Workplace violence: the forgotten insider threat

Organizations are no stranger to insider threats. In fact, for those who have been around long before the Internet, workplace violence, alongside spying is a problem many businesses have seen before and sought to address. However, the adoption and use of the Internet completely changed the way...

Myspace vs. Facebook: the good old days?

Many people have fond memories of ye olde Myspace dotte comme, and those rose-splashed spectacles seem to have grown ever larger in light of the recent Facebook happenings. In recent days, I've seen many declaring their love for all things Tom, and how everything was just one huge barrel of laugh...

TLS 1.3 is nearly here

TLS stands for "Transport Layer Security" and it's rather important. Why's that? Oh, I'm glad you asked. Here's me, yelling my password across the office to you: "PASSWORD!!!" You heard me loud and clear, right? But so did basically anyone else nearby. Now let's work in a little TLS love and...

Avzhan DDoS bot dropped by Chinese drive-by attack

The Avzhan DDoS bot has been known since 2010, but recently we saw it in wild again, being dropped by a Chinese drive-by attack. In this post, we'll take a deep dive into its functionality and compare the sample we captured with the one described in the past. Analyzed sample...

FBI: Smart toys could harm children’s privacy and physical safety

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently issued a Public Service Announcement PSA, encouraging consumers—parents, in particular—to think twice before purchasing internet-connected toys. Smart toys and entertainment devices for kids are part of the Internet of Things, and as such, they hav...

The key to old Petya versions has been published by the malware author

As research concluded, the original author of Petya, Janus, was not involved in the latest attacks on Ukraine. His original malware was pirated and extended by an unknown actor read more here. As a result of the recent events, Janus probably decided to shut down the Petya project. Similarly to th...

Something’s phishy: How to detect phishing attempts

Dear you, It appears you need to update your information. Click here to tell us all your secrets. No really, it's totally safe. We're not going to steal your identity, we swear. If only phishing attempts were that obvious. Instead, these days it's hard to tell a phish apart from a foul, if you...

Joomla! vulnerability is being actively exploited

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA has added a vulnerability for the Joomla! Content Management System CMS to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. This means that Federal Civilian Executive Branch FCEB agencies need to...

Update now! Chrome patches actively exploited zero-day vulnerability

Google has released an update for its Chrome browser that includes eleven security fixes, one of which has been reportedly exploited in the wild. The vulnerability that is reported as being exploited in the wild has been assigned CVE-2022-0609. CVE-2022-0609 The vulnerability is described as a...

Why Data Privacy Day matters: A Lock and Code special with Mozilla, DuckDuckGo, and EFF

You can read our full-length blog here about the importance of Data Privacy Day and data privacy in general Today is a special day, not just because January 28 marks Data Privacy Day in the United States and in several countries across the world, but because it also marks the return of our hit...

QR code scams are making a comeback

Just when we thought the QR code was on its way out, the pandemic has led to a return of the scannable shortcut. COVID-19 has meant finding a digital equivalent to things normally handed out physically, like menus, tour guides, and other paperwork, and many organizations have adopted the QR code ...

Child identity theft, part 1: On familiar fraud

In 2013, 30-year-old Axton Betz-Hamilton received an angry phone call from her father two weeks after her mother, Pam, died. "What the hell were you thinking?" he screamed. He had just unearthed a credit card statement in her name that had run over its limit from a box of her mother’s paperwork...

Explained: edge computing

Edge computing may seem like a foreign and future-facing term. Yet its applications are widespread and diverse, with the ability to transform the way we store, use, and share data and programs online. The implications of edge computing are far-reaching, trickling down from software development an...

Online privacy in 2019: a legislative review

For decades, the United States treated data privacy like an aging home, patching individual leaks and drafts only when a new storm hit. The country passed a law protecting healthcare-related information, and not much else. It then passed a law protecting video rental information, and not much els...

Yes, Chromebooks can and do get infected

As a Mac malware specialist, I've seen more than my share of folks saying "Macs don't get viruses" over the years. I've seen and experienced first-hand that this isn't true—even on iOS, where despite having tight, built-in security, iPhones are still capable of getting infected by rare malware. I...

Badgelife: A Defcon 26 retrospective

One more year gone, one more Defcon completed. Defcon is the longest-running security conference in existence and one that I have been attending since Defcon 18. It is an opportunity to see and interact in real life with industry peers that would forever remain a digital persona otherwise. It is...

A week in security (July 23 – July 29)

Last week on Labs, we looked at an adware called MobiDash getting stealthy, a new strain of Mac malware called Proton that was found after two years, and the ‘Hidden Bee’ miner that was delivered via an improved drive-by download toolkit. We also delved into the security improvements expected in...

