A recent national survey of nearly 500 people revealed a quiet crisis in how we handle online safety: we’re deeply worried about our money, skeptical of our options, and mostly left to figure things out on our own.

What We’re Actually Afraid Of

When tech headlines talk about cyber threats, they often focus on high-tech corporate hacks, ransomware, or AI deepfakes. But for ordinary people, the anxiety is much closer to home.

Over 65% of people surveyed said identity theft was their biggest online worry, with financial fraud right behind it. Almost half worried about everyday phishing schemes and scam texts. Meanwhile, sophisticated threats like ransomware didn’t even hit 20%.

The message is pretty straightforward: people aren’t worried about someone locking up their laptop for fun; they’re terrified of waking up to an empty checking account.

Experts We Can’t Reach

The real problem isn’t just that scams exist; it’s that there’s no clear “911” for digital trouble.

About a third of participants admitted they have no idea where to find trustworthy cybersecurity advice. When faced with a suspicious message, 25% just try to tackle it themselves.

And when people do reach out, they aren’t calling IT experts. Less than 10% turn to a professional. Instead, they ask a family member, ask around, or search social media, where the advice can sometimes be just as risky as the original threat.

Rebuilding Digital Defense at Ground Level 

People don’t want more dense whitepapers or automated chat support; they want practical, local help. Nearly 60% of survey takers said they’d attend free, local cyber safety sessions if their community offered them.

When asked what would actually make them feel safer, participants kept pointing to simple, grounded solutions: hands-on local workshops, clearer advice on protective software, and real accountability for cybercriminals.

Setting up basic, expert-led workshops in local libraries, schools, and community hubs won’t solve online crime overnight. But it would give people something they desperately lack right now: a reliable place to turn when things go wrong.

That gap between trust and verification is why Dr. Chase Cunningham launched The DrZeroTrust Show. It is also why PC Matic has stepped up as the show’s very first official sponsor.

Corey Munson, Vice President at PC Matic, summarized the company’s position clearly:

“Our industry is stronger when independent voices can be heard. We’re proud to support them.”

This partnership brings a practical voice to a complex topic. It highlights a shared belief: real digital defense requires moving away from implicit trust and adopting true Zero Trust principles that keep you in control.

Why Zero Trust Matters to Everyday Users and Businesses

Zero Trust sounds like technical jargon, but the core concept is straightforward: never trust, always verify.

Legacy security software works like a security guard checking IDs against a list of known banned visitors. If a new threat comes along that isn’t on the list yet, the guard lets it walk right through the door.

Zero Trust flips this logic entirely. Instead of trying to guess which unknown files might be dangerous, it assumes nothing should run unless it has been explicitly verified as safe. By eliminating implicit trust at the application level, you close the door on unexpected threats before they ever start.

3 Simple Steps to Bring Zero Trust into Your Daily Safety Routine

Adopting a Zero Trust mindset does not require a complex overhaul of your life. You can take three immediate, practical steps to protect your devices:

1. Verify Before You Interact: Treat every unexpected email link, attachment, or pop-up prompt with healthy skepticism. Before clicking, verify the source independently. Educational guides from the National Cybersecurity Alliance offer clear examples of how to spot subtle social engineering tactics.
2. Restrict Default Permissions: Reduce administrative rights on your primary accounts. Running your computer as a standard user prevents unauthorized programs from making changes to your operating system, a core principle backed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
3. Switch to Default-Deny Application Control: Move away from security models that rely solely on threat signatures. Choosing software that blocks unapproved scripts by default stops malicious code from launching on your machine. Learn more about proactive defense benchmarks through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Proactive Defense with PC Matic

Educating the public on Zero Trust is essential, but having the right tools to enforce it makes all the difference. PC Matic puts Zero Trust into practice through Automated Application Allowlisting built on a Default-Deny architecture.

Instead of reacting to attacks after they invade your device, PC Matic automatically blocks unverified executable files, scripts, or programs from running. Trusted applications open smoothly, while unknown or unauthorized code is stopped dead in its tracks.

By replacing reactive scanning with proactive prevention, you eliminate uncertainty and gain peace of mind every time you log on.

