Information

Using Google Search to Find Software Can Be Risky

Google continues to struggle with cybercriminals running malicious ads on its search platform to trick people into downloading booby-trapped copies of popular free software applications. The malicious ads, which appear above organic search results and often precede links to legitimate sources of the same software, can make searching for software on Google a dicey affair. Google says keeping users safe is a top priority, and that the company has a team of thousands working around…

Read More

NSPX30: A sophisticated AitM-enabled implant evolving since 2005

ESET researchers provide an analysis of an attack carried out by a previously undisclosed China-aligned threat actor we have named Blackwood, and that we believe has been operating since at least 2018. The attackers deliver a sophisticated implant, which we named NSPX30, through adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) attacks hijacking update requests from legitimate software. Key points in this blogpost: We discovered the NSPX30 implant being deployed via the update mechanisms of legitimate software such as Tencent QQ,…

Read More

Break the fake: The race is on to stop AI voice cloning scams

Scams As AI-powered voice cloning turbocharges imposter scams, we sit down with ESET’s Jake Moore to discuss how to hang up on ‘hi-fi’ scam calls – and what the future holds for deepfake detection Cameron Camp 23 Jan 2024  •  , 4 min. read Would you fall for a faked call from your CEO asking you to wire money? As our colleague Jake Moore found out, you might. As computers with spare compute cycles get…

Read More

Why many CISOs consider quitting – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Video The job of a CISO is becoming increasingly stressful as cybersecurity chiefs face overwhelming workloads and growing concerns over personal liability for security failings 19 Jan 2024 The job of a chief information security officer (CISO) is becoming increasingly stressful, to the point that some security leaders are seeking out more peaceful career paths. Indeed, as many as 46 percent of CISOs are considering leaving cybersecurity, according to a recent survey. This comes as…

Read More

Canadian Man Stuck in Triangle of E-Commerce Fraud

A Canadian man who says he’s been falsely charged with orchestrating a complex e-commerce scam is seeking to clear his name. His case appears to involve “triangulation fraud,” which occurs when a consumer purchases something online — from a seller on Amazon or eBay, for example — but the seller doesn’t actually own the item for sale. Instead, the seller purchases the item from an online retailer using stolen payment card data. In this scam,…

Read More

Virtual kidnapping: How to see through this terrifying scam

Scams Phone fraud takes a frightening twist as fraudsters can tap into AI to cause serious emotional and financial damage to the victims Phil Muncaster 18 Jan 2024  •  , 4 min. read It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. You get a call from an unknown number and on the other end of the line hear your child crying out for help. Then their ‘kidnapper’ comes on the line demanding a ransom or you will never…

Read More

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.…

Read More

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…

Read More

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.…

Read More

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…

Read More