Mobile Menace Monday: Adware MobiDash gets stealthy

The Adware known as MobiDash, detected by Malwarebytes for Android as Android/Adware.MobiDash, is far from a new. However, this ad-displaying nuisance now comes with some additional stealth features. First appearing last spring, these new features are not limited to a single variant of MobiDash...

What’s causing the cybersecurity skills gap?

The proliferation of next-gen technology into mainstream society has been a boon for consumers, entrepreneurs, and business owners alike. Between the rise of mobile computing, the Internet of Things IoT, and modern social media, our society is more connected than ever before. But all of this...

Far Cry 5 download offers: embrace the power of “no”

The recently released Far Cry 5 is a video game where you reclaim Montana from a cult obsessed with the "power of yes" by hitting members over the head with a shovel. It's also one of the biggest sellers for publisher Ubisoft to date, and it stands to reason that many people would like to grab a...

How artificial intelligence and machine learning will impact cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence AI and machine learning ML are hot topics in technology. New use cases and applications are discussed daily—from search results recommendations to smart cars. But what are cybersecurity organizations doing with this tech? What does it take to render additional security out...

SteelCon: Mahkra ni Orroz

I recently gave a talk at Sheffield's SteelCon, a huge security event spread over a few days with no end of interesting activities taking place. My presentation, called Makhra ni Orroz, is a good 45 minutes of non stop talking and pictures and things. It's also a bit different in terms of what I...

How Outlook notification sounds can lead to zero-click exploits

An Akamai researcher has found two vulnerabilities in Windows that can be combined to achieve a full, zero-click remote code execution RCE in Outlook. Both vulnerabilities were responsibly disclosed to Microsoft and addressed in the August 2023 and October 2023 patch Tuesdays, so the researcher...

Ford says it’s safe to drive its cars with a WiFi vulnerability

Ford has released information about a buffer overflow vulnerability in its SYNC 3 infotainment system. Ford learned from a supplier that a security researcher had discovered a vulnerability in the Wi-Fi software driver supplied for use in the SYNC 3 infotainment system available on some Ford and...

TikTok vulnerability could have allowed hijackers to take over accounts

Microsoft has released a detailed rundown of an issue, now fixed, which was potentially dangerous for users of TikTok. The problem, flagged as a "high-severity vulnerability" by Microsoft, required several steps chained together in order to function. Attackers making use of it could have...

The struggle to reduce bug-fixing time is real

There are many reasons why we want a bug fixed as soon as we can, but there are also plenty of reasons why doing it “right now” is not an option. This phenomenon starts at the side of the developers. The average time to fix a bug seems to vary depending on the platform the bug was found in. What ...

Google launches Chrome 99, fixes 28 vulnerabilities

The Chrome team announced the promotion of Chrome 99 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux on March 1, 2022. This will roll out over the coming days/weeks. In the desktop version, a total of 28 vulnerabilities were closed. Of these, 11 were classified as high, 15 as medium and two as...

A week in security (July 12 – July 18)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: DNS-over-HTTPS takes another small step towards global domination Nope, that isn’t Elon Musk, and he isn’t offering a free Topmist Dust watch either Four in-the-wild exploits, 13 critical patches headline bumper Patch Tuesday Is crypto’s criminal rollercoaster...

Would real identities make social media safer?

“Use real identities to reduce abuse online” is a talking point youve almost certainly seen down the years. It also seems to come around like clockwork every other month, and is currently a hot topic in the UK after prominent journalists / media personalities raised the issue. It’s an interesting...

CEOs offer their own view of a US data privacy law

Last week, the chief executives of more than 50 mid- and large-sized companies urged Congress to pass a national data privacy law to regulate how companies collect, use, and share Americans’ data. Buried deep within the chief executives’ recommendations for such a law, presented as a policy...

A week in security (July 2 – July 8)

Last week, we tracked back a large mining operation from their Coinhive shortlink, we took a look at online project management tools, we described a new macro-less technique to distribute malware, and talked about a Mac malware that targets crypto-mining users. Other news: Huawei enterprise comms...

Solution Corner: Malwarebytes for Mac

Mac users have been told for years: Macs don't get viruses. Even Apple said so, in their famous Get a Mac ads that aired a decade ago. Wow, that's so cool! It's good to know we're all safe. Now, on a different topic, can you tell me why Safari is going to a Russian search engine instead of Google...

WhatsApp cryptocurrency scam goes for the cash prize

This weekend a scammer tried his luck by reaching out to me on WhatsApp. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but trust me, it’s bad for your business. I received one message from a number hailing from the Togolese Republic. WhatsApp message from an unknow sender “Jay, your financial account has...

