CyberHoot’s Cybersecurity Newsletter: Jan. 2026

20th January 2026 | Newsletters

Welcome to CyberHoot’s January Cybersecurity Newsletter!

Bad guys are building and using better tools. What used to require skill and effort now comes with point-and-click convenience, built-in automation, and AI assistance that makes attacks faster, cheaper, and harder to spot. The good news? Understanding how these tools work puts you back in control.

This month at CyberHoot, we’re breaking down three threats worth knowing about, not because they’re scary, but because a little awareness goes a long way.

QR codes are making a comeback. And not in a good way. Scammers are using them to sneak past email filters and trick people into handing over login credentials. Our article explains how these scams work and gives you ten tips to protect yourself and your team.

Phishing just got a major upgrade. AI-powered phishing kits let attackers create convincing, personalized campaigns at scale. The emails look better, the timing is smarter, and the success rate is higher. We’ll show you what makes these new kits so effective and how to adjust your defenses without breaking the bank.

AI search results aren’t always what they seem. Scammers are gaming AI-driven search engines to push fake customer support numbers to the top of results. One wrong click, and you’re talking to a fraudster instead of Apple or your bank. We’ll explain how this works and what you can do to spot the fakes.

Read on, stay curious, and keep your organization Cyber(Hoot) Smart.

Craig
CEO, Co-Founder CyberHoot

Got Questions? Let’s Talk.
If you’d like to dive deeper into anything we’ve covered, or talk cybersecurity strategy, compliance, or training, our CTO Chuck Taylor is making time for one-on-one sessions with our subscribers.

It’s a rare chance to pick the brain of a seasoned cybersecurity leader. You can schedule a session directly below.

Schedule a meeting here!

QR Codes Are Back (They Still Want Your Password)

Protect yourself from QR code phishing attacks with 10 practical defenses and proven strategies for these email threats.

AI-Powered Phishing Kits Are Game-Changing, In a Very Bad Way

AI-powered phishing kits are making scams harder to spot. Learn how these attacks work and how to stay one step ahead.

AI Poisoning: Fake Support Scams & AI Search = New Attack Surface

Scammers are planting fake support numbers in AI search tools. Here’s how to make sure you’re calling the real company.

Customer Spotlight

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Cybersecurity Term of the Month:

Large Language Model (LLM)

A large language model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence model trained on massive volumes of text to understand, generate, and reason over human language. LLMs power modern generative AI systems such as ChatGPT, Bard, and similar tools. They work by predicting the most likely next word or sequence of words based on context, rather than by truly understanding meaning or intent.

LLMs are highly capable at tasks like summarization, translation, drafting content, answering questions, and assisting with analysis. However, they do not possess awareness, judgment, or intrinsic knowledge of truth. Their outputs are probabilistic and dependent on training data, prompts, and guardrails.

Click here to read more!

Explore CyberHoot’s Extensive 1000+ Term Cybersecurity Library

Recently Added Features

Power Platform Release Notes

Here are the top 5 improvements for the power platform.

Manager Dashboard Now Shows Open Assignments – See at a glance how many training items are waiting for completion across your teams.
MSP Report Includes Admin Account Activity – New section lists all admin accounts and their last login dates to help you monitor access and security.
Faster User Loading – Significantly improved speed when pulling user lists via API and in platform administration.
CSV Exports Now Include Usernames – User Status exports (both active and archived) now include usernames for easier data management.
Fixed Archive User Controls – Archive User Until date picker and save button now work correctly on the User Status page.

Autopilot Platform Release Notes

Here are the top 5 improvements for the Autopilot platform.

Edit Active Attack-Phish Campaigns – You can now modify select fields in running phishing campaigns without stopping and restarting them.
Update Synced User Settings in Bulk – New mass action options let you adjust phishing difficulty and language settings for synced users.
Unarchive Synced Users – Mass Actions now supports unarchiving users that came from directory sync.
See Attempt Count in User Status – Response details now show how many attempts users made on training or phishing simulations.
Training History Export Includes Usernames – CSV downloads now include usernames for better record keeping.

Check out Craig Taylor, CEO and Co-Founder of CyberHoot, Featured on FutureTech and Foresight Podcast!

New Feature Alert: AI Support ChatBot

CyberHoot’s new ChatBot Self-Service Support is now live, providing 24×7 assistance directly inside the Admin Interface and on our CyberHoot website. Located at the bottom right of your screen, this intelligent support tool helps you find answers instantly, troubleshoot issues, and access resources without waiting for an email response.

If you need additional help, you can always reach our support team at support@cyberhoot.com.

Enroll in CyberHoot’s Referral Program today and start earning a 20% share of all revenue generated for one year by those who register through your exclusive referral link. As a referral partner, not only will you receive financial rewards, but you’ll also experience the satisfaction of aiding others in becoming more security-conscious, safeguarding them against cyber threats. Don’t hesitate, sign up now at https://cyberhoot.com/referral-program/.

Referral through Autopilot’s Dashboard:

Join CyberHoot in our mission to create a more aware and better secured world! Recommend CyberHoot Autopilot to a friend, and they will enjoy a complimentary first month. For every new sign up who uses your referral link, you will receive a free month added to your account. This offer is exclusively for first-time CyberHoot registrants.

CyberHoot has Free Cybersecurity Training for Individuals

Know someone who had a close call recently with a cyber attack, phishing email, or social engineering phone call? Recommend CyberHoot’s free cybersecurity training. They’ll receive six (6) videos (each video is 3-4min.) and one of our positive reinforcement, hyper-realistic, phishing simulations. All for free.

Registration: https://cyberhoot.com/individuals