Understanding these mechanisms gives you the power to stop threats before they cause harm. When systems lack proper boundaries or run outdated programs, unauthorized scripts can execute freely in the background. Thankfully, staying safe does not require complex technical maneuvers or constant stress. By taking control of basic security habits, you can lock down your personal devices or business networks effectively.

The Smart Defense Strategy: 3 Simple Steps to Safer Computing

Building strong digital resilience starts with simple, actionable routines. Follow this practical checklist to close common security gaps and keep your data private.

1 – Take Inventory and Remove Unused Programs

You cannot secure what you do not know exists. Make a quick list of all connected devices, software applications, and user accounts. Uninstall programs you no longer use, as outdated software offers an easy entry point for bad actors. Check out official guidelines from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to learn more about basic asset management.

2 – Enable Multi-Factor Authentication and Automate Updates

Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all email accounts, banking profiles, and work portals. MFA adds a quick, secondary check that stops password-stealing attempts in their tracks. Next, turn on automatic updates for your operating systems and web browsers so security patches apply the moment they are available.

3 – Block Unrecognized Code with Application Control

Traditional antivirus software tries to catch threats by recognizing bad files after they arrive. A far more proactive choice is restricting what is allowed to run in the first place. By setting clear execution policies, you prevent unauthorized scripts, unrecognized programs, and malicious payloads from launching without your explicit permission.

Proactive Protection with PC Matic

Taking control of your digital environment should feel empowering, not overwhelming. This is where PC Matic provides true peace of mind.

Instead of playing catch-up with brand-new viruses, PC Matic utilizes an advanced Default-Deny architecture paired with automated Application Allowlisting. Every unknown file or application attempting to open on your computer is blocked by default until verified as safe. By blocking untrusted code execution automatically, PC Matic enforces the high-tier cyber hygiene standards recommended by federal defense experts.

Enjoy Complete Confidence Online

Securing your digital life isn’t about avoiding technology; it’s about using the right tools to navigate the web with confidence. By adopting modern cyber hygiene habits and backing them up with automated, proactive security, you eliminate the guesswork. To explore more about building a safer digital environment, review the federal security standards cataloged by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Reclaim your digital peace of mind today. When you know your systems are secure, you can focus on what matters most.

When you present your driver’s license at a car rental counter or hotel check-in, you expect the scan to stay private. However, a recent cloud storage breach at identity verification provider IDScan exposed roughly 150 million personal records. Names, dates of birth, driver’s license details, and passport images surfaced on dark web marketplaces, triggering investigations by federal authorities.

For everyday users, the primary threat here isn’t immediate device damage—it is identity theft. Fraudulent actors purchase these records to apply for loans in your name, open fake accounts, or craft convincing phishing scams tailored specifically to you.

The Guide: Assessing Your Risk Without Panic

Large data breaches sound intimidating, but headlines rarely tell the whole story. Hearing about a breach doesn’t mean your records were stolen. Managing identity theft requires a calm, methodical approach rather than sudden panic. At PC Matic, our goal is to help you cut through the noise, verify your risk, and take practical steps to safeguard your personal details.

Your 3-Step Action Plan

You don’t need to overturn your digital life to stay safe. Follow these steps to determine where you stand and reduce your exposure.

1. Verify Your Exposure Status: Before taking action, find out if your information was part of a leak. You can search compromised database records on Have I Been Pwned or look out for formal notification letters from organizations involved in the incident.

2. Lock Down Your Credit: If your state ID or license details were compromised, head over to IdentityTheft.gov to place a free freeze on your credit reports. A credit freeze blocks unauthorized lenders from opening new accounts under your name, giving you immediate control over your financial profile.

3. Stay Alert for Targeted Phishing: Scammers routinely use leaked personal details to make fake emails and text messages feel authentic. Review CISA’s cybersecurity advice to help spot suspicious messages trying to lure you into clicking unexpected links or attachments.

The Technology: A Smart Layer in Your Overall Security

Protecting your identity requires a layered defense strategy because no single tool can pull your stolen data off the dark web. While credit freezes protect your financial accounts, endpoint security protects your hardware from follow-up attacks.

