By: Hunter Storm
Published:
Hunter Storm is the Founder of Black Star Institute, a CISO, President, Advisory Board Member, SOC Black Ops Team Member, Principal Security Architect, Systems Architect, QED‑C TAC Relationship Leader, and Cyber‑Physical‑Psychological Hybrid Threat Expert with decades of experience across global Fortune 100 enterprises and critical‑infrastructure environments. She is a federal whistleblower to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding Wells Fargo, an experience that informs her work on institutional accountability and systemic failure.
She is the originator of the field of Human‑Layer Security and multiple adjacent disciplines through her foundational framework, Hacking Humans: The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering (1994–2007), which established system‑level metaphors that now underpin modern socio‑technical security practice. She is also the originator of Hybrid Threat Modeling and multiple other disciplines and fields that arose from navigating two decades of hybrid threat environments in real-world operations.
Hunter Storm is also the creator of The Storm Project: AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and the Future of Intelligence (2023-2026), a long‑horizon research initiative examining the convergence of emerging technologies, governance, and hybrid threat dynamics. Her work spans AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, platform governance, and systemic risk across complex global socio‑technical systems.
She contributes to ANSI X9, FS‑ISAC, NIST, and QED‑C, shaping standards, strategy, and policy in cybersecurity, financial systems, and post‑quantum cryptography (PQC). Her research, frameworks, and advisory work place her among the small group of practitioners influencing the United States’ quantum and post‑quantum governance landscape from within the ecosystem.
How to Recognize and Avoid Dark Patterns in UX/UI (User Experience / User Interface)
Have you ever felt tricked into signing up for something, subscribing to emails you didn’t want, or struggling to cancel a service? That’s not an oversight or bad design. That’s intentional design tricks at work. These tricks are known as “dark patterns.” This article will teach you how to recognize and avoid dark patterns in UX/UI.
This guide will help you spot and avoid these deceptive tactics so you can take back control of your online experience.
What Are Dark Patterns?
Dark patterns are design tricks used by websites, apps, and platforms to control user behavior. Companies use them to entice and trap users, collect data, and boost profits at your expense.
A dark pattern is a misleading or manipulative design element that tricks users into doing things they don’t want to do. For example, if a website makes something easy to sign up for but hard to cancel, that’s a dark pattern. You may want to check out the website before signing up. Read our post, How to Tell If a Website is Legitimate Before Entering Your Info for more tips.
How to Avoid the Most Common Dark Patterns
There are several common types of dark patterns in digital design. They are used in applications, platforms, and websites. Here are just a few of the dark patterns that can trick users, and what to do about them.
“Roach Motel” | Easy to Sign Up, Hard to Cancel
Like the old pest control bait commercial with the slogan, “Roaches check in but they don’t check out,” users check in but they can’t check out.
Example: You can subscribe to a service in seconds, but canceling requires calling customer support, filling out forms, or navigating multiple pages.
How to Avoid It:
- Search online for “How to cancel [service]” to check how difficult it is before you sign up.
- Use virtual credit cards for trial subscriptions so you can cancel payments easily.
Sneaky Pre-Checked Boxes
Online forms are already filled out with certain options for your convenience.
Example: When signing up for something, boxes are pre-checked to opt you into marketing emails or extra charges.
How to Avoid It:
- Always scan forms carefully before clicking “Submit.”
- Uncheck boxes manually before finalizing purchases.
Hidden Fees & Drip Pricing
This is the “too good to be true” pricing. One company seems to undercut all the others based upon having the lowest price. However, a deeper dive into the pricing at the checkout shows the price may actually be higher than other providers.
Example: Airlines, hotels, and event ticket sites show a low price at first but add hidden fees at checkout.
How to Avoid It:
- Check final pricing carefully before paying.
- Use price comparison tools to see full costs upfront.
Misdirection & Confusing Buttons
You navigate to an online page but can’t find what you’re looking for. Every option is easy to find and read, except the one you’re looking for.
Example: A website has a huge, bright “Yes” button and a tiny, hard-to-see “No” button for declining offers.
How to Avoid It:
- Slow down and read carefully before clicking anything.
- Use browser extensions like “UBlock Origin” to block deceptive pop-ups.
“Confirmshaming” | Guilt-Tripping Users
Every try to cancel a subscription and find it harder than breaking up with a too-sweet partner?
Example: When trying to unsubscribe, the site asks, “Are you sure? You’ll miss out on exclusive offers!” or forces you to select a reason like “I hate saving money.”
How to Avoid It:
- Ignore emotional manipulations and tick to your original decision to cancel or unsubscribe.
- Search “How to unsubscribe from [service]” for direct links.
Forced Account Creation
You just want to buy something, but the online site won’t let you purchase unless you become a member.
