Stop Hacklore!

Urban legends and myths are everywhere. Cybersecurity has some, too. That’s why we started a project called “Hacklore”. Hacklore are cybersecurity myths, folk advice, and panic-driven narratives that persist long after the landscape has changed.

1 Sept

Oof. Just watched a cybersecurity influencer explain that to avoid hotel wi-fi compromises, you need to connect your VPN client before connecting to the internet. 🤔 What a time to be alive! 😆

buttondown.comAugust 2026: Beware Cybersecurity Awareness Month 🎃Intro October is approaching, which means it's almost Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM). We can expect many well-meaning individuals, organizations, and...

12 Aug

📣 The hacklore newsletter is out! 📰 buttondown.com/hacklore/arc... Share with some friends!

26 June

Hacklore spreads through word of mouth as much as it does more official channels. Fight back against zombie advice. 🧟‍♀️ Send the hacklore.org website to at least two friends today so they can learn what really keeps accounts and devices safe! 🔐

gamma.appStop Hacklore!The cybersecurity advice we all repeat that isn't actually helping anyone. hacklore.org • CC BY 4.0 • Robert Lord

29 May

I updated the resources page with a new draft slide deck. Let me know what you think. Feel free to remix and share! www.hacklore.org/resources

24 Apr

📣 BREAKING NEWS! "Avoid shopping and banking on public Wi-Fi." 🤔 😆 😜 www.kob.com/news/what-th... Check out hacklore.org to get rid of zombie advice. 🧟

24 Apr

3 Apr

🥱 Tired of zombie advice that won't stay dead? 🧟 Check out hacklore.org for the advice that will keep your online accounts and devices safe from the most common attacks. 🔐 📣 Share the cure with your networks!

publications.cispa.depublications.cispa.de

30 Mar

🏫🎓 Here is an interesting academic paper that cites hacklore.org. Let me know your thoughts! 🔐 Title: Public Wi-Fi Security and the Spread of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt publications.cispa.de/articles/con...

30 Mar

🎭 Roses are red, violets are blue, juice jacking isn't real, and neither are half the threats you've been told to worry about. 😜 Happy (almost) April Fools' Day — the Hacklore newsletter is out! 📰 buttondown.com/hacklore/arc...

20 Mar

🧟 We’ve gotten very good at defending against unlikely things. 🧟‍♀️ hacklore.org 🙈

20 Mar

Imagine spending your limited security awareness budget warning people about a crime that has never happened in the wild. 🤔 What would you do with that time and budget instead? 👇 hacklore.org 🙈

13 Mar

📞 2010 called... 📞 It wants its security advice back! 🤣 hacklore.org 🧟 🔁 Boost to your network to bury hacklore before it rises again. 🧟☠️

usbcondom.comUSB Data Blockers – Straight AnswersClear, hype-free answers on USB condoms & juice-jacking.

6 Mar

I just learned of this hacklore website. 🤔😆 (Someone needs to create a juice-jacking emoji...) usbcondom.com

6 Mar

⌛ Giving outdated cybersecurity advice misdirects people from the tasks that will actually help them be secure. It's time to let go of zombie advice! 🧟‍♀️ 📖 Check out hacklore.org where you can learn what tactics work against the most common crimes. 📬 And sign up for the mailing list!

pcworld.comGreat, another reason not to trust public Wi-FiWe’ve been told for years to be careful on public networks. A new type of attack is a harsh reminder to keep your guard up.

5 Mar

More public wi-fi hacklore! 🤦 😂 www.pcworld.com/article/3074...

cyberreadinessinstitute.orgStop Spreading “Hacklore”: What Small Businesses Should Really Do to Stay Secure - Cyber Readiness InstituteThere is no shortage of cybersecurity advice for small and medium-sized businesses. Much of it is practical and easy to understand, even without a technical background. But some long-standing recommen...

4 Mar

Bravo to the Cyber Readiness Institute for joining the movement to stop hacklore! People and organizations are rethinking security guidance in light of today's technology and threat landscapes. Check out their blog below, and visit hacklore.org. 🔐 cyberreadinessinstitute.org/news-and-eve...

