A cybersecurity expert has lifted the lid on some of the worst horror stories he’s encountered, and the everyday mistakes that put people at risk online.
Kevin Leyes is the founder of online security companies LeyesX and Babys, the latter of which offers a niche service to adult content creators.
At just 25, the Argentinian entrepreneur told Daily Mail his companies safeguard billionaire CEOs, world leaders and ‘tech bros’ – some of whom have come dangerously close to losing everything.
‘One case involved a well-known public figure whose phone was cloned during a SIM-swap attack,’ he said.
‘The attackers gained access to email, bank accounts, and digital wallets.
‘We detected the breach early, coordinated with the telecom carrier, locked the wallet APIs, and contained the breach in under six hours.’
Cybersecurity expert Kevin Leyes, 25, has revealed some of the worst horror stories he has seen in his career, and the common mistakes everyday people make online
Kevin said that without his company’s intervention, ‘the loss would have exceeded seven figures.’
‘This is why it’s critical to have dedicated security systems, rather than relying on big phone companies to protect you.’
He also recalled a ‘celebrity’ client targeted in a revenge-porn extortion attempt, saying he ‘traced the source to a cloud-stored folder.’
‘[LeyesX] executed multiple legal removals through our network of contacts, and ensured the files were destroyed,’ he added.
‘In similar cases, former managers or obsessed fans upload leaked content online, our role is to legally remove and permanently suppress it.’
Kevin recalled one instance that involved an adult content creator being hacked overnight, with the culprit changing her email, number and recovery information ‘in minutes’.
‘She was at risk of losing $120,000 in monthly recurring subscriptions, as well as the dedicated fan base that she had spent years building up,’ he continued.
‘This hacker sent a simple phishing link disguised as a verification request. Thankfully the account was recovered in less than 24 hours.’
Kevin is the founder of online security companies LeyesX and Babys, the latter of which offers a niche service to adult content creators. Pictured: his model client Maeurn Smiles
‘I’ve seen other scams where fans spend thousands on used underwear that they think is from the model they’re following,’ he added.
‘Or men who drop $10,000 on a single private video call with a con artist that lasts just a few minutes.’
Kevin said people who are worth millions are at a high risk of being targeted by these cyber attacks, but nothing is stopping the average Joe from falling victim, too.
‘Most people underestimate how exposed they already are,’ he warned.
‘They think their data is hidden on the dark web, when in reality it’s sitting on public broker databases anyone can buy for a few dollars.
‘Your address, phone number, and even your children’s school information are already out there.
‘The most common mistakes are simple: reusing passwords, storing sensitive information in email drafts, connecting personal and business devices, and ignoring privacy settings.
‘The deeper mistakes are psychological oversharing online, using public Wi-Fi for transactions, trusting fake “verification” links, and assuming privacy equals safety.’
Despite being just 25 years old, the Argentinian tells Daily Mail his businesses work with billionaire CEOs, world leaders and ‘tech bros’ to protect their wealth and cyber identities—and some of them have nearly lost it all
‘We often show clients exactly what can be found about them in ten minutes. The shock on their faces says it all,’ he continued.
‘Awareness is the first step, but prevention is where true peace of mind begins.’
Kevin speaks from experience, having lost $45,000 to two separate scams before he started his cybersecurity companies.
Four years ago, he lost thousands after being exposed to scams through games, forums and ‘too good to be true’ offers.
‘I lost $5,000 to an NFT scam and then $40,000 to a Forex bot scheme. That experience flipped a switch for me,’ he recalled.
‘I figured that if I was smart enough to understand these schemes, I was smart enough to build solutions against them.’
Kevin noted that rather than let the experience get to him, he used it as an opportunity to learn and quickly founded LeyesX in 2021.