Patch now! First patch Tuesday of 2024 is here

Microsoft has issued patches for 48 security vulnerabilities in the first Patch Tuesday of 2024. With a relatively low number of patches—and only two of them critical—this makes it a relatively quiet month, which is certainly not the norm in January. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures CVE...

A week in security (May 15-21)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Why we should be more open about ransomware attacks Windows 11 is showing its first signs of Rust Update now! Ruckus vulnerability added to CISAs list of actively exploited bugs 3 reasons to use a VPN PharMerica breach impacts almost 6 million people Leaked Babuk...

Ransomware review: May 2023

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes' ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. In this report, "known attacks" are those where the victim didn't pay a ransom. This provides the best overall picture of...

Update now! Google patches vulnerabilities for Pixel mobile phones

Googles Pixel Update Bulletin for September included two security patches that are Pixel specific. Both underlying vulnerabilities are rated critical and could lead to privilege escalation and device takeover. The vulnerabilities Publicly disclosed computer security flaws are listed in the Common...

Sysrv botnet is out to mine Monero on your Windows and Linux servers

In a Twitter thread, the Microsoft Security Intelligence team have revealed new information about the latest versions of the Sysrv botnet. The variant they focused on uses a range of known exploits for vulnerabilities in web apps and databases to install cryptocurrency miners on both Windows and...

“Seven or eight” zero-days: The failed race to fix Kaseya VSA, with Victor Gevers, Lock and Code S02E13

Kaseya VSA included at least “seven or eight” privately known zero-day vulnerabilities before it suffered a widespread ransomware attack that impacted hundreds of businesses, said Victor Gevers, chair of the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure, or DIVD, a volunteer-run organization that...

Coalition Against Stalkerware bulks up global membership

Today, the Coalition Against Stalkerware brought aboard 11 new organizations to address the potentially dangerous capabilities of stalkerware, an invasive, digital threat that can rob individuals of their expectation of, and right to, privacy. These types of apps can provide domestic abusers with...

Discord users tempted by bots offering “free Nitro games”

The last few weeks have seen multiple instances of problematic bots appearing in Discord channels. They bring tidings of gifts, but the reality is quite a bit different. Given so many more young kids and teens are at home during the current global lockdown, they may well see this scam bouncing...

Fintech security: the challenges and fails of a new era

"I have no idea how this app from my bank works, and I don't trust what I don't understand." Josh is not an old curmudgeon or luddite. He's 42 with a decent understanding of technology. Nevertheless, the changes in fintech have come too fast for him. It's not that he doesn't trust his bank. He...

How to protect against stalkerware, a murky but dangerous mobile threat

Last week, we pledged that—in honor of National Cybersecurity Awareness and Domestic Violence Awareness months—we would continue the fight against the online scourge known as stalkerware, or applications used to track and spy on victims without their knowing consent. We told readers that, despite...

Explained: like-farming

Like-farming, aka like-harvesting, is a method used by commercial parties and scammers alike to raise the popularity of a site or domain. The ultimate dream of every like-farmer is for his post to go viral by accumulating as many likes and shares as possible from all over the world. Like-farmers...

Emotet revisited: pervasive threat still a danger to businesses

One of the most common and pervasive threats for businesses today is Emotet, a banking Trojan turned downloader that has been on our list of top 10 detections for many months in a row. Emotet, which Malwarebytes detects as Trojan.Emotet, has been leveled at consumers and organizations across the...

Explained: Payment Service Directive 2 (PSD2)

Payment Service Directive 2 PSD2 is the implementation of a European guideline designed to further harmonize money transfers inside the EU. The ultimate goal of this directive is to simplify payments across borders so that it's as easy as transferring money within the same country. Since the EU w...

Green card scams: preying on the desperate

Thanks to @nullcookies for providing leads. Most online scams depend on two things for success: a broken or otherwise onerous process to deal with a legitimate entity, and a desperate target population. With immigration, there are many, many burdensome processes to navigate, and most applicants...

VPNFilter malware still making waves

Last month, a piece of malware called VPNFilter caused chaos for owners of MikroTik, Lynksys, TP-Link, and Netgear equipment. Roughly 500,000 devices worldwide fell victim, with the unwanted parasite able to listen to traffic, steal credentials, damage devices, and more. Until patches started to...

A week in security (May 21 – May 27)

Last week we told you about a Mac cryptominer using XMRig, an overview of Dreamcast related scams, part 1 of decoding Emotet, and what to do about bad coding habits that die hard. We also published the results of our second CrackMe contest. Other news How a pioneer of machine learning became one ...

The digital entropy of death: link rot

Hot on the heels of a grim blog about digital death comes…another blog about digital death. Except in this case, the recently deceased would be the links that tie the web together, otherwise known as link rot. Link rot is a weird thing. Say I blog for Puppy Chow and I write an article about the...