Times Square turned into a hacking hotspot Thursday, not for criminals but for a crowd of curious New Yorkers watching their digital lives flash before their eyes.
Cybersecurity firm NordVPN took over a stage beneath the billboards to show how easily personal data can be exposed on the dark web. Volunteers stepped up, handed over a name or email, and watched cybersecurity experts reveal just how much information about them was already floating around online.
Brooklyn teen Sally Matounbah was one of the first to find out.
“I’ve been getting a lot of spam calls and texts, so I’m pretty sure I’m leaked somewhere,” Matounbah told Military.com. “It’s scary, because I’m not even 20 yet. It can really affect my future.”
Nearby, Kulwinder Sethi, visiting from New Delhi, said the demonstration was both unsettling and educational.
“I thought my information would never be there, but some of it was,” Sethi told Military.com. “They showed me how to protect it— change passwords, avoid phishing sites, and use VPNs. I feel safer now.”
Reality Check in Real Time
The spectacle blended street theater with cybersecurity training. People who thought they were too ordinary to be targeted discovered otherwise, which was a lesson NordVPN’s Chief Technology Officer Marijus Briedis said was intentional.
“We’ll have dark web experts perform quick checks using publicly available data,” Briedis told Military.com. “People can see firsthand what information about them is already out there and how to better protect themselves.”
Briedis compared good cyber hygiene to daily habits like updating software, using strong unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and thinking before sharing anything online—especially with AI tools.
“Updating your software should be as normal as brushing your teeth,” he said.
Awareness Over Alarm
Tech YouTuber and ethical hacker Liron Segev, who partnered with NordVPN for the event, said the goal was to make cybersecurity relatable rather than intimidating.
“We’re not here to embarrass anyone,” Segev told Military.com. “But people are stunned to see how much of their data is out there—reused passwords, old accounts, things they forgot existed. The internet never forgets.”
Segev said oversharing, especially among younger users, fuels many of today’s scams.
“They livestream from coffee shops or schools thinking it’s harmless,” he added. “All it takes is a few details for someone to piece together where you are and when.”
Everyday Concerns, Real Consequences
For some, the lesson hit close to home.
David, a New Yorker watching from the crowd, said he stopped by out of curiosity—and a little fear.
“I wanted to see how vulnerable I am,” he said, glancing at the screen flashing other people’s search results.
The demonstration reminded him how quickly new technology can turn from convenience to risk.
“There are so many AI scams, fake calls asking for money,” he added. “I just want my mom to be safe.”
David said his mother has already received a few of those calls, the kind where a voice generated by artificial intelligence mimics a relative in distress.
“It sounds real enough to scare anyone,” he said. “That’s what worries me most, that someone like her could fall for it.”
He walked away from the event more cautious, he said, planning to review his family’s passwords and warn relatives about impersonation scams.
“It’s not just hackers stealing data anymore,” he added. “It’s people using technology to play with emotions, and that’s the most dangerous part.”
A Digital Wake-Up Call
Briedis said artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides of the fight.
“It’s becoming AI versus AI,” he said. “Scammers use it to build fake websites and phishing schemes. We use it to stop them.”
As the digital frontier expands, NordVPN’s Times Square demonstration left onlookers with a clear takeaway: protecting personal data is no longer optional; it’s survival in the information age.
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