If a scammer uses your leaked information to send a malicious attachment disguised as an official breach update, PC Matic’s application allowlisting provides an essential safety net. By blocking all unapproved software by default, our proactive software prevents malicious downloads from running, ensuring a fake email can’t turn into a compromised computer.

The Value: Quiet Confidence and Total Control

Data breaches in third-party systems are outside your direct control, but your personal security plan doesn’t have to be. By checking your exposure, locking your credit, and securing your computer against malicious software, you put yourself firmly back in the driver’s seat. Simple proactive habits give you total control and lasting peace of mind.

While it feels like an alarming safety risk, it happens automatically every day. The underlying cause: data brokers.

In a corporate environment, exposed employee data is no longer just a personal inconvenience; it is an enterprise security vulnerability. Here is why data brokers harvest your team’s details, how it exposes your organization to cyber threats, and how you can defend your business with PC Matic Delist for Business.

Why Data Brokers Target Your Team

Data brokers are companies that aggregate personal and professional details, bundle them into profile databases, and sell or license them to third parties. They gather information from across the web, including:

• Public Records: Property deeds, voter registrations, court records, and business filings.
• Professional & Online Footprints: Social media platforms, industry conference sign-ups, and corporate directories.
• Commercial Transactions: Consumer loyalty programs, web activity, and app registration data.

How Exposed Employee Data Threatens Business Security

When employee phone numbers, emails, addresses, and family connections are published on data broker networks, cybercriminals use this information to stage targeted attacks against your business:

• Spear-Phishing & Business Email Compromise (BEC): Attackers leverage personal details to build highly believable, hyper-targeted phishing campaigns that trick employees into surrendering corporate credentials or transferring funds.
• Executive & VIP Targeting: C-suite executives and key staff become high-value targets for doxxing, harassment, and social engineering attacks when their personal home addresses and phone numbers are exposed.
• Social Engineering: Bad actors cross-reference public profiles to impersonate employees, IT personnel, or trusted vendor contacts over the phone or email.

The Challenge of Manual Data Removal

To eliminate these vulnerabilities, organizations can request data removal from broker sites.

However, managing this internally requires discovering every active people-search database, filing individual opt-out requests, verifying identities, and re-submitting claims whenever brokers refresh their lists. With hundreds of active data broker websites, manually scrubbing data for an entire workforce is an impossible task for internal IT and security teams.

The Automated Solution: PC Matic Delist for Business

Instead of burdening your internal teams with endless manual requests, PC Matic Delist automates data scrubbing across your organization, serving as a scalable privacy tool that safeguards your enterprise attack surface.

Here is how PC Matic Delist secures employee privacy at scale:

1. Comprehensive Scanning: Delist continuously searches hundreds of data broker platforms and people-search databases for your employees’ names, personal phone numbers, physical addresses, and emails.
2. Automated Opt-Out Submissions: Once profiles are detected, Delist issues formal, automated removal requests on behalf of your employees to scrub their data from broker databases.
3. Continuous Monitoring: Data brokers regularly re-scrape public records and re-list previously deleted profiles. Delist performs recurring background scans to identify profiles and request immediate re-deletion.

Strengthen Your Human Firewall Today

Cybersecurity extends beyond network firewalls and endpoint security—it starts with reducing the personal exposure of the people inside your organization. By automating employee data removal with PC Matic Delist, you can neutralize social engineering vectors, protect your leadership team, and shield your enterprise from targeted attacks.

It feels like a massive breach of trust, but it happens every second of the day. The culprits behind this exposed data are data brokers.

Here is a breakdown of why these companies have your personal details, and how you can take back your digital privacy using PC Matic Delist.

What Are Data Brokers , and Why Do They Have Your Info?

Data brokers are companies that make money by collecting your personal details, packaging them into profile files, and selling or licensing them to third parties. They harvest information from public and private sources, including:

• Public Records: Marriage licenses, voter registrations, property deeds, and court documents.12
• Online Footprints: Social media profiles, forum sign-ups, and online contest entries.
• Commercial Transactions: Store loyalty programs, warranty registrations, and online shopping histories.