Example: Some websites won’t let you check out or view content without creating an account.
How to Avoid It:
- Use guest checkout when available.
- Use a temporary email (like 10minutemail.com) for one-time access.
Why Do Companies Use Dark Patterns?
Because they work. Companies design these tricks on purpose to:
- Boost profits by making cancellations difficult.
- Harvest more personal data through forced sign-ups.
- Increase engagement by making users feel trapped.
- The bad news: Dark patterns are legal in many places.
- The good news: Knowing about them helps you fight back using the tactics listed in this article.
How to Protect Yourself from Dark Patterns
- Be Skeptical: If something seems too complicated, the company wants it that way.
- Read Before Clicking: Watch for pre-checked boxes and sneaky wording.
- Use Privacy Tools: Extensions like Privacy Badger block tracking and deceptive pop-ups.
- Check Reviews: Search “Is [service] hard to cancel?” before signing up.
- Use Virtual Cards: Services like Privacy.com let you create burner cards for free trials.
Take Back Control of Your Online Experience
Companies design dark patterns to manipulate users. Now you know how to spot and avoid dark patterns in UX/UI. Be cautious, read carefully, and use privacy tools to protect yourself. Your attention and data are valuable. Don’t let companies trick you into giving them away.
Glossary
- Confirmshaming: Using guilt or shame to discourage users from making a decision (like unsubscribing).
- Dark Pattern: A design trick that manipulates users into making decisions they wouldn’t normally make.
- Drip Pricing: A deceptive pricing strategy where fees are added gradually during checkout.
- Roach Motel: A system where sign-ups are easy, but cancellations are deliberately hard.
- Virtual Credit Card: A temporary card number that prevents unwanted recurring charges.
The Psychology of Clickbait and Misinformation
Ever wonder why fake news, shocking headlines, and viral content spread so fast? Up next, we’ll break down how clickbait works, why people fall for misinformation, and how to separate facts from manipulation. The Psychology of Clickbait and Misinformation.
Unlock the Secrets of the Digital World with Our Engaging Article Series | Outsmart the Machine | Cybersecurity Guide for Humans
Dive into our lively collection of articles designed to boost your digital savvy and cybersecurity know-how. From demystifying the differences between websites and platforms to mastering online privacy, our series offers practical insights to help you navigate the internet like a pro.
- Dictionary and Operational Lexicon | Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Terminology
- Doing It Right Award | Recognition for the Unsung Heroes
- FCFU Framework, TRUCK-FU Framework, and Hunterstorming Protocol (HSP)
- How Algorithmic Mislabeling Hides Helpful Content and What We Can Do About It | Part 1 Yandex
- How Algorithmic Mislabeling Hides Helpful Content and What We Can Do About It | Part 2 Google
- How to Spot a Scam Online
- How to Spot and Avoid AI-Generated Scams
- Hunter Storm Official Site
- Outsmart the Machine | Cybersecurity Guide for Humans
- Protecting Yourself from Online Scams | A Comprehensive Guide
- Recognized by the Machine | Origin of the World’s First Recommendation Letter from AI about a Human: Hunter Storm
- The Future of the Internet | Where Are We Headed?
- Website Security
- What Happens When You Click Agree? | Understand Terms and Conditions
- Whistleblower and Organizational Risk Hub
About the Author | Hunter Storm: Technology Executive, Global Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker
CISO | President | Advisory Board Member | Strategic Policy & Intelligence Advisor | SOC Black Ops Team | QED-C TAC Relationship Leader | Principal Security Architect | Systems Architect | Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator | PQC & Quantum‑Era Specialist | Originator of Human‑Layer Security & Hybrid Threat Modeling | Cyber-Physical-Psychological Hybrid Threat Expert | Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage
Background
Hunter Storm is a veteran Fortune 100 Chief Information Security Officer (CISO); Advisory Board Member; Strategic Policy and Intelligence Advisor; SOC Black Ops Team Member; QED-C TAC Relationship Leader; Principal Security Architect; Systems Architect; Risk Assessor; Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator; Cyber-Physical-Psychological (Cyber-Phys-Psy) Hybrid Threat Expert; and Keynote Speaker with deep expertise in AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, and human behavior. She is also a federal whistleblower with documented contributions to institutional accountability and governance integrity. Explore more in her Profile and Career Highlights.
Drawing on over three decades of experience in global Fortune 3 – 100 enterprises, including Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab, and American Express; aerospace and high-tech manufacturing leaders such as Alcoa and Special Devices (SDI) / Daicel Safety Systems (DSS); and leading technology services firms such as CompuCom, she guides organizations through complex technical, strategic, and operational challenges.
