Cloud vs on premises: 3 reasons the Cloud is winning

Thanks to the vast rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to millions of people in the US and Europe, some of us are finally seeing some semblance of a return to normalcy. And organizations, who have experienced first-hand the struggle to stay afloat during months of struggle, are expecting to transition...

Chrome users, here’s how to opt out of the Google FLoC trial

Two weeks after Google launched a trial to replace run-of-the-mill online user tracking with new-fangled online user tracking, several companies and organizations have pushed back, criticizing the new technology—called FLoC—which is designed to respect peoples privacy more, as a detriment to user...

“Huge upsurge” in DDoS attacks during pandemic

Researchers at Netscout have released a report analyzing the malicious internet traffic of 2020 and comparing it to the years before. Some of the results were as expected: Brute-forcing credentials and more targeting towards internet-connected devices were foreseeable and have been discussed at...

Royal Mail scam says your parcel is waiting for delivery

Expecting a delivery? Watch out for phishing attempts warning of held packages and bogus shipping fees. This Royal Mail delivery scam begins with a text message out of the blue, claiming: Your Royal Mail parcel is waiting for delivery. Please confirm the settlement amount of 2.99 GBP via:...

GDPR: An impact around the world

A little more than one month after the European Union enacted the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR to extend new data privacy rights to its people, the governor of California signed a separate, sweeping data protection law that borrowed several ideas from GDPR, sparking a torch in a...

Web skimmer phishes credit card data via rogue payment service platform

Heading into the holiday shopping season, we have been tracking increased activity from a threat group registering domains for skimming and phishing campaigns. While most of the campaigns implemented a web skimmer in the typical fashion—grabbing and exfiltrating data from a merchant's checkout pa...

Instagram clamps down on fake messages with anti-phishing tool

Instagram accounts will always be a popular target for scammers. You might not think it’s a big deal if someone has their account swiped, but it’s often the vanguard of many online businesses. A takeover, or a deletion, can be absolutely devastating. Smart hacking crews are always in the...

Helping survivors of domestic abuse: What to do when you find stalkerware

We’re going to talk about something different today. We’re going to talk about domestic abuse. Earlier this year, cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab announced that the latest upgrade to its Android app would inform users about whether their devices were running stealthy, behind-the-scenes...

Spotlight on Troldesh ransomware, aka ‘Shade’

Despite the decline in the number of ransomware infections over the last year, there are several ransomware families that are still active. Ransom.Troldesh, aka Shade, is one of them. According to our product telemetry, Shade has experienced a sharp increase in detections from Q4 2018 to Q1 2019...

A week in security (October 22 – 28)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we took a look at some new Mac malware, gave you a roundup of 2018 exploit kits, and dispensed some advice on sextortion scams. We also looked at the Cathay Pacific breach, groaned at the revival of an old browser trick, and explained how voting machines and...

Mobile Menace Monday: top five scariest mobile threats

In the spirit of this upcoming Halloween season, we thought we'd provide you with a list of the top five scariest mobile threats in our book. The list is organized from least to most haunting, based on my own humble opinion gathered from several years as a mobile threat researcher. Of course, my...

Malwarebytes Labs Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques Report (CTNT) shows shift to business targets in Q3

Once again, it's that time of year: time for the quarterly Malwarebytes Labs Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques Report. Strap in your seat belts, folks, because the third quarter of 2018 was quite a wild ride. After a sleepy first two quarters, cybercriminals shook out the cobwebs and revved up...

When Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is not enough

As cybercriminals continue to validate the reality that no prevention-based security control is going to stop every threat every time, companies are expanding beyond prevention-only approaches and closing the gap with endpoint detection and response solutions. But as we consider this strategy, on...

Explained: What is big data?

If the pile of manure is big enough, you will find a gold coin in it eventually. This saying is used often to explain why anyone would use big data. Needless to say, in this day and age, the piles of data are so big, you might end up finding a pirate’s treasure. How big is the pile? But when is t...

A week in security (July 9 – July 15)

Last week, we talked about domestic abuse fuelled by IoT, doing threat intel programs right, blocking ICO fraud, and man-in-the-middle attacks. We also explained why we block shady ad blockers and provided tips to online shoppers for Prime Day. Other news: Reports revealed that low-end Android...

Fake Fortnite for Android links found on YouTube

The extremely popular video game Fortnite is coming to Android sometime this summer, and the fanbase is going wild. Not surprisingly, mobile malware developers are taking advantage. Already, there are several videos on YouTube with links claiming to be versions of Fortnite for Android, despite th...

A week in security (May 7 – May 13)

Last week on Labs, we looked at the case of a fake Android AV, an annoying adware that goes by the name of Kuik, the return of threat actors behind the Shopper Stop tech scam, a new Netflix phishing scam, the recent zero-day vulnerability in Internet Explorer, and the insufficiency of merely...

