Personal cybersecurity help for Hampton Roads families
Hacked email, a suspicious text, or a parent who keeps getting scam calls? I help individuals and families in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and across Hampton Roads lock down their accounts and devices, in plain language and for a fixed price.
Hacked or scammed right now?
Do these first. They matter more than anything I can do, and they can't wait.
- If money was taken or payment details were shared, call your bank or card company using the number on the back of your card.
- Change the password on your email account from a device you trust, and sign out of all other sessions. Your email is the key to resetting everything else.
- If your identity was stolen, report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission's recovery site, which gives you a personal recovery plan.
- Report online fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- Then get in touch. I'll help you work out what the attacker changed and secure the rest. I reply within one business day. This isn't a 24/7 emergency line.
Services and prices
Fixed prices, agreed before we start. Sessions happen at your home anywhere in Hampton Roads, or remotely by video.
Personal security checkup
About 90 minutes, side by side. We set up a password manager, turn on two-step sign-in for your email, bank and social media accounts, check your phone and computer for missing updates and risky settings, secure your home Wi-Fi router, and make sure your photos and files are backed up. You keep a one-page summary of everything we changed.
Hacked account recovery
Locked out of your email or social media, or seeing messages you didn't send? I help you get back in through the platform's official recovery process, find what the attacker changed, like forwarding rules, recovery phone numbers or linked apps, and lock the account down so it doesn't happen again.
Scam-proofing for older adults
A patient session for a parent or grandparent, with family welcome to join: securing their accounts, blocking scam calls and texts where possible, and practicing how to spot the most common scams, like fake tech support, "grandchild in trouble" calls, and gift card requests.
Free community workshops
A 45-minute talk on staying safe online for libraries, senior centers, churches and military family groups in Hampton Roads. Request one at info@bytetempest.com.
How it works
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A 15-minute call
Tell me what's going on. I'll recommend the right service, or tell you honestly if you can handle it yourself.
Free
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Your session
At your home or by video. You stay in control: you type your own passwords, and nothing changes without you seeing it.
60 to 90 minutes, evenings and weekends available
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A written summary
A short list of what we changed and what to keep doing, so the protection lasts after I leave.
Yours to keep
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Questions afterward
If something looks off in the following weeks, email me and I'll help you figure out whether it's a problem.
30 days of email follow-up
What I don't do
- Computer repair, virus removal or new hardware. I'm happy to recommend a trusted local repair shop.
- Investigate or track down people, including whoever hacked you. I secure your accounts and devices; investigating individuals is licensed private investigator work in Virginia.
- 24/7 emergency response. I reply within one business day.
If you think someone close to you is monitoring your phone
Your safety comes before the technology. Changing settings or removing an app can alert the person watching. Before changing anything, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or thehotline.org, ideally from a device the other person can't access. They can help you make a safety plan.
Common questions
Something else? Ask me directly.
Do I need to be good with technology?
No. I explain everything in plain language and set things up alongside you, so you understand what changed and can keep it going on your own.
Will you see or keep my passwords?
No. You type your own passwords, and I help you store them in a password manager that only you control. I never keep a copy.
Do you come to my home?
Yes, anywhere in Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News. Sessions can also be done remotely by video with screen sharing that you control.
Can you help my parents if they live somewhere else?
Yes, remotely by video, as long as they agree to the session and are there for it. Many adult children book a scam-proofing session for a parent and join the call.
What if you can’t recover a hacked account?
Some platforms make recovery hard or impossible, and I’ll tell you honestly if that’s the case. You still leave with every other account secured and a plan for keeping the attacker out.
Do you fix computers?
No. I focus on security: accounts, passwords, scams and settings. For repairs, virus removal or new hardware, I’m happy to recommend a trusted local repair shop.
Who you'll work with
I'm Brian, a cybersecurity professional with a B.S. and M.S. in Cybersecurity. My business clients are dental and medical practices and small businesses, and I bring the same care to individuals and families.
I bring more than six years of cyber defense experience, including two years leading a threat hunting team that investigates and contains real-world intrusions. That work includes the attacks small practices face most often, such as compromised Microsoft 365 email accounts.
Get your accounts locked down
Start with a free 15-minute call. You'll know what you need and what it costs before we begin.