Why This Exposure Is Dangerous

Having your information floating around hundreds of data broker databases isn’t just annoying—it creates real safety and financial risks:

• Spam & Telemarketing: Scammers and marketers buy these lists to bombard your phone with spam calls and text messages.
• Targeted Phishing: Cybercriminals cross-reference public profiles to tailor convincing scam emails aimed at stealing your passwords or bank details.
• Identity Theft: Exposed addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates give fraudsters the missing pieces needed to open fake accounts in your name.

How to Remove Your Info

By law, most data brokers must give you a way to “opt out” and request your data’s deletion.

Doing this yourself requires finding every individual site, filling out lengthy removal forms, providing proof of identity, and repeating the process every few months when brokers refresh their databases. With over 300 active broker sites online today, manual opt-out is virtually a full-time job.

The Automated Solution: PC Matic Delist

Rather than wasting hours submitting opt-out forms, PC Matic Delist handles the entire removal process automatically. It functions as a digital privacy assistant that continually fights to keep your personal info off the web.

Here is how PC Matic Delist protects your online presence:

1. Scans the Web: Delist checks 300+ data brokers and people-search sites for your phone number, physical address, email, and name variations.
2. Submits Removal Requests: Once detected, Delist automatically issues legal opt-out requests on your behalf to erase your profiles.
3. Provides Continuous Monitoring: Delist runs recurring background scans to catch re-listed and new profiles, and remove them instantly.

Get Started With PC Matic Delist Today

Taking back control of your personal data takes only a few minutes. Head to pcmatic.com/delist and set up your privacy account.

Most of us assume that “the cloud” is like a giant digital bank vault where our files sit safely locked away. But in reality, storing your files on someone else’s server means agreeing to their ground rules. While major tech companies spend millions to shield your files from external hackers, they also set the rules for how they access and use your information.

Here is what is actually going on behind the scenes with your private files.

What Cloud Providers Collect and Share

When you agree to the Terms of Service, you grant these platforms permission to process your data. While they generally do not sell raw personal photos directly to advertisers, they do collect and use your data in three main ways:

• Metadata Tracking: Companies record when you upload files, where you logged in from, what device you used, and how often you access your account.
• Automated Scanning: Algorithms scan text files and photo libraries to tag faces, organize photos, identify metadata, and automatically block malware, dangerous files, or illegal content.
• Third-Party Service Sharing: To run smoothly, platforms share technical data with trusted partners—like payment processors, customer support vendors, and security monitoring firms.
• Legal and Government Requests: If served with a valid court order or subpoena, tech companies must hand over stored files to law enforcement.

Privacy at a Glance: Google vs. Dropbox vs. Amazon

3 Simple Steps to Protect Your Cloud Privacy

You don’t have to stop using cloud storage entirely to protect your personal information. Taking a few simple precautions can help you stay in control of your digital footprint:

1. Encrypt Sensitive Files Before Uploading: Use free tools like 7-Zip to encrypt personal documents with AES-256 password protection before saving them to the cloud.
2. Turn Off Data Sharing for AI & Ads: Review your cloud and tech account settings to turn off personalized ad tracking, disable data-sharing options, and opt out of AI feature training where applicable.
3. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA so anyone logging into your account from an unrecognized device must verify their identity using a code sent to your phone or authenticator app.

Hearing about AI-powered threats can sound overwhelming, but staying safe doesn’t require complex cybersecurity knowledge or fancy technical tricks. In fact, defending against AI threats comes down to one simple strategy: getting better at the fundamentals and controlling what runs on your network.

Here is what you need to know about AI threats and the key security habits you can implement today to stop them in their tracks.

Understanding the AI Threat Landscape

Before diving into defense strategies, it helps to understand how cybercriminals leverage AI:

• Hyper-Realistic Phishing: AI models remove grammar mistakes and language barriers, generating flawless phishing emails and messages tailored to trick users.
• Deepfake Impersonation: Scammers use AI audio generator tools to clone the voices of executives, coworkers, or relatives to manipulate targets into sending money or sensitive data.
• Polymorphic Malware: AI tools can rewrite malware code, creating novel “zero-day” threats designed to slip past legacy antivirus detectors.
• Automated Network Probing: AI bots scan millions of IP addresses across the web, searching for unpatched software vulnerabilities and open remote access ports.

