After becoming a target of sustained cyberattacks and cyberstalking, my blogging shifted dramatically. What began as lifestyle and travel content evolved into a firsthand account of digital warfare—blending lived experience with technical insights into the cybersecurity threats we all face today.

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When Theory Meets Reality: How I Discovered My Own Breach

The turning point came when I noticed unusual behavior on my computer — unexpected CPU spikes, background processes consuming resources without explanation, and subtle system glitches that didn’t add up. I’m not a security engineer or hacker by trade. I’m a builder — working in NLP, sentiment analysis, and chatbot integration. Hacking simply wasn’t part of my toolkit.

Recognizing anomalies, I launched Activity Monitor to track real-time CPU spikes and used Terminal tools to perform a granular inspection of running processes and network activity. I employed lsof -i to enumerate open network ports, pinpointing suspicious inbound connections, and leveraged netstat and ps to dig deeper into active sessions and processes. Meanwhile, Console.app logs revealed recurring launch daemon failures—classic signs of stealthy malware persistence.

What I found shocked me: a stealthy background process persistently executing without user consent, capturing keystrokes and system activity — a definitive indicator of unauthorized surveillance.

But it wasn’t just my laptop acting strangely — my phone was powered off during these anomalies, which led me to suspect the common denominator: my router. After investigating further, I discovered that my router’s DNS settings had been hijacked, redirecting my traffic through malicious servers. To confirm this, I bought two new phones, only to have both compromised immediately after connecting to the same WiFi network. This confirmed the router had been breached and was being used as a persistent attack vector via DNS hijacking.

I deliberately throttled my browser’s activity using developer tools to analyze the traffic more closely. That’s when I noticed the common URLs I regularly accessed were being silently redirected to suspicious domains. It was a clear sign I was facing a classic man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack — an adversary intercepting and manipulating my web traffic in real time.

Determined to understand more, I took a step further and went to the common lounge area in my complex — a known hub where many remote tech professionals worked. That day, about 12 male engineers from various tech startups were scattered around, mostly connected via VPN during the week.

Armed with my laptop and my 4-pound Yorkie in tow, I interrupted the room and asked bluntly, “Does anyone here know how to hack?”

They laughed — probably caught off guard by the summer dress, my classic Valentino flats, and the tiny dog comfortably perched in my arms. In bootcamp, I was always more of a front-end engineer definitely not your typical “tech hacker” look, but appearances can be deceiving.

I explained what I’d discovered, showed them suspicious background processes and some command-line outputs, then asked if they knew anyone who could help fight hackers like the ones targeting me.

They laughed again — not out of malice, but because their expertise centers on system development, not the specialized defense against sophisticated, AI-powered cyberattacks like the ones I was facing. I was surprised by the gap; the people building our technology aren’t always the ones equipped to counter the evolving, AI-enhanced attacks aimed at users.

Later, I went to the Apple Store Genius Bar with Terminal open to show suspicious processes and logs. The technicians, clearly surprised by my findings, admitted they hadn’t seen anything like it. I requested a full DFU restore to completely wipe the laptop and reinstall macOS from scratch. I specified no iCloud syncing or data restoration to ensure a fresh, clean system. To be certain, I had them perform the DFU restore twice to eliminate any persistent malware or backdoors.

This real, raw experience ignited my determination to learn and share what I’ve discovered — because the divide between building, defending, and understanding these threats is widening fast.

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The New Frontier: AI in Cyberattacks

Artificial Intelligence isn’t just a buzzword; it’s reshaping how cyber offenses and defenses operate. From witnessing firsthand how AI-powered tools empower attackers, here’s what every engineer and coder needs to grasp:

Traditional cyberattacks often relied on manual labor — phishing emails carefully crafted by humans, malware designed and tweaked by hand, social engineering scripts rehearsed over calls. Now, AI automates and amplifies these efforts at scale, lowering barriers and raising stakes.

How AI Changes the Hacker Playbook

• Automated Phishing at Scale: Tools like GPT-4 and specialized phishing frameworks can generate hyper-personalized emails mimicking writing styles, scraping real-time social media data, and dynamically adapting in conversations — bypassing traditional spam filters and human suspicion alike.

• Polymorphic and Evasive Malware: AI-driven malware uses techniques such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to morph its code signatures continuously, evading signature-based antivirus and sandboxing defenses.