2 Mar

📅 It's not too early to start your Cybersecurity Awareness Month planning, especially if that planning involves removing hacklore from your materials. 😉 ℹ️ More information here: hacklore.org 📬 Join the newsletter: buttondown.com/hacklore 📣 Spread the word!

cnet.comVPNs Can’t Make You Anonymous Online. Don’t Be Fooled by Anyone Who Says They CanTotal anonymity online is impossible, and it’s dangerous to claim otherwise.

28 Feb

There are some serious problems with this article, but the main point is right: Some personal VPN products falsely claim, or imply, that using their products will solve the online privacy problem. It's just not true. www.cnet.com/tech/service...

27 Feb

It's 2026 and time to stop getting cybersecurity advice from the undead. 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ Ready to let go of zombie advice? Start at hacklore.org! 🔐 📣 Spread the word!! 📣

Stop Hacklore! reposted

keroz.bsky.social

@keroz.bsky.social

19 Feb

🔐 Wi-Fi public, codes QR, juice jacking, Bluetooth, cookies, rotation de mots de passe — on croit encore à ces mythes de cybersécurité? Nouvel épisode avec Guillaume Ross sur le projet @hacklore.bsky.social 🎧 Web: bit.ly/46SsOTd 🎧 Spotify: bit.ly/3ZG5lkq 🎧 YouTube: bit.ly/46bIUHt #Cybersécurité

18 Feb

Someone just suggested that Hacklore.org recommend using a protected DNS service. How should we think about this proposal? 🤔

getcybersafe.gc.caGet Cyber SafeHomepage of the Government of Canada Get Cyber Safe campaign. Find out where the risks are, how to protect yourself and how to protect your devices.

18 Feb

This site from the Government of Canada promotes some classic #hacklore. Does anyone have contacts in the appropriate department? I'd like to help them update their guidance. 🙏🔐 www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/en

consumer.ftc.govAre Public Wi-Fi Networks Safe? What You Need To KnowPublic Wi-Fi networks, or hotspots, in coffee shops, malls, airports, hotels, and other places are convenient. In the early days of the internet, they often weren’t secure. But things have changed. He...

17 Feb

This FTC page is free of hacklore. Bravo! 🔐🥳 consumer.ftc.gov/node/78344

17 Feb

🧟‍♀️ Still giving out zombie advice about public wi-fi? Still warning about evil baristas hacking people's devices in the cafe? Check out hacklore.org for the guidance that will actually help everyday people stay secure online. 🔐

14 Feb

Tired of zombie cybersecurity advice that should have been dead and buried by now? 🧟 Stop letting the undead waste your time. Visit hacklore.org for the cure! Real-world threat models. No fear theater. Just the facts. 🔐 Boost to your network! 🙏

huntress.comWhat is Hacklore? Debunking Common Cybersecurity Myths | HuntressJoin the Hacklore initiative to separate cybersecurity fact from fiction. We audit our own content to reveal the truth about VPNs, charging stations, and how to focus on threats that actually matter i...

13 Feb

🔥 Killer post about hacklore from Huntress 🔥 www.huntress.com/cybersecurit... They write, "Drop the lore, defend the core". Brilliant!! 🔐🙏

huffpost.com9 Things Home Security Experts Never Do When They Leave Their HomesAddress these vulnerabilities and safeguard your home against unauthorized entry and possible theft.

9 Feb

Is any of this advice hacklore? 🤔 www.huffpost.com/entry/home-s...

buttondown.comHacklore, the Valentine’s Day Edition"Celebrating Valentine's Day with security tactics that really work!"

