you after a breach has already occurred.

2. Scrubbing the Open Web with PC Matic Delist

While hackers use the dark web to trade stolen credentials, there is an entirely different threat operating right out in the open: Data Brokers and People Search Sites.

• The Threat: These are fully legal websites on the “Open Web”—the regular internet you use every day. If someone can use Google, Yahoo, or Bing, they can access these sites. Data brokers scrape public records, social media, and purchase histories to build highly detailed profiles about you, including your cell phone number, home address, relatives, and financial background.
• The Real Danger: Cybercriminals love the open web because it requires zero technical skills. Instead of digging through hacker forums, a scammer can Google your name, pay a few dollars to a data broker, and get your exact phone number and home address. They use this to launch highly targeted phishing scams, spam calls, or social engineering attacks.
• The Fix: This is where PC Matic Delist comes in. It actively scans and scrubs your personal data from 300+ data broker sites, removing your public footprint from traditional search engines so bad actors can’t find it.

The Ultimate Peace of Mind

Digital privacy isn’t just about avoiding a password leak in the shadows—it’s about locking down your data out in the open. By pairing the reactive protection of PC Matic Antivirus with the proactive power of PC Matic Delist, you effectively close the gap on both sides of the web. Whether you are safeguarding your family’s personal details or shielding your business from targeted social engineering, this dual-layered defense ensures you aren’t just watching the threats; you are actively removing them. Don’t leave your garage door wide open; secure your complete digital footprint today.

But there’s a darker side to this technological boom. The same technology designed to make our lives easier is also being leveraged by bad actors to exploit security holes, breach company databases, and scale cyber threats at an unprecedented pace.

Let’s look at how AI is changing the threat landscape and, more importantly, what you can do to shield your business from the coming wave.

The Fictional “Ben” and a Very Real Threat

Meet Ben: a desperate job seeker. He has been unemployed for months, his savings are completely drained, and his mortgage is overdue. One evening, he watches a news report about a local utility company that paid a massive $5 million ransom to decrypt their hacked network.

Desperate for cash, Ben opens his laptop and feeds a few clever prompts into a public AI tool. Within seconds, he gets:

• A list of software commonly used by regional utility companies.
• An outline of known, unpatched security vulnerabilities in those programs.
• Step-by-step instructions on how to insert malware into legitimate software and automate its delivery.

While “Ben” is a fictional scenario, the reality is not fictional at all.

Real-world threat actors are using generative AI every day to investigate potential victims, exploit security holes, automate mass distribution, and create multiple versions of malicious software.

The Threat Landscape: Why Traditional Security is Failing

Our collective dependence on digital technology means that a single successful breach can paralyze entire organizations, stop government operations, or result in widespread identity theft.

The harsh reality is that you cannot control what tools hackers have access to. Traditional “detection-and-response” cybersecurity is no longer fast enough to keep up with AI-speed attacks. By the time an antivirus program detects a newly generated, AI-compiled malware strain, your data may already be encrypted.

To survive this shift, you have to shift your focus from reaction to prevention.

Two Steps to Reclaim Control of Your Security

You don’t have to be a helpless bystander to the AI mayhem. Protecting your devices, your networks, and your business starts with two fundamental steps:

1. Know Your Software’s Origin and Digital Signatures

Before installing any tool, you must ask two critical questions:

• Who actually developed this software?
• Where is the software digitally signed?

If a piece of software has access to your entire network, you need to ensure it wasn’t developed or digitally signed in high-risk foreign jurisdictions. Knowing your vendors is the first line of defense.

2. Move to a Zero-Trust Model with Application Allowlisting

If you want to stop AI-driven malware in its tracks, you have to control exactly what is allowed to run on your systems.

Instead of trying to keep up with millions of new, AI-generated threats, you should flip the script using application allowlisting.

What is Application Allowlisting? Rather than scanning for known bad files, allowlisting operates on a Zero-Trust model. It blocks all executable files and scripts by default, only allowing pre-approved, trusted programs to run. If an AI-driven malware payload tries to execute, it is stopped instantly—before it can ever start.

Don’t Wait for an Attack: Choose Prevention

The rise of AI means cyber threats are moving faster and scaling larger than ever before. Relying on yesterday’s detection tools is a gamble you can’t afford to take. Take back control of your network and secure your business with preventative, Zero-Trust defenses.