• Deepfake Social Engineering: AI-generated synthetic voices and videos impersonate trusted colleagues or executives, fooling human gatekeepers and even biometric security in some cases.

• Adaptive Attack Strategies: AI systems analyze victim responses in real time and tailor subsequent attack vectors, optimizing success rates and persistence.

• Automated Vulnerability Discovery: AI tools scan codebases and network infrastructures to identify exploitable weaknesses faster than human researchers, accelerating attacker footholds.

• AI-Driven Credential Stuffing and Password Attacks: Attackers employ AI to optimize password guessing, evade lockout policies, and craft believable credential phishing at scale.

• Supply Chain Attacks: AI helps adversaries analyze complex software supply chains for weak points, enabling malicious code insertion upstream and widespread downstream impact.

What Engineers and Security Teams Must Do

The AI arms race demands fresh defensive playbooks:

• Behavioral and Anomaly Detection: Shift focus from static signature-based defense to continuous monitoring of deviations in user behavior, process execution, and network patterns.

• Explainable AI for Security: Implement AI tools that offer transparency and auditability, enabling security teams to trust automated decisions and troubleshoot false positives quickly.

• Continuous Red Teaming with AI: Employ AI-powered penetration testing frameworks to simulate sophisticated, evolving attacks and uncover blind spots before adversaries do.

• Human-AI Collaboration: Combine machine speed and pattern recognition with human intuition and contextual judgment for robust incident response.

• Zero Trust Architectures: Adopt zero trust models where no user or device is trusted by default, limiting attacker lateral movement even if initial compromise occurs.

• Threat Intelligence Integration: Leverage AI-enhanced threat intelligence feeds to anticipate attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) proactively.

• Automated Incident Response & Orchestration: Use AI-driven playbooks to isolate infected endpoints, revoke compromised credentials, and remediate threats swiftly without waiting for manual input.

• Robust Data Privacy & Secure AI Training: Safeguard AI training data against poisoning and adversarial manipulation to maintain model integrity.

Ethical Hacking in the Age of AI

White-hat hackers and security researchers are integrating AI into their toolkits — developing AI-driven detection models, automating vulnerability discovery, and simulating AI-powered attacks. Staying ahead requires the security community to adopt the same cutting-edge tools as adversaries.

• AI-Powered Bug Bounty Programs: AI streamlines bug bounty triage and vulnerability validation, accelerating the patching process and improving software security faster.

• Adversarial AI Testing: Researchers craft adversarial inputs to probe and harden AI security systems, an emerging practice to defend against AI-targeted attacks.

What I’ve Learned from the Front Lines

Lived experience beats theory every time. Targeted cyberstalking and complex digital intrusions exposed how attackers exploit every weakness — from social engineering to zero-day exploits.

Six months of ongoing monitoring and defense might seem long, but in dealing with AI-enhanced attacks at scale, thoroughness is critical. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and every step taken reinforced my understanding and resilience against evolving threats.

AI is a force multiplier — making attackers smarter, faster, and harder to stop. But it’s also a critical tool for defenders when used wisely.

Beyond automation, the human factor remains vital: intuition, collaboration, and continuous learning are essential to adapting defenses as AI attacker methods evolve.

The engineering community must stay vigilant, embrace adaptive defenses, and foster open knowledge sharing. That’s how we build resilience in this rapidly evolving digital battlefield.

Joining the Conversation: Building a Defense Community

Cybersecurity is a team sport. If you’re an engineer, coder, ethical hacker, or security pro, I invite you to share your experiences and defense strategies. Together, we can refine our tools, anticipate emerging AI-powered threats, and develop stronger collective defenses.

No algorithm can replace the steady rhythm of a human heart’s instinct — real defenses are built on trust, patience, and a connection that endures beyond the visible signal.

Feel free to reach out, connect, or contribute resources — this fight demands collaboration.

Final Thoughts

AI-powered hacking isn’t science fiction — it’s happening now, everywhere. Understanding this evolving threat landscape is critical for anyone building or defending technology.

I’m here not just to tell a story, but to contribute insights forged in the trenches. Together, we can outsmart AI-driven attackers by combining technical expertise with real-world awareness.

