Galactic Research: Articles & Insights
The CMMC Suspension, Explained
Phase II is suspended, the rules still apply, and your compliance budget didn't get a refund Before you read on, watch this breakdown of what changed, what didn't, and what you should be doing right now. The Department of War ...
AI Security
Part 2: The Security Controls Behind a Safe AI Deployment
From the Map to the Hike: The Four Controls and the Client Conversations Behind Them This is Part 2 in a series that covers your AI enablement plan. Part 1 is here if you want the full map. The Little ...
Ten of Eleven AI Coding Agents Failed a Decades-Old Attack
What GuardFall Tells Us About Where AI Security Controls Need to Live Picture a security guard stationed at the entrance of a building. Their job is to check IDs. They're good at it, fast and consistent, and the building's occupants ...
Perfect AI Guardrails Are Impossible. That's Not an Excuse for Ignoring Them.
What a NIST Mathematician Proved, Why the Internet Got it Wrong, and What Your AI Security Program Should Look Like Years ago, running an MSSP, I had a vendor pitch us a next-gen firewall on a single promise: one hundred ...
Threat Intelligence
Threat Thursday: August 20th, 2026
Welcome to Threat Thursday, Galactic’s weekly threat intelligence roundup. Every Thursday, we cover the cybersecurity stories that matter most for protecting organizations from emerging threats, and we break each one down into what happened, what it could mean for your ...
Threat Thursday: August 13th, 2026
Welcome to Threat Thursday, Galactic’s weekly threat intelligence roundup. Every Thursday, we cover the cybersecurity stories that matter most for protecting organizations from emerging threats, and we break each one down into what happened, what it could mean for your ...
Threat Thursday: August 6th, 2026
Welcome to Threat Thursday, Galactic’s weekly threat intelligence roundup. Every Thursday, we cover the cybersecurity stories that matter most for protecting organizations from emerging threats, and we break each one down into what happened, what it could mean for your ...
Security Education
The Browser Became the Endpoint. Your Security Stack Didn’t Notice.
An employee clicks a box that says “verify you’re human.” A prompt tells them to press a couple of keys, so they do. What they have actually done is paste and run a command that a script slipped onto their clipboard the moment they ...
Vulnerabilities Are Now the #1 Way In. The Window to Fix Them Is Closing.
Most of the time, I didn't break into a network so much as let myself in through something with a fix already out (just not installed yet): the VPN concentrator three versions behind, the firewall with a known vulnerability fixed ...
Your OSINT Reality Check: Here’s What an Attacker Is Finding in 30 Minutes or Less
Today’s connected, AI-driven digital ecosystem has made it easier than ever to build a professional brand, network with peers, and share ideas with a wider audience. It’s opened doors for businesses that simply didn't exist before: new customers, new partnerships, ...
Strategy & Leadership
An Open Letter From Your Cyber Risk Advisors
After the Water Attacks Last month, attackers reached into water treatment plants across a dozen states and started moving the controls. Some of them found out what happens when you do. I've been thinking about what to say to the ...
Building Trust in Executive Relationships: Lessons from King Lear
A Framework for Establishing the Kind of Trust that Survives Budget Season Imagine the curtain going up and a group of players act out the opening scenes of Shakespeare's King Lear, just for you. An aging king sits in his ...
Your Jokes Were Funny. They Still Didn't Renew.
How MSPs Build the Kind of Client Rapport That Survives a Budget Review You walked out of the meeting feeling good. The handshake was firm, the small talk landed, and you even got a laugh with the printer joke. You ...
All Articles
Could Your Employees Sue You If a Ransomware Attack Delayed Payroll?
If you think a ransomware attack only impacts your IT systems, time to reevaluate. What happens if your payroll provider gets hit? Your employees don’t get paid. And when paychecks don’t show up on time, your company—not the payroll provider—could ...
FBI WARNING: If You Have a Cell Phone, You’re a Target
You’re being hunted. If you own a smartphone, you’re on the list. It’s not a question of if hackers will come for you—it’s when. And according to the FBI, that moment is getting closer. A new nationwide scam is spreading ...
You’re Not Secure—You’ve Just Been Lucky
How Cybercriminals Can Steal Thousands from Your Business in Minutes Your phone buzzes. A text from your CEO’s number. “Hey, did you see the invoice from [Vendor Name]? Just got an email saying we’re overdue. I told them we’d take ...
Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Scanning: Buyer Beware
Maybe your team is asking for new software to manage vulnerabilities. Maybe they want penetration testing tools to check your network security. At first glance, it seems like a smart move. More security is better, right? Not necessarily. There’s a ...
Tax Season Is Open Season for Hackers—Here’s How to Stay Safe
It’s that time of year again. W-2s are flying. 401(k) reports are downloaded to desktops. And all the security awareness you’ve worked on all year? Yeah, that just went out the window. Hackers love tax season. It’s like an all-you-can-eat ...
Your Compliance Program Is Missing the One Thing That Actually Matters
Most business leaders think compliance is about checking boxes. They assume that if they meet regulatory requirements, they’re protected. They trust that their IT provider, CPA, or internal team has it covered. They believe compliance is just another technical detail—something ...
Hackers Love Tax Season—Are You Their Next Target?
Tax season is here. You’re thinking about your taxes. Hackers? They’re thinking about your accountant. A letter arrives from your accounting firm. Is it your tax return? No. The envelope is too small for that. Instead, it’s a breach notification—your ...
Are You Stuck in a Cybersecurity Groundhog Day?
Did you go out on February 2nd to see if the groundhog sees its shadow? It’s a pretty important day watching a rodent predicting six more weeks of winter or an early spring. But let’s be honest, whether Punxsutawney Phil ...
Are Your IT People Actually Qualified? Have You Ever Asked?
You trust them with your network, your data, and the security of your business. But have you ever actually checked if your IT provider is qualified? Most people don’t. They assume their MSP or IT team knows what they’re doing. ...
Your Reputation is on the Line: Will Cybersecurity Liability Destroy You?
How much is your reputation worth? A thousand dollars? A million? The truth is your reputation is priceless. It determines whether customers trust you, whether they choose you over a competitor, and whether your organization can survive a crisis. So, ...
Office Mandates Are Driving Top Talent Away
The good news is that the old way of life is starting to seep back in, replacing the “new normal” lifestyle that originated in 2020. Masks are no longer mandated, and people feel safer out in public. However, the bad ...
A New Defense Against Scareware—Microsoft Steps Up
You’re online, minding your own business, when suddenly—a pop-up alert flashes across your screen. “WARNING! Your computer is infected! Hackers are draining your bank accounts right now! Click here to fix it immediately.” It looks official. It feels urgent. And ...