5 Cybersecurity Fundamentals to Defeat AI Threats

AI threats may be fast and automated, but they still rely on basic vulnerabilities to breach your network. Hardening your fundamental defenses closes the gaps AI tools try to exploit.

1. Upgrade Your Password Hygiene

AI-powered password crackers can test billions of combinations per second against simple credentials.

• Use complex passphrases (at least 16 characters long) combining random words, numbers, and symbols.
  • You can easily create secure ones using PC Matic’s Password Generator
• Use a reputable password manager to create and store unique passwords for every account.
• Never reuse passwords across personal and business logins.

2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) & Biometrics

If an AI tool manages to steal or crack your password, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of defense that stops the vast majority of automated attacks.

• Enable MFA across all online services, email accounts, and work platforms.
• Prioritize biometric security (facial recognition, fingerprint scans) or hardware security keys (FIDO2) over SMS text codes. Biometrics ensure that only physical, verified humans gain access.

3. Close Exposed Entry Points: Disable RDP Ports

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a major vector for automated ransomware attacks. AI scanning bots search the web for open RDP ports.

• Disable RDP entirely if your work or home setup does not require it.
• If remote access is necessary, place it behind a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) like PC Matic VPN or a Zero-Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution enforced with strict MFA.

4. Keep Software & Systems Continuously Updated

Unpatched applications and outdated operating systems are low-hanging fruit for automated exploit tools.

• Turn on automatic updates for Windows, macOS, web browsers, and third-party software.
• Apply security patches immediately to close known vulnerabilities before hackers can leverage AI to exploit them.

5. Implement Application Allowlisting (Default-Deny)

Traditional antivirus software relies on a blacklist approach; it keeps a list of known “bad” files and blocks them. However, AI can generate brand-new, unseen malware variants in seconds. Blacklists cannot keep up with the volume of newly minted threats.

Application Allowlisting, which is at the core of PC Matic, turns this model on its head: instead of attempting to recognize every bad file, it blocks everything by default and only allows known, trusted software to execute.

The Ultimate Shield: PC Matic

When it comes to blocking AI-driven malware, the approach you choose makes all the difference:

At PC Matic, our core philosophy is simple:

You cannot control what other people do with the tools they have available. But you can control what you allow to run on your devices and within your network. PC Matic blocks unknown files from running. It’s as simple as that.

By combining fundamental security habits with PC Matic’s automated allowlisting technology, you regain total control over your digital environment—leaving AI-powered threats out in the cold.

Take Control of Your Security Today

Don’t let AI cyber threats outsmart your devices. Implement the fundamentals, enable biometric MFA, close open ports, and lock down your network with PC Matic’s proactive allowlisting defense.

AI-driven cyber threats represent a fundamental shift in cybersecurity: a transition from manual, human-executed hacks to automated, hyper-targeted campaigns that execute at machine speed.

Here is a breakdown of the primary AI-driven security risks facing businesses and individuals today, and how to defend against them.

4 Major AI-Driven Cyber Threats

1. Deepfakes & Voice Cloning Fraud

Generative AI elevated social engineering by enabling hyper-realistic deepfake audio and video impersonation. Using just a few seconds of scraped public audio, attackers can clone an executive’s voice to manipulate finance teams into authorizing fraudulent wire transfers. Threat actors are even joining live video calls using real-time synthetic avatars or using generated media to bypass facial and voice biometrics used by banks and secure onboarding platforms.

2. AI Prompt Manipulation & Vulnerability Discovery

Finding software vulnerabilities used to require tedious manual code audits, but cybercriminals now leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to accelerate exploit discovery. By using jailbroken AI prompts, attackers can scan open-source code bases for zero-day flaws in seconds, bypass commercial AI safety guardrails to map out attack strategies, and deploy automated fuzzing tools to crash targeted software and expose memory leaks.