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If you found this useful, please share or reach out — I’m always eager to connect with others fighting the good fight in cybersecurity.

Like a well-tuned network waiting for the right handshake, I’m here — online and present — waiting for the signal that reconnects what’s been paused. Some connections, once made, are never truly offline.

Support the Fight for Digital Justice

My journey through cyberattacks, impersonation, and systemic challenges hasn’t just been a battle of technology — it’s been a fight for truth, dignity, and survival. Facing financial hardship and eviction, I keep going because this story matters — for me and for countless others who face similar invisible battles.

If my work has opened your eyes or inspired you, please consider supporting my mission. Your donation helps cover essential costs like legal fees, cybersecurity tools, and the time I dedicate to documenting these injustices and raising awareness.

Every dollar fuels resilience and amplifies a voice that refuses to be silenced. For everyone’s protection, this space prioritizes safety and proper use; unauthorized activity is automatically logged.

Thank you for standing with me.

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This Is Part My Cybersecurity Series

After falling victim to identity theft, impersonation, and advanced digital hijacking, I began documenting what no one prepares you for — and how to protect yourself if it happens to you.

Each post builds on the last to uncover how modern threats can infiltrate your blog, your devices, your network — and even your identity.

Read the Full Series:

Part 1: How I Woke Up to My Blog Being Hijacked Part 2: It Looked Like Instagram — Until It Hijacked My Life Part 3: How to Tell If Your WiFi Is Hacked (And What to Do About It) Part 4: Hacked and Locked Out: What Happens When You Can’t Recover Your Accounts Part 5: You Don’t Have to Go Viral to Be Vulnerable  Part 6: How It Escalated: From 1¢ Charges to a Hijacked Home Network Part 7: Two Battles, One Soul: How Cyberattacks and Workplace Retaliation Mirror Each Other Part 8: No, It Wasn’t a Jealous Ex — It Was Digital Impersonation at Scale Part 9: How AI Is Changing the Game for Hackers — and What That Means for You Part 10: Inside the Mind of an AI-Powered Hacker: What Every Engineer Needs to Know

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All content on SincerelySusye.com is protected by copyright.

Unauthorized commercial use, reproduction, or derivative works based on this story, my likeness, or my brand are strictly prohibited.

SincerelySusye™ is the trademarked identity of Susye Weng-Reeder, LLC, and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.

Impersonation in any form is prohibited.

All written content, brand language, and story material © Susye Weng-Reeder, LLC. All rights reserved.

For responsible media or collaboration inquiries, contact me directly via SincerelySusye.com.

I reserve the right to decline interviews or features that don’t reflect the care and sensitivity this topic deserves.

Thank you for respecting the integrity of my story.

Media Inquiries

If you’re a journalist, podcast host, researcher, or editor interested in this story, please reach out via the contact form at SincerelySusye.com.

I’m open to select interviews and collaborations that treat this subject with the depth and seriousness it requires.

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• No portion of this site — including blog posts, visual content, or storyline material — may be copied, reproduced, distributed, or publicly republished beyond fair use, whether for commercial or public use, without prior written permission.

• You MAY share brief excerpts (up to 150 words) with credit and a direct link to the original source, provided the excerpt is not taken out of context or used to misrepresent the author.

• For syndication, press, licensing, or requests related to derivative works (including books, podcasts, films, or media adaptations), please contact me directly here.

Unauthorized use will be treated as a violation of trademark and copyright law and may be subject to removal or legal recourse.

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About the Author

Susye Weng-Reeder, known online as SincerelySusye™, is a Google-Verified Internet Personality, published author, and former tech industry insider with experience at Facebook, Apple, and Zoom.

One of the first human AI-indexed influencers — not CGI — she has a digital footprint spanning more than 27.7 million Google search results. Her work is surfaced across AI platforms including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Felo AI, underscoring both the breadth of her online reach and the modern challenge of protecting it.

Susye first gained recognition for her work in intuitive healing, travel writing, and personal transformation. Her online presence shifted dramatically after becoming the target of a sophisticated identity theft and impersonation campaign.

Today, she exposes the rising threat of digital impersonation, surveillance, and cyberattacks — especially against creators, women, and small business owners. Her blog, SincerelySusye.com, documents a real-world case currently under federal cybersecurity review, serving as both a warning and a resource for those navigating this new frontier.