Ready to see how you can protect your organization from AI-driven threats?

Dive Into the Whitepaper to learn more about implementing robust preventative security measures.

At PC Matic, we believe that staying safe online shouldn’t be a complex technical hurdle. That is why we are proud to launch our new, tiered VPN options, designed to give you the exact level of protection you need.

Why Do You Need a VPN?

If you’ve ever felt like your internet connection is sluggish or worried about your family’s privacy, you aren’t alone. Insecure connections don’t put your data at risk; they often lead to frustrating lag times. Many standard VPN providers offer a “one-size-fits-all” solution that leaves many users either overpaying for features they don’t use or under-protected when they need it most.

We’ve taken a different approach: Security that fits your life.

Two Simple Ways to Stay Protected

We know that everyone has different needs. Whether you are a casual user or a heavy streamer and remote worker, we have a plan for you:

The Standard VPN

Designed for everyday privacy, families, and travelers.

This tier focuses on essential privacy. This plan creates a secure tunnel for your information, making it ideal for checking bank accounts on public Wi-Fi or streaming your favorite content securely.

• Simplified Protection: Automatically connects you to the closest, fastest location among our top 25 global servers.
• Bypass Location Blocks: Restores access to your favorite streaming services when traveling away from home.
• Strict Privacy Standards: Your browsing history is never tracked, saved, or shared.
• Annual Investment: $30 for your first year ($50 at renewal).

The Stealth VPN

Designed for maximum data lock-down, advanced customization, and hands-on control.

This tier is built for users who want total privacy and no risk of data leaks. If you use advanced network setups or want your entire household secured at the source, Stealth VPN adds extra layers to keep your digital footprint entirely hidden.

• Leak-Proof Engineering: Features an automatically enabled safety switch that instantly cuts your internet if the VPN drops, ensuring your true location is never exposed.
• Whole-Home Security: Includes Router VPN capabilities, allowing you to protect every connected device from your router.
• Advanced Traffic Routing: Features reverse tunneling and custom multi-hop routing, giving you total control over how and where your data travels.
• Full Global Access: Unlocks unrestricted access to every single server in the PC Matic network.
• Priority Support: Includes direct phone support, in addition to standard online assistance.
• Annual Investment: $80 for your first year ($100 at renewal).

Security Designed for Real People

“There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to cybersecurity needs and protecting your digital assets,” said a PC Matic Software Developer. “To make VPN more accessible for consumers with varying network needs, we developed our offerings with the end users in mind.”

Our users agree. One happy customer shared, “I sleep better knowing all of my family’s internet activity is protected. It brings me great comfort knowing their activity can’t be tracked.”

Get Started Today

You don’t have to be a tech expert to secure your digital assets.

Visit pcmatic.com/vpn today to compare our plans and find the perfect fit for your home or office.

The Hidden Danger: Your Devices as Pawns

According to an investigation into residential proxy software, millions of these low-cost devices are being infected with malware that turns them into silent, remote “backdoors.”

Instead of just performing their intended function, these compromised gadgets are being used to power massive, wide-reaching cyberattacks. The Digital Citizens Alliance estimates that there are roughly 20 million of these compromised devices in the U.S. alone. These devices effectively turn your home network into a launchpad for bad actors, often without the homeowner ever knowing.

Who is at Risk?

You don’t need to be a tech expert to be a target.

• The “Too Good to Be True” Shopper: If a brand-name smart camera costs $100 and you find a similar-looking one online for $15, you aren’t just paying for a “cheaper” version; you are often paying with your security.
• The Unsuspecting Consumer: Many people plug these devices in, connect them to Wi-Fi, and never think about them again. That “set it and forget it” mentality is exactly what cybercriminals rely on.

How to Protect Your Digital Front Door

You don’t have to throw away your smart home setup, but it is time to be proactive. Here is how to lock down your network:

• The “Default” Danger: Always change the default username and password for both your router and your individual devices. If you haven’t changed these since you unboxed them, do it today.
• Update or Replace: Check your device manufacturer’s website for firmware updates. If a manufacturer isn’t providing regular security updates, that device is a liability—it may be time to retire it.
• Disable Unnecessary Features: Turn off features like Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) on your router, and if you don’t need remote access to a device while you are away from home, keep that setting disabled.

