Ctrl+alt+pwn - by Frank Riccardi (Paperback)

About the Book

Ctrl+Alt+Pwn is a witty, engaging romp through the scams and hi-tech tools that cybercriminals employ to steal your data and ruin your life. From headline-grabbing celebrity hacks to jaw-dropping cyberattacks, this book reveals the stories behind the scams and practical tips to keep you cyber-savvy and one step ahead of the bad guys.

Book Synopsis

As the prevalence of AI continues to grow, more and more people are worried about their online safety. New scams seem to be popping up every day, packaged in creative and terrifying ways. Rather than resign yourself to an inevitable fate or remove yourself from the online world entirely, learn the tricks of the trade to avoid being just another pwned noob.

From celebrity actors to professional athletes and even social media CEOs, anyone can be a hacker's target. What matters most is catching someone unprotected and unawares and pwning them--hacker slang for completely and humiliatingly beating someone. Leaving them with the kind of digital defeat that has them scrambling to recover stolen data, reputation, or worse. But that doesn't have to be you.

Ctrl+Alt+Pwn: The Hacker's Playbook (and How to Beat It) exposes the secret weapons, sneaky tactics, and psychological tricks used by hackers today--and shows you how to stop them. Whether it's setting traps with a WiFi Pineapple or using poisoned QR codes to hijack your phone, modern hacking isn't just about code--it's about manipulating people. And it's getting more dangerous with the rise of AI, deepfakes, and advanced social engineering.

From headline-making ransomware attacks to celebrity data leaks and scams that start with a single swipe on a dating app, Ctrl+Alt+Pwn walks you through real-world cases and gives you the tools to stay one step ahead. Because no one is off-limits. But with the right knowledge, you don't have to be the next victim.

About the Author

Frank Riccardi is a cybersecurity and privacy expert passionate about empowering people and companies with the cyber-savvy needed to repel cyberattacks. With twenty-five years of experience in healthcare compliance and privacy, he has led the response to high-profile data breaches and ransomware cyberattacks. Riccardi earned his JD from the Western New England University School of Law and a BS in clinical laboratory sciences from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is certified in healthcare compliance by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB) and is the author of Mobilizing the C-suite: Waging War Against Cyberattacks. He lives with his wife in Greensboro, North Carolina.