9 Feb

📣 The latest Hacklore newsletter is out! In this Valentine’s Day issue, we’re celebrating the truest gift of love: helping someone level up their security with advice that actually stops real-world attacks. Spread the word to your followers! ❤️🌹🔐❤️🌹🔐❤️🌹🔐❤️🌹 buttondown.com/hacklore/arc...

dlvr.itEx-CISA officials, CISOs dispel 'hacklore,' spread cybersecurity truthsDon't believe everything you read Afraid of connecting to public Wi-Fi? Terrified to turn your Bluetooth on? You may be falling for "hacklore," tall tales about cybersecurity that distract you from real dangers. Dozens of chief security officers and ex-CISA officials have launched an effort and website to dispel these myths and show you how not to get hacked for real.…

8 Feb

Apologies for the spoilers, but desperate times call for desperate action! 😱 🔐 Someone needs to send the NYT the correct answer to this puzzle: www.hacklore.org/passwords It's not 2010 anymore, but you wouldn't know it from all the #hacklore out there... 🤔

Jeremy Grant@jgrantindc.bsky.social

Cc @hacklore.bsky.social

Stop Hacklore! reposted

The Register

@theregister.com

24 Nov 2025

Ex-CISA officials, CISOs dispel 'hacklore,' spread cybersecurity truths

Stop Hacklore! reposted

Andrew Lilley Brinker

@alilleybrinker.com

11 Dec 2025

This is Hacklore outdated security concern #3!

hacklore.orgThe Letter — Stop Hacklore!

LOWρUFO 🇺🇦🇵🇸🌍@lowrhoufo.bsky.social

Hi, I'm a bad actor looking to compromise people's phones for my own financial gain while minimizing legal risks by modifying USB-C ports in public places. I have chosen to sabotage an aircraft

Our culture rewards spectacular claims ("OMG! You'll get hacked if you use coffee shop wi-fi!") and largely ignores the unglamorous work of saying “this isn’t true anymore.” Nevertheless, we persist. 🔐 hacklore.org

🧟‍♂️ Time to retire that zombie advice! See hacklore.org! (This post was sent from cafe wi-fi! 😆)

🧟 𝒛𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆 /ˈzämbē ədˈvīs/ 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯 Cybersecurity guidance that has outlived the threat model that created it, continuing to circulate despite changes in technology, attacker behavior, or empirical evidence. 🧵...

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But fear not! Unlike the movies, there is a cure. You can stop repeating advice that should have been dead and buried years ago. Start by asking simple questions: 🔎 Does this advice map to how real compromises actually happen today? 🔎 Is there evidence from the field, not just vibes?

Help identify, document, and retire zombie advice at hacklore.org 🪦 Let’s put bad guidance to rest and make room for what actually works.

Zombie advice is hard to kill because it’s culturally transmitted, not empirically maintained. Blogs copy blogs. Talks cite talks. Fear spreads faster than data. If you’ve been bitten, you may find yourself spreading zombie advice too. 📣 “Everyone says this, so it must be true.”

4 Feb

Give the _ultimate_ Valentine’s Day gift to someone special. 🌹 ❤️ Help them protect their online accounts and devices! 😍 Love means steering each other away from myths and toward what really protects us. 🔐 Learn more at hacklore.org 👀

4 Feb

🌹 ❤️ Want to give the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift to someone special? There’s no better way than helping them protect their online accounts and devices. 😍 Love means steering each other away from myths and toward what really protects us. 🔐 Learn more at hacklore.org 👀

Still giving out zombie advice about the dangers of public wi-fi? 🧟 Time to update your guidance. Check out hacklore.org for more information! 🔐

Stop Hacklore! reposted

Bob Lord

@boblord.bsky.social

Carey does it again! What a fun time. Take a listen! 📻 🔐 And sign up for the hacklore.org newsletter! 🤓 And OMG that looks like my old TVI-920 monitor! 🤯

podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.comDebunking Hacklore - Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons PodcastWe’re all busy people with busy lives. We only have so much time and energy. So when security people dole out to-do lists, we...

Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons@firewalldragons.bsky.social

Cyber threats have evolved over time. If the risk of a particular threat decreases, then our list of top to-do items should reflect the changing landscape. Today @boblord.bsky.social argues that some old advice should be retired as #Hacklore. podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2026/02/02/d...

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If you’ve seen advice that feels outdated, exaggerated, or just vibes-based, that’s hacklore! Send specimens our way!

📚 You can find our hacklore field notes at: hacklore.org 📨 Sign up for the newsletter: buttondown.com/hacklore Please share! 🙏