The Bottom Line

Convenience shouldn’t come at the cost of your digital privacy. Before you add another “bargain” smart device to your cart, ask yourself: Is the savings worth the potential risk to your home network? When it comes to cybersecurity, the old saying remains true: You get what you pay for.

It’s called FROST, and it’s a tracking tactic that Big Tech and major browser developers are currently ignoring.

Here is what you need to know about this new threat, and how you can make sure your privacy stays protected.

What is the FROST Cyber Threat?

FROST stands for Fingerprinting Remotely using OPFS-based SSD Timing. FROST turns your computer’s own solid-state drive into a tracking sensor.

Here is how it works in those everyday scenarios:

The Setup: 

A compromised website, such as an everyday weather or news page, is left open in a background tab. It launches a hidden script using legitimate browser web standards (OPFS) to bypass all security measures.

The Tracking:

The script then tracks the response times of your Solid-State Drive (SSD). It monitors the tiny fractions of a second it takes your drive to process data. 

The Result:

By analyzing this timing data, attackers can identify the websites and applications you access, when you access them, and how long they are running with stunning accuracy. Beyond tracking every move you make, it can also take data off the SSD and send it back to the compromised website. 

The Threat:

Colin Vaughn, a software developer at PC Matic, breaks it down like this: 

“Let’s say you regularly visit a legitimate weather website every morning, but it is compromised with a FROST script. FROST learns you always launch your banking portal around the same time each morning. The attacker uses that information to then present a convincing “security alert” or fake login page precisely when you are expecting to access your account. Unbeknownst to you, you input your banking credentials into the fake login instead of the legitimate one. Now the hackers have access to your online bank account.”

FROST is known as a “passive side-channel attack.” It doesn’t need to hack into your computer; it just sits quietly in the background, listening to how your hardware naturally behaves to spy on your daily habits.

Why Traditional Security is Missing It

Because FROST exploits standard, legitimate web features to do its dirty work, it completely bypasses traditional firewalls and antivirus software. Standard security programs don’t see anything “wrong” happening, so they don’t block it.

Even worse, no traditional VPN currently on the market is equipped to address this specific vulnerability, and Big Tech browser developers are leaving the window wide open.

As Colin Vaughn, a Software Developer at PC Matic, explains:

“The team at PC Matic is working hard to expand privacy protections beyond conventional VPN capabilities. Our goal is to know everything we can about innovative threats like FROST and respond quickly and with precision.”

The Good News: PC Matic VPN Users Are Safe

If reading about a silent, undetectable tracker makes you nervous, take a deep breath.

1. Ultimate Protection with PC Matic VPN

If you are using the PC Matic VPN, you are fully protected from the FROST attack. While other traditional VPNs have left this window wide open for trackers to exploit, PC Matic has engineered specific, innovative solutions designed to block OPFS and SSD tracking methods like FROST. You don’t need to change your browsing habits or worry about closing every single tab while you wait at the airport.

2. Stop Threats at the Door with PC Matic Browser Security

To fully lock down your browsing experience, pair your VPN protection with PC Matic Browser Security. This powerful ad-blocker extension is available for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

While the VPN handles complex tracking threats like FROST underneath the hood, the Browser Security extension actively cleans up what you see on the surface. It stops annoying ads, blocks intrusive trackers, and shields you from malicious scams before they can even load in your browser.

By cleaning up malicious web elements, you reduce the chances of ever landing on a page capable of launching a FROST attack. Ready to take control of your internet experience? You can learn exactly how to enhance your browsing experience with PC Matic’s browser security and keep your digital life clean and safe.

With PC Matic running the defense, your privacy remains exactly what it should be: completely private.

Designed exclusively for Windows 10 and 11, v6 leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver our signature “Zero-Trust” protection with absolutely zero lag.

Why You Should Upgrade to v6

In the past, maintaining a secure PC felt like juggling. You might have needed three separate subscriptions for a Firewall, a File Shredder, and a Scam Blocker. With v6, we’ve brought everything under one roof.

• Integrated UI: Manage your entire family’s devices from one intuitive, centralized screen.
• All-in-One Defense: Your Firewall, File Shredder, and Scam Blocker are now fully integrated.
• Zero Cost: If you’re already a member of the PC Matic family, this transition is 100% free.

Experience the v6 Revolution

Stop settling for “good enough” security. Better protection and a faster interface are just one click away. You can download the new version directly from our site or simply open your current PC Matic application to begin the update.

