SPOKANE, Wash. – An infamous cybercriminal turned cybersecurity expert is sharing his advice on staying safe online with local AARP Washington members.
His name is Brett Johnson, and he models his title after the Secret Service’s name for him: “The Original Internet Godfather.”
Johnson said he earned the title after creating ShadowCrew, one of the first organized cyber crime operations. Johnson said ShadowCrew paved the way for the cybercrimes of today.
Johnson has a record that includes 39 felonies, an escape from prison and a stint on the FBI’s most wanted list. Now, he uses his knowledge to teach at risk groups how to protect themselves online. Johnson said this holiday season is the perfect time to boost online defenses.
“Credit card theft goes up, porch pirates go up, all things go up across the board,” Johnson said. “You need to be aware of that and implement proper security. Be vigilant, pay attention to what’s going on, pay attention to your accounts.”
He has three main pieces of advice to help protect online information.
First, freeze credit for everyone in the family, including children.
Second, monitor all online accounts and set up alerts to warn of suspicious activity.
Third, use a password manager to assist in creating and remembering unique passwords for each online account.
Members of the public can order a free DVD with Johnson’s story and advice by emailing a name and mailing address to aarpwa@aarp.org.
