Two major Canadian banks blackmailed after alleged data breach

While the US was celebrating Memorial Day on Monday, Canada was dealing with an unusual data breach affecting two popular financial institutions: Simplii Financial and Bank of Montreal BMO. The CBC broke the story and updated it throughout the day to mention that some 90,000 customers were possib...

SEO poisoning: Is it worth it?

Search Engine Optimization SEO poisoning basically comes down to getting your web page high in the rankings for relevant search results without buying advertisements or using legitimate, but tedious, SEO best practices. Instead, threat actors use illegal means to push their page to the top...

A week in security (March 26 – April 01)

Last week, we looked at the thought process behind creating a ransomware decryptor, the inner workings of QuantLoader, the ways one can protect their Android devices, the exploit kits we have encountered this winter, the now-known epidemic of data breaches, the coming of TLS 1.3, and the ways one...

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...

Elaborate scripting-fu used in espionage attack against Saudi Arabia Government entity

This post was co-authored by David Sánchez and Jérôme Segura We recently came across a campaign targeting a Saudi Arabia Government entity via a malicious Word document which at first reminded us of an attack we had previously described on this blog. In our previous research, we detailed how an...

Remediation vs. prevention: How to place your bets

Building a security environment for businesses these days is a gamble: layer on too much and your programs may be canceling each other out or causing redundancy and your leaders may be wondering why you're spending so much. Invest too little and get breached: it's snake eyes for you. Whether you...

Mobile Menace Monday: Implications of Google Play Protect

Along with the recent release of Google’s new OS, Android 8.0 Oreo, they also released a new security suite known as Google Play Protect. As blogged about in July in Play Protect: Android’s new security system is now available, this new suite has been available since mid-May. To reiterate As note...

Amazon and Apple impersonated in “$149.99 unauthorized charge” scam

If you’ve spent any time browsing lately, you may have run into a full-screen popup warning you that your Apple ID or Amazon account was just used for a mysterious $149.99 purchase. It looks urgent. It looks official. And if you look at two examples side by side, it becomes obvious that it’s...

Update Chrome now! Google releases emergency security patch

Google has released an emergency security update for its Chrome browser. The update includes a patch released four days earlier for a vulnerability which Google say is already being exploited. The easiest way to update Chrome is to allow it to update automatically, but you can end up lagging behi...

Update now! SysAid vulnerability is actively being exploited by ransomware affiliate

Users of SysAid on-premises should take action to deal with a vulnerability. SysAid is a widely used IT service management solution that allows IT teams to manage tasks. Microsoft discovered an ongoing exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability in the SysAid IT support software in limited attacks b...

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...

Update Chrome now! Google patches another actively exploited vulnerability

Google has updated the Stable Channel for Chrome to 117.0.5938.132 for Windows, Mac and Linux. This update includes ten security fixes. According to Google there is an active exploit for one of the patched vulnerabilities, which means cybercriminals are aware of the vulnerability and are using it...

[updated] Ivanti Sentry critical vulnerability—don't play dice, patch

Ivanti has published a security blog post about a vulnerability in Ivanti Sentry, formerly MobileIron Sentry. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability would enable an unauthenticated attacker to access some sensitive APIs that are used to configure Ivanti Sentry on the administrator portal...

Update now! Apple fixes three actively exploited vulnerabilities

Apple has released security updates for several products to address a set of flaws that it says are being actively exploited. Updates are available for these products: Safari 16.5.1 | macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey ---|--- iOS 16.5.1 and iPadOS 16.5.1 | iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro all models,...

Smart home assistants at risk from "NUIT" ultrasound attack

A new form of attack named "Near Ultrasound Inaudible Trojan" NUIT has been unveiled by researchers from the University of Texas. NUIT is designed to attack voice assistants with malicious commands remotely via the internet. Impacted assistants include Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google Assistant...

Malware targets 30 unpatched WordPress plugins

If you make use of plugins on your WordPress site and you probably do, its time to take a good look at whats running under the hood. Ars Technica reports that unpatched vulnerabilities being exploited across no fewer than 30 plugins. A long list of plugin problems If you own or operate a website...

Introducing Quarantine for Cloud Storage Scanning in Nebula

Were excited to announce Quarantine for Malwarebytes Cloud Storage Scanning CSS, a new feature which allows you to automatically quarantine threats found in your cloud storage repositories. Malwarebytes Cloud Storage Scanning is an add-on service in Nebula that scans for malware on cloud storage...