Ready for a cleaner, safer PC? Download the PC Matic v6 Here

But Canvas recently became the target of a massive, headline-grabbing cyberattack.

A notorious hacking group managed to break into the system, creating a widespread Canvas data breach that compromised a staggering 3.65 terabytes of data belonging to roughly 275 million users across nearly 9,000 schools worldwide.

While the company behind Canvas stated that sensitive financial details and passwords weren’t stolen, the hackers did walk away with full names, student IDs, email addresses, and private school messages.

How to Protect Your Data, Step 1: Automated Privacy with PC Matic Delist

To stop scammers from using your leaked data against you, you have to scrub your public digital footprint. That’s where PC Matic Delist comes in.

Instead of forcing you to hunt down hundreds of sketchy people-search databases and fill out endless opt-out forms, PC Matic Delist acts as your automated privacy assistant:

Scans & Identifies: It constantly monitors over 130 data brokers and people-search sites for your personal information (like your home address, phone numbers, and leaked emails).

Automated Removal: It works on your behalf, automatically issuing opt-out requests to erase your data from these directories.

Continuous Monitoring: As new data broker sites pop up or old ones try to re-list your information, Delist continuously rescans and removes it, drastically cutting down on spam calls, text scams, and targeted phishing.

How to Protect Your Data, Step 2: Upgrading Your Ransomware Protection

Erasing your data from broker sites stops scammers from finding you, but you still need an ironclad shield on your actual computer. Standard malware protection tools work like a digital bouncer with a list of known bad guys (a “blacklist”). If a hacker creates a brand-new, sneaky piece of code that isn’t on that list yet, it slips right past your traditional defenses.

To protect your household from evolving threats, you need a proactive defense. That’s why robust ransomware protection is no longer optional—and it’s where the core PC Matic security suite shines.

Instead of trying to keep track of millions of new cyber threats every day, PC Matic uses Application Allowlisting. Think of it as a strict guest list for your computer:

Default-Deny Shield: If a program, file, or download isn’t explicitly on PC Matic’s verified “safe list,” it is blocked from running instantly.

Proactive Prevention: If a family member accidentally clicks a malicious link in a fake school email, PC Matic stops the hidden malware from executing before it can lock your computer or steal your photos.

Take Control of Your Security Today

Large-scale hacks are the new normal, but your household doesn’t have to be a victim. By combining the data-erasing power of PC Matic Delist with PC Matic’s default-deny ransomware protection, you can effectively blindfold the scammers and lock down your devices with total peace of mind.

In a recent incident, an unauthorized actor successfully utilized social engineering to compromise employee access, gaining a foothold in Carnival’s internal infrastructure. While Carnival’s incident response team reacted quickly to isolate and block the activity, the threat actors successfully accessed highly sensitive passenger Personally Identifiable Information (PII)—including dates of birth, driver’s licenses, and passport numbers.

For enterprise security teams, this data breach underscores a harsh structural reality: training alone cannot eliminate human risk, and detection-focused security frameworks are failing to keep pace with data exfiltration.

The Attack Chain: Why Speed-to-Exfiltrate Redefines Risk

The official disclosure highlights a critical bottleneck in legacy enterprise defense. Carnival noted that they “quickly blocked” the unauthorized activity. Yet, despite rapid detection, a massive volume of structured, deeply sensitive PII was still compromised.

In modern cybercrime ecosystems, the time gap between initial access and data exfiltration has shrunk dramatically. Threat actors routinely deploy automated scripts to scrape and compress active directories, databases, and file shares the moment access is achieved.

If an organization relies solely on reactive Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or security analysts triage alerts post-compromise, the game is already lost. Security teams are merely conducting digital forensics on data that has already been packaged and shipped to dark web repositories.

The Downstream Enterprise Threat: Weaponized PII

When high-value assets like immutable government-issued IDs (passports and driver’s licenses) are leaked, the risk isn’t just borne by the consumer. It circles back to bite enterprises across all sectors:

• Sophisticated Whaling & Spear Phishing: Attackers use accurate passenger manifest data to craft highly targeted, hyper-personalized social engineering campaigns against corporate executives who traveled on these lines.
• Bypassing Identity Verification: Compromised legitimate passport numbers and PII are frequently used by threat actors to bypass Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and corporate identity verification checkpoints.