Tech support scam uses fake Shoppers Stop site to lure thousands

Update 2018-05-17: Shoppers Stop is a legitimate company based out of India and their brand was abused by scammers. These days, there are a lot of browser locker campaigns fueled by malvertising or redirection from hacked sites. But the Shoppers Stop tech scam campaign is actually a bit of both,...

Physician, protect thyself: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

In part one of our Physician, protect thyself series, we recognized significant security problems within the healthcare industry that need addressing. Health organizations moving from the paper to the 'puter—a shift meant to improve care and overall patient experience—inadvertently introduced...

LockCrypt ransomware: weakness in code can lead to recovery

At the start of the year, it seemed that 2018 was going to be all about cryptominers. They so overwhelmingly dominated the landscape that it looked like no other threat had a chance. However, ransomware is not giving up the field so fast. There have been new variants popping up every couple of...

A week in security (February 19 – February 25)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we gave readers a primer on encryption, took a stab at that Deepfakes tool Internet users seem to be interested in, and started a new series that talks about GDPR. We also looked at a drive-by download campaign that starts in booby-trapped Chinese websites that dro...

Text messages and the Bitcoin Code: follow the money trail

I was a bit surprised to receive lots of messages similar to the one below this past week: I mean, we've all done it—managed a bulk text spam campaign offering free Bitcoins in your spare time, while completely forgetting said business exists. Maybe I did it in my sleep? It's all gone a bit Fight...

Augmented Reality games and real-world trolling

Augmented Reality games—where you wave a device around and the digital collides with reality— have been booming in popularity ever since Pokemon GO! rolled into mobile storefronts. However, many AR games haven't really been designed with the possible consequences of real-world safety in mind. Tak...

Singles’ Day deal seekers beware

Originally a day set aside for singles in China to be proud of their singlehood, Singles' Day has been transformed into what is arguably the world’s single largest e-commerce festival, thanks to the involvement of The Alibaba Group. In fact, the Alibaba Group alone reported $17.8 billion in sales...

A week in security (October 9 – October 15)

Last week on the Labs blog, we talked about GDPR as part of our series in the National Cyber Security Awareness Month NCSAM. We also discussed a new method for phishing Apple ID passwords and the possible ramifications. We analyzed the malvertising chain due to a script that was found on popular...

A new kind of Apple phishing scam

In a recent blog post, Felix Krause revealed a method for phishing Apple ID passwords on iOS that would be quite indistinguishable from a real iOS password request. This got us thinking about the ramifications—how else could this tactic be used in the Apple ecosystem, and what kind of damage coul...

A week in security (August 21 – August 27)

In our blog posts, we announced the introduction of, and explained the necessity for, real-time protection for our Mac and Android users. Also explaining what you can expect them to do for you and answering the questions that we expect to be frequently asked. We looked at 4 key steps you can take...

A week in security (July 10 – July 16)

Last week, we took a look at some of your malware infection stories, took a stroll through the basics of PowerShell, explored a piece of .NET malware, and shone the spotlight on the Petya ransomware family. Elsewhere, the following stories were taking place: Latest updates for Consumers...

What happens to your data when you die? (Lock and Code S07E17)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … You will die. Your data will not. The afterlife of our information is a recent phenomenon, and some of the companies with the most to sort through are still just figuring it out. As far back as 2007, Facebook was forced to reckon with mass grief when users...

Fake verification pages are stealing Steam accounts from players

Online gamers should watch out for a convincing scam that aims to steal your Steam account. The scam uses fake FACEIT verification pages that look legitimate, complete with official branding, working links, and what appears to be a real Steam login window. By the time it asks for your password,...

Recently-patched Apache Struts vulnerability used in worldwide attacks

Attackers are exploiting a critical vulnerability in Apache Struts 2 that was patched recently. Struts is a very popular open source platform to develop applications and websites. On December 7, 2023, Apache announced versions 6.3.0.2 and 2.5.33 of Struts were now available to address a potential...

Patch now! BIG-IP Configuration utility is vulnerable for an authentication bypass

Tech company F5 has warned customers about a critical authentication bypass vulnerability impacting its BIG-IP product line that could result in unauthenticated remote code execution. F5 provides services focused on security, reliability, and performance. BIG-IP is a collection of hardware...

Cisco IOS XE vulnerability widely exploited in the wild

An authentication bypass affecting Cisco IOS X was disclosed on October 16, 2023. Researchers have found since then that the vulnerability is widely being exploited in the wild to help install implants on affected switches and routers. Cisco IOS XE is a universally deployed Internetworking...

Amazon Prime email scammer snatches defeat from the jaws of victory

More often than not, its our solemn duty on this site to keep you informed about the nature and tactics of dangerous, cunnning, and persistent cybercriminals. This is not one of those days. In fact, this is the oppposite of one of those days. This is about a passable spam email sent by a spammer...