Education hammered by exploits and backdoors in 2021 and 2022

In May of 2021, education underwent a siege of exploit attempts using the vulnerability CVE-2021-21551, which exploits a Dell system driver bug and helps attackers to gain access to a network. Considering that many schools across the United States use Dell hardware, its understandable to see such...

Update now! Apple fixes actively exploited zero-day

Apple has released a security fix for a zero-day vulnerability CVE-2022-22620 that it says "may have been actively exploited." According to the security update information provided by Apple the vulnerability exists in WebKit—the HTML rendering engine component of its Safari browser—and can be use...

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...

What is Tor?

Tor, The Onion Router Tor The Onion Router is free software used to keep your online communications safe and secure from outside observers. It’s designed to block tracking and eavesdropping, resist fingerprinting where services tie your browser and device information to an identity, and to hide t...

A week in security (July 19 – July 25)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Stopransomwaredotgov, a one-stop hub for ransomware resources Beware, crypto-scammer seeks foreigner with BLOCK CHAIN ACCOUNT Remcos RAT delivered via Visual Basic US, EU, UK, NATO blame China for “reckless” exchange attacks HiveNightmare zero-day lets anyone be...

Malspam banks on Kaseya ransomware attack

The Malwarebytes Threat Intelligence Team recently found a malicious spam campaign making the rounds and banking on the ransomware attack that forced Kaseya to shut down its VSA service. This is a classic example of an opportunistic attack conducted by potentially another threat actor/group off t...

A week in security (June 7 – June 13)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Amazon SIdewalk starts sharing your WiFi data tomorrow, thanks White hat, black hat, grey hat hackers: what’s the difference? Can two VPN “wrongs” make a right? Lock and Code S02E10 DOJ recovers pipeline ransom, signals more aggressive approach to cybercrime 800...

A week in security (April 26 – May 2)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we looked at which age range is most likely to be targeted by online predators, talked to Malwarebytes CISO John Donovan on our Lock and Code podcast, and explored the latest deepfake happenings. We also dug into a supply chain attack, discussed threats from a...

SearchDimension search hijackers: An overview of developments

Background information on SearchDimension SearchDimension is the name of a family of browser hijackers that makes money from ad clicks and search engine revenues. The family was named after the domain searchdimension.com that popped up in 2017, and they still sometimes use the letter combo SD in...

SolarWinds advanced cyberattack: What happened and what to do now

We learned more about the sophisticated attack first disclosed on December 8 when security firm FireEye reported it had been the victim of a state-sponsored adversary that stole Red Team assessment tools. On December 13 there was a new development when IT company SolarWinds announced it had been...

Lock and Code S1Ep20: Tracking the charities that track you online with Chris Boyd

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 Chris Boyd, lead malware intelligence analyst for Malwarebytes, about charity organizations and online ad tracking. Though many might assume that these t...

Demystifying two common misconceptions with e-commerce security

Online shopping has seen a dramatic increase in the months following the Covid-19 outbreak as more and more people opt-out of visiting physical stores. Such a phenomenon does not go unnoticed or without additional consequences. During the same time period, we have seen an increase in the usual...

Keeping ransomware cash away from your business

A ransomware gang has made headlines for donating a big chunk of stolen funds to two charities. Two separate donations given to Children International and The Water Project rang tills to the tune of $10,000 each. Their reason was that they’re targeting “only large profitable corporations, we thin...

Spelevo exploit kit debuts new social engineering trick

2019 has been a busy year for exploit kits, despite the fact that they haven't been considered a potent threat vector for years, especially on the consumer side. This time, we discovered the Spelevo exploit kit with its virtual pants down, attempting to capitalize on the popularity of adult...

Explained: juice jacking

When your battery is dying and you're nowhere near a power outlet, would you connect your phone to any old USB port? Joyce did, and her mobile phone got infected. How? Through a type of cyberattack called "juice jacking." Don’t be like Joyce. Although Joyce and her infected phone are hypothetical...

Labs report finds cyberthreats against healthcare increasing while security circles the drain

The team at Malwarebytes Labs is at it again, this time with a special edition of our quarterly CTNT report—Cybercrime tactics and techniques: the 2019 state of healthcare. Over the last year, we gathered global data from our product telemetry, honeypots, threat intelligence, and research efforts...

