Android users bombarded with unskippable ads

Researchers have discovered a very versatile ad fraud network—known as Kaleidoscope—that bombards users with unskippable ads. Normally, ad fraud is not a concern for users of infected devices. They might experience some sluggish behavior on their device, but often that’s the extent of it. Ad frau...

A week in security (April 21 – April 27)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: AI is getting "creepy good" at geo-guessing Zoom attack tricks victims into allowing remote access to install malware and steal money Android malware turns phones into malicious tap-to-pay machines 4.7 million customers’ data accidentally leaked to Google by Blue...

Hi, robot: Half of all internet traffic now automated

If you sometimes feel that the internet isn't the same vibrant place it used to be, you're not alone. New research suggests that most of the traffic traversing the network isn't human at all. Bots software programs that interact with web sites have been ubiquitous for years. But in its 2025 Bad B...

Malwarebytes named “Best Antivirus Software” and “Best Malware Removal Service”

Horn tooting time: We're excited to say we've earned a coveted spot in PCMag’s “Best Antivirus Software for 2025” list, and been recognized as the “Best Malware Removal Service 2025” by CNET. PCMag’s rigorous evaluation process takes into account a range of factors, including real-world, hands-on...

Is your phone listening to you? (Lock and Code S06E07)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … It has probably happened to you before. You and a friend are talking —not texting, not DMing, not FaceTiming—but talking , physically face-to-face, about, say, an upcoming vacation, a new music festival, or a job offer you just got. And then, that same wee...

A week in security (March 31 – April 6)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Why we’re no longer doing April Fools’ Day Intimate images from kink and LGBTQ+ dating apps left exposed online "Urgent reminder" tax scam wants to phish your Microsoft credentials "Nudify" deepfakes stored unprotected online Location, name, and photos of random ki...

A week in security (March 24 – March 30)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Vulnerability in most browsers abused in targeted attacks "This fraud destroyed my life." Man ends up with criminal record after ID was stolen Moving from WhatsApp to Signal: A good idea? Security expert Troy Hunt hit by phishing attack Booking.com phish uses fake...

Warning over free online file converters that actually install malware

The FBI Denver Field Office has warned of an increasing number of scammy websites offering free online file converter services. Instead of converting files, the tools actually load malware onto victims’ computers. The FBI warned specifically about that malware leading to ransomware attacks, but...

Malwarebytes Premium Security awarded “Product of the Year” from AVLab

Malwarebytes Premium Security has once again been awarded “Product of the Year” after successfully blocking 100% of “in-the-wild” malware samples. The samples were deployed in multiple, consecutive third-party tests conducted by the AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation. AVLab commended Malwarebytes for...

SecTopRAT bundled in Chrome installer distributed via Google Ads

Criminals are once again abusing Google Ads to trick users into downloading malware. Ironically, this time the bait is a malicious ad for Google Chrome, the world's most popular browser. Victims who click the ad land on a fraudulent Google Sites page designed as a intermediary portal, similar to...

Cybercrime gets a few punches on the nose

It’s not often that we get to share good news, so we wanted to grab this opportunity and showcase some progress made by law enforcement actions against cybercrime with you. Europol notified us about the take-down of two of the largest cybercrime forums in the world. With over 10 million users,...

WhatsApp spear phishing campaign uses QR codes to add device

A cybercriminal campaign linked to Russia is deploying QR codes to access the WhatsApp accounts of high-profile targets like journalists, members of think tanks, and employees of non-governmental organizations NGOs, according to new details revealed by Microsoft. The group, which Microsoft tracks...

100 million+ US citizens have records leaked by background check service

A background check left a huge database unprotected online containing 2.2TB of people's data, according to research by Cybernews. The database was left passwordless and easily accessible to anyone on the internet by background check firm MC2 Data. MC2 Data gathers publicly available data to provi...

A week in security (August 26 – September 1)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Iranian cybercriminals are targeting WhatsApp users in spear phishing campaign Fake Canva home page leads to browser lock Telegram CEO Pavel Durov charged with allowing criminal activity CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, US Marshalls are latest ransomware targets SMS...