She is the founder of Hunter Storm Enterprises and the creator of the Black Star Institute, two organizations she built to address the institutional gaps in advanced hybrid-threat analysis, as well as emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT), executive advisory services, and institutional architecture.
Global Expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME) | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and Strategic Intelligence
Hunter Storm is a globally recognized Subject Matter Expert (SME) in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, quantum technology, intelligence, strategy, and emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) as defined by NATO and other international frameworks.
Hunter Storm is a quantum‑era strategist whose national‑level contributions include participation in QED‑C Technical Advisory Committees evaluating NIST post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithm candidates. She contributed to the early NIST definition of quantum technologies and formally advocated for the establishment of a quantum ethics discipline. As the originator of Human‑Layer Security and Hybrid Threat Modeling, she brings a cross‑domain approach spanning cyber, physical, and psychological threat surfaces. Her work places her among the small group of practitioners who helped shape the United States’ quantum and post‑quantum governance landscape from the inside.
A recognized SME with top-tier expert networks including GLG (Top 1%), AlphaSights, and Third Bridge, Hunter Storm advises Board Members, CEOs, CTOs, CISOs, Founders, and Senior Executives across technology, finance, and consulting sectors. Her insights have shaped policy, strategy, and high-risk decision-making at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, quantum technology, and human-technical threat surfaces.
Bridging Technical Mastery and Operational Agility
Hunter Storm combines technical mastery with real-world operational resilience in high-stakes environments. She builds and protects systems that often align with defense priorities, but serve critical industries and public infrastructure. She combines first-hand; hands-on; real-world cross-domain expertise in risk assessment, security, and ethical governance; and field-tested theoretical research with a proven track record in high-stakes environments that demand both technical acumen and strategic foresight.
Foundational Framework Originator | Hacking Humans: The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering
Hunter Storm pioneered Hacking Humans | The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering, introduced and established foundational concepts that have profoundly shaped modern human-centric security disciplines across cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, platform governance, and socio‑technical risk. behavioral security, cognitive defense, human risk modeling, red teaming, social engineering, psychological operations (PsyOps), and biohacking. Hunter Storm introduced system‑level metaphors for human behavior—ports and services, human OSI layers, motivator/state analysis, protocol compatibility, and emotional ports—that now underpin modern approaches to social engineering, human attack surface management, behavioral security, cognitive threat intelligence, and socio‑technical risk. Her original framework continues to inform the practice and theory of cybersecurity today, adopted by governments, enterprises, and global security communities.
Projects | Research and Development (R&D) | Frameworks
Hunter Storm is the creator of The Storm Project | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and the Future of Intelligence, the largest AI research initiative in history.
Hunter Storm also pioneered the first global forensic mapping of digital repression architecture, suppression, and censorship through her project Viewpoint Discrimination by Design | The First Global Forensic Mapping of Digital Repression Architecture, monitoring platform accountability and digital suppression worldwide.
Achievements, Awards, and Advisory Boards
Hunter Storm is a Mensa member and recipient of the Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her enduring influence on AI, cybersecurity, quantum, technology, strategy, and global security.
She is a distinguished member of the ISARA Corporation Advisory Board, where she provides strategic guidance on post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) adoption, governance considerations, and long‑horizon security posture.
She is also an Industry Advisory Board at Texas A&M School of Computer Science, where she advises on curricula and strategic initiatives in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technology.
Hunter Storm is a trusted contributor to ANSI X9, FS-ISAC, NIST, and QED-C, shaping policy, standards, and strategy at the highest levels.
Hunter Storm is a member of InfraGard, collaborating with public- and private-sector partners on critical infrastructure protection.
She also serves as President of Sonoran Desert Security (SDSUG), providing leadership, governance, innovation, and strengthening the regional security ecosystem.
All-Original, All Hunter Storm
Hunter Storm’s material is not recycled slides, AI-generated fluff, or “borrowed” conference notes. It is not from books, a certification class, a Google search, or a tour of someone’s lab. It is all-original thought leadership and strategic analysis from her operational experience and field work. These are firsthand, hands-on lessons from decades in the field of cybersecurity. Real encounters, real technologies, and real lessons you won’t find anywhere else.
Hunter Storm | The Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage
Hunter Storm is known for solving problems most won’t touch. She combines technical mastery, operational agility, and strategic foresight to protect critical assets and shape the future at the intersection of technology, strategy, and high-risk decision-making.
Hunter Storm reframes human-technical threat surfaces to expose vulnerabilities others miss, delivering the ultimate asymmetric advantage.
Discover Hunter Storm’s full Professional Profile and Career Highlights.
Confidential Contact
Contact Hunter Storm for: consultations, engagements, board memberships, leadership roles, policy advisory, legal strategy, expert witness, or unconventional problems that require highly unconventional solutions.