SupremeBot and Mario cross the finish line together

Researchers have reported how popular game installers like Super Mario Games are being used to deliver malware. The malicious components include cryptominers, the SupremeBot mining client, and the open-source Umbral stealer. The game installers route offers some very distinct advantages to the...

Fake Amazon Prime email abuses LinkedIn's URL shortener

Over the last few days, scammers have been sending out phishing mails that disguise bogus URLs with something called Slinks--shortened Linkedin URLs. The shortened URLs redirect users to a different URL when they are clicked. If youve ever seen a Tiny URL, or a Bit.ly link, youll already be...

Business Services industry targeted across the country for backdoor access

The presence of so many hacking tools in the detections for the Business Services industry tells a story about these organizations being targeted for not only infection, but to establish backdoors and likely gain access to customers of the organizations through the victims network. Just like...

Beware card skimmers this Black Friday

The UKs top cybercops are urging owners of small online shops to "protect their customers and profits" by guarding against card skimmers in the frenetic shopping period that starts with Black Friday, which lands on November 26 this year. The warning comes from the National Cyber Security Centre...

Password usage analysis of brute force attacks on honeypot servers

As Microsoft’s Head of Deception, Ross Bevington is responsible for setting up and maintaining honeypots that look like legitimate systems and servers. Honeypot systems are designed to pose as an attractive target for attackers. Sometimes they are left vulnerable to create a controllable and safe...

The Olympics: a timeline of scams, hacks, and malware

The 2020 Olympics are, after a bit of a delayed start, officially in full swing. So too is the possibility for scammers to crawl out of the woodwork. And while actual, measurable cyberrattacks and hacks surrounding The Olympics did not truly get rolling until 2008 in Beijing, The Olympic games ha...

Does using a VPN slow down your Internet?

A Virtual Private Network VPN can stop others from snooping on or tampering with your Internet traffic. It does this by concealing your traffic inside an encrypted tunnel between you and your VPN provider. And because your traffic appears to join the the Internet from your VPN providers computer...

Lock and Code S1Ep15: Safely using Google Chrome Extensions with Pieter Arntz

This week on Lock and Code, we discuss the top security headlines generated right here on Labs and around the Internet. In addition, we talk to Pieter Arntz, malware intelligence researcher for Malwarebytes, about Google Chrome extensions. These sometimes helpful online tools that work directly...

Biotech health care innovations meet security challenges

The level and speed of innovations taking place in the biotech industry are baffling. On the one hand, it makes us hopeful we can quickly reduce the number of illnesses and their consequences through technological advancement—saving thousands of lives. On the other, concerns about the application...

International students in UK targeted by visa scammers

A new visa scam has come to light targeting international students from China studying in the UK. At least, it’s being presented as new. In truth, it comes around every so often and has been on the radar for a few years. The scam works by presenting a threat to students’ immigration status and us...

A conversation with America Geeks

Thanks to NeeP for contributing significant research. You can check out NeeP's YouTube channel here. Malwarebytes has written quite a bit about tech support scammers, typically focusing on new scam techniques as they arise with new threat actor groups. But sometimes our research discovers scammer...

IRISSCON security conference comes to Dublin in November

It's that time of the year when IRISSCON—the biggest security conference in Ireland, in my humble opinion—springs into life with a great collection of talks and Capture the Flag events. Held on November 23 in Dublin, there will be a strong focus on working in Infosec this year, alongside some of...

When cybersecurity isn’t all cyber: What does it really take to work in cybersecurity?

With the multitude of breaches and outbreaks already witnessed in 2017, it's become clear that industries across all verticals are challenged by cybersecurity. This is a serious business problem that needs to be addressed ASAP. As much talk as there is about organizations getting hacked, scores o...

Labs report: summer ushers in unprecedented season of breaches

In this edition of the Malwarebytes Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques report for the third quarter of 2017, we saw a number of high profile breaches targeting the personal information of hundreds of millions of people. While the Equifax breach may have dominated the news cycle, notable attacks...

419 spam: 10 million US dollars, courtesy of “Rev. Goodluck Ebola”

I'm not saying an email claiming to be from the "Central Bank of Nigeria" with a contact handler named "Rev. Goodluck Ebola" will raise too many red flags, but… Click to Enlarge CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Zaria Street, Off Samuel Akintola Street,Garki 11, Garki-Abuja. Our Ref:...

7 tips to stay cyber safe this summer

You’ve probably already seen the back-to-school ads on TV and rolled your eyes a little bit. We’re with you: There’s still plenty of summer left. That’s why we want to remind you about some of the cybersecurity pitfalls you might encounter during the remainder of the summer season. Whether you’re...