Hundreds of online stores hacked in new campaign

Whenever you shop online and enter your payment details, you could be at risk of being a victim of fraud. Digital skimmers are snippets of code that have been injected into online stores and they can steal your credit card number, expiration date and CVV/CVC as you type it in. We recently detecte...

Windows update may present users with a BitLocker recovery screen

Some Windows users may see a BitLocker Recovery screen after applying the Microsoft patch Tuesday updates. BitLocker is a Windows security feature that encrypts entire drives. It prevents someone that has obtained a stolen or lost device from reading the files stored on that drive. Unfortunately,...

Dangerous monitoring tool mSpy suffers data breach, exposes customer details

In a new episode of Spy vs Spy, the mobile monitoring app mSpy has suffered a data breach that exposed information about millions of its customers. As Malwarebytes Labs has reported before, the types of companies that make mobile applications that enable users to non-consensually spy and monitor ...

iPhone users in 98 countries warned about spyware by Apple

In April 2024, we reported how Apple was warning people of mercenary attacks via its threat notification system. At the time it warned users in 92 countries. In a new round, Apple is now warning users in 98 countries of potential mercenary spyware attacks. The message sent to the affected users...

Ticketmaster hackers release stolen ticket barcodes for Taylor Swift Eras Tour [updated]

The cybercriminals who claimed responsibility for the Ticketmaster data breach say theyve stolen 440,000 tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. As proof, an entity using the handle Sp1d3rHunters, a merger of Sp1d3r and ShinyHunters who are both aliases associated with the breach, leaked 170k...

Ticketmaster confirms customer data breach

Live Nation Entertainment has confirmed what everyone has been speculating on for the last week: Ticketmaster has suffered a data breach. In a filing with the SEC, Live Nation said on May 20th it identified "unauthorized activity within a third-party cloud database environment containing Company...

A week in security (May 6 – May 12)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Dell notifies customers about data breach DocGo patient health data stolen in cyberattack Desperate Taylor Swift fans defrauded by ticket scams Tracing what went wrong in 2012 for today’s teens, with Dr. Jean Twenge: Lock and Code S04E10 Last week on ThreatDown:...

Porn panic imperils privacy online, with Alec Muffett (re-air): Lock and Code S05E08

This week on the Lock and Code podcast… A digital form of protest could become the go-to response for the world’s largest porn website as it faces increased regulations: Not letting people access the site. In March, PornHub blocked access to visitors connecting to its website from Texas. It marke...

A week in security (February 19 – February 25)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Joomla! patches XSS flaws that could lead to remote code execution Update now! ConnectWise ScreenConnect vulnerability needs your attention Why ransomware gangs love using RMM tools—and how to stop them Signal to shield user phone numbers by default Vibrator virus...

LockBit, the world’s worst ransomware, is down

For the last two years the absolute worst, most prolific, most globally significant "big game" ransomware gang has been LockBit. This evening its position as ransomwares biggest beast is suddenly in doubt, following some non-consensual website redecoration at the hands of the UKs National Crime...

Google failing to scrub abortion access in location history, study claims

Nearly 16 months after Google announced a policy change to remove location data that could reveal users’ physical trips to abortion clinics and other potentially sensitive medical centers, a nonprofit has alleged in a new report that the company is failing to do just that. The findings, which wer...

A week in security (December 11 – December 17)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: PikaBot distributed via malicious search ads Chrome starts the countdown to the end of tracking cookies Apple to introduce new feature that makes life harder for iPhone thieves Recently-patched Apache Struts vulnerability used in worldwide attacks ALPHV ransomware...

Will ChatGPT write ransomware? Yes.

This morning I decided to write some ransomware, and I asked ChatGPT to help. Not because I wanted to turn to a life of crime, but because I wanted to see if anything had changed since March, when I last tried the same exact thing. In short: ChatGPT has helped me, worryingly so. But more on that...

Announcing NEW Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection

We’ve always been committed to keeping you safe and secure online. But these days, cybersecurity isn’t just about defending you from malware; it’s about protecting your—and your family’s—entire digital identity. We know that people are worried. In fact, in our latest report, titled “Everyone’s...

CISA catalog passes 1,000 known-to-be-exploited vulnerabilities. Celebration time, or is it?

