Smarter RSS News Alerts

Build Your Own Cybersecurity News alerts for Free!

Let's be honest, topics like "ransomware," "zero-day," and "data breach" are everywhere. The sheer volume of security news can be overwhelming, making it hard to separate the signal from the noise.

But what if you could build your own personal news feed ? Not a crystal ball, but a smarter news feed that flags the threats and topics you actually care about. Today, we’re going to build a powerful, custom alert system using three simple, free tools: Google Alerts, RSS, and Feeder.

Ready? Let's go !

Step 1: Craft Your Smart News Alerts

First, we need to tell Google what to look for. We're creating highly-focused searches to build a relevant, real-time feed. The key is to use search operators like "" (for exact phrases), OR, and AND.

Navigate to google.com/alerts and define what you want to track using your google account.

Expand Your Arsenal: Smart Alert Ideas

Create a separate alert for each of these topics to build a comprehensive dashboard, feel free to create a single alert first and move onto step 2 to test how it works.

1. The Ransomware & Extortion Watch

A great starting point to monitor for major attacks and new malware families.

• The Query: $"ransomware" OR "new ransomware strain" OR "ransomware attack" OR "data breach"

• Initially you can create a simple alert using a single keyword for testing such as ransomware

Other feed ideas …

2. The Vulnerability Scanner

This feed flags news about critical software flaws maybe something you need to keep tabs on.

• The Query: $"critical vulnerability" AND ("RCE" OR "zero-day" OR "exploit released")

• Pro Tip: Add the names of software you rely on, like: $"Adobe Commerce" AND ("vulnerability" OR "exploit")

3. The Threat Actor & Malware Tracker

Follow the news about known hacking groups and specific malware families. This helps you stay aware of the who and how behind trending attacks.

• The Query: $"Scattered Spider" OR "APT29" OR "Lazarus Group" AND ("attack" OR "campaign" OR "TTPs")

• Specific Malware Example: Create another separate alert just for a trending threat like the Lumma Stealer info-stealing malware.

  • The Query: $"Lumma Stealer" OR "LummaC2" AND ("malware" OR "campaign" OR "IOCs")

4. The Phishing & Supply Chain Monitor

This feed looks for news about two of the most impactful attack vectors: mass phishing campaigns and supply chain compromises.

• The Query: $"supply chain attack" OR "widespread phishing campaign"

5. The Industry-Specific Alert

Make it personal. This feed monitors for attacks targeting your specific industry, serving as a valuable heads-up.

• The Query: $"financial services" AND ("data breach" OR "cyber attack" OR "phishing")

  (Just swap out "financial services" for your industry, like "healthcare," "manufacturing," or "education".)

Step 2: The Magic Trick - From Email to RSS

Now for the crucial step. We don't want to clog our inbox; we want a clean, manageable feed for each alert.

1. After entering your query, click "Show options".

2. Change the "Deliver to" option from your email address to "RSS feed".

3. Set the frequency to "As-it-happens" for timely updates. For sources, "News" and "Blogs" are usually best.

4. Click "Create Alert".

You'll now see your alert in a list with a little RSS icon. Right-click that RSS icon and copy the link address. Repeat this for each alert you created, you will need this for step 3

Step 3: Consume Your Feeds with Feeder

Now that we have our custom news feed URLs, we need a way to read them. Enter Feeder.co, a fantastic and flexible service and the free tier is perfect to get started. (Not affiliated in anyway)

Method 1: The Browser Extension

1. Install Feeder: Go to your browser's extension store (available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) and search for "Feeder". Install it and create a free account.

2. Add Your Feeds:

   • Click the new Feeder icon in your browser toolbar.

   • Click the '+' (Add feed) button.

   • In the text box, paste the first RSS feed URL you copied.

   • Give the feed a specific title like "Vulnerability News" or "Threat Actor Watch".

3. Repeat the process for all the other RSS feed URLs you created. You can even organise them into folders (e.g., a folder named "Security News").

Method 2: The Mobile App

Feeder isn't just for your browser! Perfect for staying informed when you're away from your desk.

1. Download the App: Mobile versions are available check their website for details feeder.co

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   There is also a cool trick in desktop Chrome to access web pages then select the “Cast, save and share” option and then “install page as app” you now have you own app shortcut that can be pinned to the desktop for easy access and behaves like an app.

2. Log In: Sign in with the same account you created for the browser extension.

3. Sync: That's it! All the custom news feeds you added in your browser will automatically appear on your phone or desktop app, perfectly synced. Now you can catch up on security news during your commute or coffee break on the topics you care about !

Voilà! You're done.

You've just built a custom alert system that puts relevant security news right at your fingertips, whether you're on your computer or on the go.

It's not a crystal ball, but it's the next best thing for staying aware and informed. Feel free to experiment and share your own custom alerts that you found useful or your favourite RSS reader … enjoy !