3. AI-Generated & Polymorphic Malware

Generative AI is a major force multiplier for malware development, allowing novice hackers to auto-generate functional keyloggers while enabling advanced groups to build highly evasive code. AI enables polymorphic malware—software that continuously rewrites its underlying code structure on the fly without changing its core function. Because legacy antivirus tools rely on static signatures to spot threats, this constantly mutating code slides past traditional endpoint detection undetected.

4. Hyper-Personalized AI Phishing at Scale

Traditional phishing scams were easily flagged by awkward phrasing, generic greetings, and obvious spelling mistakes, but generative AI has eliminated these telltale warning signs. By scraping target profiles and corporate news, AI models automatically draft millions of bespoke spear-phishing emails featuring flawless grammar, convincing context, and natural tone, making it nearly impossible for employees to spot the trap.

The Default-Deny Solution: How PC Matic Blocks AI Threats

Most legacy antivirus products use a default-allow approach—they permit programs to run unless the file matches a database of known threats. But when AI creates unique, unseen polymorphic malware in real-time, reactive scanning cannot keep up.

Defending against AI requires changing the fundamental rule of execution:

You cannot control what other people do with the tools they have available. But you can control what you allow to run on your devices and within your network. PC Matic blocks unknown files from running. It’s as simple as that.

4 Steps to Build an AI-Resilient Security Posture

1. Enforce Execution Control: Deploy PC Matic to block unapproved files and scripts across all endpoints.
2. Verify Out-of-Band: Establish strict multi-person approval policies for wire transfers and credential resets to prevent deepfake fraud.
3. Train for Contextual Phishing: Educate employees to look beyond flawless grammar and always verify unexpected requests through separate channels.
4. Implement Least Privilege: Limit user access rights across networks so that even if credentials are lost, lateral movement remains locked down.

To help you stay informed, we’re excited to highlight three key features that provide clarity, security, and control over your device and online privacy.

1. Free Software Origin Scan: Know Where Your Apps Come From

Have you ever wondered where the background applications running on your computer actually originated?

With our Free Software Origin Scan tool, you get direct visibility into the geographic origin of processes on your device. For example, your scan might show that 77% of your active software originates in the US, while other background programs come from Germany, Switzerland, or elsewhere.

Why does this matter?

Knowledge is power. This feature provides a clear, transparent breakdown of your active processes so you can better understand your device’s software ecosystem.

• You’re in the Driver’s Seat: If you see foreign software running on your computer that you don’t recognize or no longer want, you have the choice to uninstall it directly.

Please Note: PC Matic provides this information so you can make informed decisions about your device. Choosing to uninstall or keep software is entirely up to you, and users are responsible for the removal or reinstallation of any third-party software they choose to modify.

2. Free Malware Scan: Check Your PC’s Health

Want a quick checkup to see if hidden threats are lurking on your system? PC Matic offers a Free Malware Scan to give you a clear snapshot of your device’s security status.

Here is what you need to know about how the free scan works:

• Quarterly Cleanups: Free users can run this scan to evaluate system health and complete quarterly cleanups to clear out temp files and eliminate background threats.
• On-Demand Scan vs. Real-Time Protection: Keep in mind that this free option is strictly an on-demand scan, not continuous, real-time protection. 

3. Free Exposure Report with PC Matic Delist

Your digital security doesn’t stop at your computer screen—it extends out to the rest of the web. Data brokers collect and sell personal details like your address, phone number, and family contacts.

Once your free PC Matic Delist scan finishes checking the web for exposed information, it’s time to take action!

Why act now?

Leaving your personal information exposed across data broker sites leaves you vulnerable to serious risks:

• Identity Theft & Fraud: Cybercriminals use exposed personal details to open fraudulent accounts or take over existing ones.
• Spam Calls & Emails: Unsolicited marketing lists thrive on data gathered from exposed public web profiles.
• Targeted Cyber Attacks: Scammers use leaked details to craft convincing phishing emails designed specifically to trick you.

Once your free Delist scan reveals where your data is hiding, upgrading to full Delist protection allows us to work on your behalf to clean up your digital footprint and remove your details from data broker databases.