A week in security (October 28 – November 3)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we celebrated the birth of the Internet 50 years ago, highlighted reports about the US Federal Trade Commission FTC filing a case against stalkerware developer Retina-X, issued a PSI on disaster donation scams, looked at the top cybersecurity challenged SMBs face,...

Cyber insurance: here to stay, whether we like it or not

Cyber insurance has been a big talking point in infosec circles for many months now. We’ve mentioned it in passing ourselves a few times, usually in relation to ransomware attacks. This isn’t surprising; ransomware may not be the threat that brought cyber insurance to life, but it absolutely help...

Enterprise incident response: getting ahead of the wave

Enterprise defenders have a tough job. In contrast to small businesses, large enterprise can have thousands of endpoints, legacy hardware from mergers and acquisitions, and legacy apps that are business critical and prevent timely patching. Add to that a deluge of indicators and metadata from the...

Holes found in Mojave’s privacy protection

macOS Mojave was released on Monday, September 24, with much promise of increased privacy protections. In particular, apps are now required to get permission from users before they can access data in certain locations, such as Mail data, contacts, calendar events, Safari user data, and more...

8 everyday technologies that can make you vulnerable to cyberattacks

The technological advances of the modern world make for an exciting and convenient lifestyle. With each new development, from artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things, we make the mundane and tedious more manageable. The security vulnerabilities of the latest tech have been well...

Block all or nothing to prevent ICO fraud?

At Malwarebytes, we feel we have reached a point where we need to ask our customers how to proceed on the subject of ICO scams. Asking for your opinion may seem strange to some of you, but Malwarebytes comes from a community of mutual help and trust. If you were unaware of this, reading how our C...

Five easy ways to recognize and dispose of malicious emails

I suppose we all get our share of spam. Some more than others. But how do we differentiate between simple commercial spam and the types of emails that want to get us in trouble? The unsolicited commercial spam email is generally easy to recognize, report, and discard, but what about more dangerou...

Mobile Menace Monday: A race to hidden ads

Who doesn’t love a good motorcycle racing game, right? How about one easily available on Google Play, a “safe” place for all your Android app desires? How about a bike racing game that sticks with you so much, you can’t easily uninstall it? And it displays hidden ads? Wait, what!? That’s right! I...

PBot: a Python-based adware

Recently, we came across a Python-based sample dropped by an exploit kit. Although it arrives under the disguise of a MinerBlocker, it has nothing in common with miners. In fact, it seems to be PBot/PythonBot: a Python-based adware. Apart from a couple of posts on forums in Russian language and...

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...

“Celebrating Stephen Hawking” with a 419 scam

The recently departed Stephen Hawking is apparently back from the dead, now a target for scammers wanting to extract some quick cash from the unwary in the form of a vaguely surreal 419 scam. The whole thing begins with an email from, er, Stephen Hawking titled "Celebrating Stephen Hawking." Clic...

CyberByte steals Malwarebytes’ intellectual property

At Malwarebytes, we frequently examine apps for detection as Potentially Unwanted Programs PUPs. These are programs that exhibit a wide variety of bad behaviors, but aren't actually outright malware. Unfortunately, there are many supposed antivirus programs that fit this category. Following user...

Presenting: Malwarebytes Labs 2017 State of Malware Report

2017 was a tumultuous year in politics, media, gender, race—and cybersecurity didn’t beat the rap. Last year was full of twists and turns in the cybercrime world, with major outbreaks, new infection methods, and the evolution of the cryptocurrency crime industry. In aiming to make sense of the...

Drive-by mining and ads: The Wild Wild West

There seems to be a trend lately for publishers to monetize their traffic by having their visitors mine for cryptocurrencies while on their site. The idea is that you are accessing content for free and in exchange, your computer its CPU in particular will be used for mining purposes. The Pirate B...

A week in security (June 26 – July 02)

Last week, we offered our readers tips on how to detect phishing attempts, gave an overview of Google's Be Internet Awesome campaign, supplemented an ongoing series on adware, and introduced the Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection to those who aren't already in the know. We also pushed out a number ...

Update now! Google Pixel vulnerability is under active exploitation

Google has notified Pixel users about an actively exploited vulnerability in their phones firmware. Firmware is the code or program which is embedded into hardware devices. Simply put, it is the software layer between the hardware and the applications on the device. About the vulnerability, Googl...