The LinkedIn ‘Open to Work’ Trap: How Scammers Target Job Seekers

The Awareness Angle: Cyber News Weekly

This week on The Awareness Angle, Ant Davis and Luke Pettigrew unpack the latest in cybersecurity and human risk — from fake job recruiters flooding LinkedIn to deepfake chaos and a nursery hack that shocked the UK. Whether it’s scams, software flaws, or stolen art, this episode is all about where human behaviour meets digital consequence.

🕵️‍♂️ LinkedIn Recruitment Scam – “Open to Work” Trap

When Ant switched on “Open to Work,” fake recruiters arrived within seconds — zero followers, spam hashtags, and mismatched job offers. It’s a stark reminder of how social engineering preys on urgency and hope. Pause, verify, and think before engaging.

🎮 Unity Vulnerability – Game Engine Flaw

A high-severity Unity exploit forced Steam to block unpatched games. It’s a lesson in patch psychology — users delay for convenience, but the cost of waiting is higher than the update itself.

🎬 AI Video Boom & Deepfake Concerns

Sora 2 becomes the fastest-downloaded app ever as creators like MrBeast warn of deepfake chaos — from fake celebrity videos to stolen likenesses. The takeaway: verification and transparency are the new currency of trust online.

🧒 Kido Nursery Hack – Teenagers Arrested

Two 17-year-olds were charged over a ransomware attack on a UK nursery chain — an alarming example of how young people can be drawn into cybercrime, and why early education and deterrence are essential.

🎨 Author’s iPad Theft – Six Years Lost

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse author lost years of unreleased artwork after his iPad was stolen. A real-world reminder: backups only matter if they actually work — and you’ve tested them.

🌐 Domain Hijack – Puffin Books / Andy Cope

A hijacked author website redirected visitors to adult content. It’s a simple DNS lapse with reputational fallout — renew your domains, secure your logins, and monitor what matters.

💬 Discord Vendor Breach – Third-Party Risk

A vendor compromise exposed 70,000 Discord users. Even if your systems are secure, partners can still sink you. Limit data retention and review vendor practices regularly.

🎰 DraftKings Credential Stuffing

Attackers accessed accounts through reused passwords — fewer than 30 victims, but entirely preventable. MFA and unique credentials remain the simplest, strongest defence.

☁️ Salesforce / Scattered Spider

Ransomware actors claim 1.5 billion records — one of the largest alleged data thefts to date. Another case of companies refusing to pay, proving resilience and communication are as vital as response plans.

🎤 Wrap-Up & Awareness Takeaways

Ant plugs upcoming appearances at HuffyCon (Human Firewall Conference, Cologne) .

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction & Milestone Celebration

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