Most cyberattacks don’t start with hacking tools or technical exploits.
They start quietly, patiently, invisibly.
Long before an attacker reaches out, clicks a link, or sends a message, they are already watching, learning and piecing things together.
And most times, they don’t need to break into anything.
We hand them the information.
Attacks Begin With Observation
Attackers don’t wake up and randomly choose a target. They observe first.
They look for:
- names
- workplaces
- phone numbers
- routines
- interests
- posts
- comments
- ads
- bios
- settings people forgot they filled out years ago
To them, every detail is a puzzle piece.And when enough pieces come together, a profile forms.
When Familiarity Feels Uncomfortable
There was a time I used to receive phone calls from men I didn’t know. They would say my name confidently. Mention where I worked. Speak as if we had crossed paths before.
Something about it always felt off.
However, I have always been cold toward people I don’t know who claim to know me, so I never engaged. But I couldn’t stop wondering:
How did they get my number?
How do they know where I work?
At the time, I didn’t have answers, just the questions.
The Moment It Clicked
One day, out of curiosity, I went into my Facebook settings.
And there it was.
My workplace.
My details.
Information I had forgotten I ever shared publicly.
No hacking required.
No breach.
No technical skill.
Just access to information I had made public without thinking twice.
That moment stayed with me.
Why This Matters in Cybersecurity
Attackers don’t need everything about you.
They just need enough.
Enough to sound believable.
Enough to earn trust.
Enough to lower your guard.
This is how social engineering works.
This is how phishing becomes personal.
This is how a stranger turns into “someone who sounds legit.”
By the time the attack happens, the groundwork has already been laid.
Information Is Context and Context Is Power
When someone knows:
- your name
- your workplace
- your interests
- where you post
- what you are selling
- what you are building
they don’t approach you as a stranger.
They approach you with context.
And humans are wired to trust context.
What Changed for Me
Ever since stepping into cybersecurity, I have become very intentional about what I share and where I share it.
Not paranoid.
Not fearful.
Just aware.
I understand now that:
- public information is still information
- old settings still matter
- small details stack up
- familiarity doesn’t equal legitimacy
Attackers don’t always “find” information.
Often, they simply collect it.
The Quiet Truth About Attacks
Most attacks are already halfway successful before contact is made.
Because when someone reaches out and already knows enough about you to sound familiar, the hardest part of the attack is already done.
That is why cybersecurity isn’t just technical.
It is behavioural.
It is awareness.
It is learning to see your digital footprint the way an attacker would.
And once you see it that way, you never look at your online presence the same again.
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I write about human-centred cybersecurity, risk, and career transitions.