Moving Beyond Reactive Defense with PC Matic’s Zero-Trust Architecture

Because human error is a permanent variable, true enterprise resilience requires moving away from the traditional “trust but verify” model. If a user falls victim to social engineering, your endpoints must inherently deny any unauthorized actions the attacker attempts to execute.

This is where PC Matic changes the defensive paradigm. Instead of attempting to detect malicious activity after it begins running on a compromised system, PC Matic builds its security around a strict Zero-Trust Architecture.

Automated Application Allowlisting

While legacy antivirus and standard EDR tools rely on “blacklist” heuristics—allowing unknown binaries or scripts to execute until they exhibit malicious behavior—PC Matic operates on a Default-Deny model.

Through patented, automated application allowlisting, any unrecognized script, payload, or binary that an attacker attempts to run inside your network via compromised credentials is systematically blocked. The system doesn’t need to determine if the file is malicious; it blocks it simply because it is unknown.

Shift From Detection to True Prevention

The Carnival Corporation incident proves that relying on rapid detection is a failing strategy against automated exfiltration. Organizations must adopt control mechanisms that prevent unauthorized execution entirely.

To explore how default-deny security can neutralize credential compromise and harden your organization against modern threats, explore PC Matic’s Zero-Trust enterprise solutions.

Here is a breakdown of what happened, why this specific breach is dangerous, and how you can take total control of your personal information before cybercriminals exploit it.

What Happened in the Carnival Data Breach?

In April 2026, a hacker used social engineering—a tactic in which cybercriminals trick an employee into handing over access—to gain access to Carnival’s internal systems. While Carnival stated they quickly blocked the unauthorized activity, the hackers still managed to access a goldmine of passenger data.

According to the official disclosure, the stolen information includes:

• Names, phone numbers, and email addresses
• Home addresses and dates of birth
• Government-issued identification numbers (including driver’s licenses and passport numbers)

The Real Threat: Unlike a compromised credit card, you cannot simply press a button to “freeze” your passport or date of birth. This immutable data is highly valuable on the dark web, where criminals buy it to open fraudulent bank accounts, take out loans, or commit sophisticated tax fraud.

3 Immediate Steps to Take If You Cruised with Carnival

If you think your data was exposed, do not wait for identity thieves to make the first move. Take these proactive steps right now:

1. Accept the Free Credit Monitoring: Carnival is offering affected customers free credit monitoring services. If you receive a notification letter or email from them, sign up immediately.
2. Initiate a Credit Freeze: This prevents unauthorized users from opening new accounts in your name.
3. Watch Out for “Phishing” Scams: Because hackers walked away with emails and phone numbers, watch out for sophisticated follow-up scam texts or emails pretending to be from Carnival, your bank, or a government agency.

The Ultimate Safety Net: PC Matic Identity Theft Protection

While a corporate data breach is completely out of your hands, you don’t have to leave your family’s financial future up to chance. Freezing your credit is a good reactive step, but true peace of mind requires a 24/7 digital watchdog.

This is exactly why PC Matic Identity Theft Protection was built. Instead of just protecting your physical computer, it builds a defensive wall around your personal data.

Why Choose PC Matic to Secure Your Identity?

• Continuous PII Monitoring: PC Matic actively scans the dark web, public records, and unauthorized databases for your most sensitive data—including your Social Security Number, bank accounts, driver’s license, and passport details.
• Rapid Identity Threat Alerts: The moment your information pops up where it shouldn’t be, you receive an early warning alert on your smartphone or computer, allowing you to stop fraud in its tracks.
• $1 Million Identity Theft Insurance: If the worst happens, you are backed by a $1 million insurance policy for stolen funds reimbursement and out-of-pocket expenses.
• White-Glove Identity Restoration: You won’t have to spend hundreds of hours fighting credit bureaus and debt collectors alone. PC Matic’s 100% U.S.-based, certified identity restoration experts will handle the paperwork and phone calls to restore your pre-theft status.
• Built for the Whole Family: Cybercriminals frequently target children because their credit scores are a completely blank canvas. PC Matic’s Family Plan uniquely covers two adults and unlimited children under one simple subscription.

Don’t Wait for the Next Breach

Corporate data breaches are happening at an alarming rate, and hackers are getting smarter. Don’t wait until you get a notification letter in the mail saying your identity has been compromised. Head over to pcmatic.com/identity today to lock down your personal information and protect your family’s digital footprint.