Information

Is Temu safe? What to know before you ‘shop like a billionaire’

Scams, Digital Security Here are some scams you may encounter on the shopping juggernaut, plus a few simple steps you can take to help safeguard your data while bagging that irresistible deal Phil Muncaster 17 Jan 2024  •  , 5 min. read If you’re on social media or use Google Shopping, the chances are you’ve been bombarded with adverts for Temu, a Chinese e-commerce marketplace that offers rock-bottom prices compared to equivalents in the West.…

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E-Crime Rapper ‘Punchmade Dev’ Debuts Card Shop

The rapper and social media personality Punchmade Dev is perhaps best known for his flashy videos singing the praises of a cybercrime lifestyle. With memorable hits such as “Internet Swiping” and “Million Dollar Criminal” earning millions of views, Punchmade has leveraged his considerable following to peddle tutorials on how to commit financial crimes online. But until recently, there wasn’t much to support a conclusion that Punchmade was actually doing the cybercrime things he promotes in…

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The 7 deadly cloud security sins and how SMBs can do things better

Business Security By eliminating these mistakes and blind spots, your organization can take massive strides towards optimizing its use of cloud without exposing itself to cyber-risk Phil Muncaster 16 Jan 2024  •  , 5 min. read Cloud computing is an essential component of today’s digital landscape. IT infrastructure, platforms and software are more likely to be delivered today as a service (hence the acronyms IaaS, PaaS and SaaS, respectively) than in a traditional on-premises configuration.…

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A peek behind the curtain: How are sock puppet accounts used in OSINT?

Business Security How wearing a ‘sock puppet’ can aid the collection of open source intelligence while insulating the ‘puppeteer’ from risks Mario Micucci 11 Jan 2024  •  , 4 min. read In the untold expanse of online information and communication, the ability to find the signal in the noise and discern the authenticity of data and its sources becomes increasingly critical. We’ve previously looked at the mechanics of open source intelligence (OSINT), the practice of…

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Lessons from SEC’s X account hack – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Video The cryptocurrency rollercoaster never fails to provide a thrilling ride – this week it was a drama surrounding the hack of SEC’s X account right ahead of the much-anticipated decision about Bitcoin ETFs 12 Jan 2024 The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) X account was hacked this week to post an unauthorized tweet announcing the approval of spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). The post was up for some 30 minutes and even…

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Attack of the copycats: How fake messaging apps and app mods could bite you

Mobile Security WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal clones and mods remain a popular vehicle for malware distribution. Don’t get taken for a ride. Phil Muncaster 10 Jan 2024  •  , 5 min. read Mobile applications make the world go round. Instant communication services are among the most popular apps on iOS and Android alike  – US non-profit operation Signal has an estimated 40 million users, with the figure rising to 700 million for Telegram, another open-source…

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Love is in the AI: Finding love online takes on a whole new meaning

We Live Progress Is AI companionship the future of not-so-human connection – and even the cure for loneliness? Imogen Byers 09 Jan 2024  •  , 7 min. read Modern technology permeates almost every facet of our lives, shaping our day-to-day in ways both subtle and obvious – and indeed in ways we probably never anticipated. Just imagine the horror of going without your smartphone or internet connectivity for a few days. How else would you…

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Here’s Some Bitcoin: Oh, and You’ve Been Served!

A California man who lost $100,000 in a 2021 SIM-swapping attack is suing the unknown holder of a cryptocurrency wallet that harbors his stolen funds. The case is thought to be the first in which a federal court has recognized the use of information included in a bitcoin transaction — such as a link to a civil claim filed in federal court — as reasonably likely to provide notice of the lawsuit to the defendant.…

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Meet Ika & Sal: The Bulletproof Hosting Duo from Hell

In 2020, the United States brought charges against four men accused of building a bulletproof hosting empire that once dominated the Russian cybercrime industry and supported multiple organized cybercrime groups. All four pleaded guilty to conspiracy and racketeering charges. But there is a fascinating and untold backstory behind the two Russian men involved, who co-ran the world’s top spam forum and worked closely with Russia’s most dangerous cybercriminals. From January 2005 to April 2013, there…

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Cracking the 2023 SANS Holiday Hack Challenge

Steeped in AI and the security risks of its use, the 2023 SANS Holiday Hack Challenge was an enrichening experience of navigating a series of 21 objectives that tested and broadened multiple cybersecurity skills. The best challenges for me were hunting down AI hallucinations in a pentest report, escalating privileges on a Linux system, searching for cheats in Game Boy games, using the Azure REST API to search for an Azure Function app’s source code…

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