Ctrl+alt+pwn: The Hacker's Playbook (and How to Beat It) - Hardcover

by Frank Riccardi (Author), Ben Prior

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 Wi-Fi Pineapple or using malicious QR codes to send victims to phishing sites, 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.

Author Biography

Frank Riccardi is a cybersecurity and privacy expert who's 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-risk data breaches and ransomware cyberattacks. Grappling with one cyberattack after another has led Frank to embark on a new journey and mission: Helping everyday people--whom he affectionately refers to as "non-geeks"--protect themselves from financially devastating and soul-crushing cyberattacks that can ruin their lives.

When Frank is not preaching the gospel of cyber hygiene, he indulges in his love for music as an audiophile and a vinyl record hoarder--or, as he prefers to call himself, a hobbyist. Notably, Frank guarantees that he is irrefutably human and not an avatar, bot, or AI.