On September 18, 2023, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency CISA announced that its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities KEV catalog has reached the milestone of covering more than 1,000 vulnerabilities since its launch in November 2021. This may seem like a lot, but with over 25,000 new...

Multi-factor authentication has proven it works, so what are we waiting for?

Recently, Amazon announced that it will require all privileged Amazon Web Services AWS accounts to use multi-factor authentication MFA, starting in mid-2024. Our regular readers will know that we feel that passwords alone are not adequate protection, especially not for your important accounts. So...

Meta and TikTok consider charging users for ad-free experience

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Meta is considering charging its European users around $14 a month if they don't agree to personalized ads on Facebook and Instagram. On mobile devices, the price for a single account would be higher because Meta would factor in commissions...

A week in security (September 25 - October 1)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Dependabot impersonators cause trouble on GitHub Update Chrome now! Google patches another actively exploited vulnerability Googles Bard conversations turn up in search results Malicious ad served inside Bing's AI chatbot Pegasus spyware and how it exploited a WebP...

PSA: Ongoing Webex malvertising campaign drops BatLoader

A new malvertising campaign is targeting corporate users who are downloading the popular web conferencing software Webex. Threat actors have bought an advert that impersonates Cisco's brand and is displayed first when performing a Google search. We are releasing this blog to warn users about this...

FreeWorld ransomware attacks MSSQL—get your databases off the internet

When we think of ransomware and brute force password guessing attacks, we normally think of RDP, but recent research from Securonix reminds us that anything secured with a password and exposed to the internet is of interest to cybercriminals. Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol has been a favouri...

A week in security (August 28 - September 3)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: 2.6 million DuoLingo users have scraped data released Google strengthens its Workplace suite protection Meal delivery service PurFoods announces major data breach Cisco VPNs without MFA are under attack by ransomware operator "An influx of Elons," a hospital visit,...

Server breach could be fatal blow for LetMeSpy

A mobile app designed to let people spy on others will shortly be going out of business after a server breach and mass deletion incident. The app, LetMeSpy, sits silently and invisibly on a phone and collects call logs, location data, and even text messages. This kind of program is commonly...

Plane sailing for ticket scammers: How to keep your flight plans safe

You may be getting ready to jump on a plane and head off for a few days or weeks of rest and relaxation. So the last thing you need before flying is a technology related horror show. Sadly, scammers are aware of families getting ready to hit the skies, and have tailored their threats accordingly...

Brave browser will prevent websites from port scanning visitors

If you use Brave browser, then youre shortly going to find you have a new string added to your security bow. Websites performing port scanning will now be automatically blocked beginning with version 1.54 of the browsing tool. Port scanning, I hear you cry? Yes indeed. You may well not have even...

Spyware app LetMeSpy hacked, tracked user data posted online

Stalkerware-type app LetMeSpy says it has been hacked, with the attacker taking user data with it. From the message posted to the login screen on the LetMeSpy website: On June 21, 2023, a security incident occurred involving obtaining unauthorized access to the data of website users. As a result ...

Ticket scammers target Taylor Swift tour

Taylor Swift fans are being warned to be cautious when buying tickets for her current "Eras" tour, with scammers waiting in the wings to trick would-be gig goers. The Better Business Bureau says it has received somewhere in the region of 200 complaints from residents of Michigan, and theres bound...

How Coffee County Schools safeguards 7500 students and 1200 staff

We're excited to announce that our much-anticipated 4th edition of the Byte Into Security webinar series is now available on-demand. Originally aired on May 31st, this session is a goldmine for those facing the unique challenges of K-12 cybersecurity. The webinar is free, and you can watch it rig...

5 unusual cybersecurity tips that actually work

So, youre on top of your software updates, you use a password manager, youve enabled two-factor authentication wherever you can, youve got BrowserGuard installed, and youre running Malwarebytes Premium. If you're doing all of that you're already winning at security. But you want more, because you...

Child safety app riddled with vulnerabilities: Update now!

An app designed to restrict screen time and add a "kids' mode" for children on smart devices has been found to have a broad range of security issues. The app, "Parental Control - Kids Place" is an Android app which is incredibly popular, sporting 5M+ downloads on its Google Play page. In terms of...

Apple releases first Rapid Security Response update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS users

On Monday, Apple released its first batch of Rapid Security Response RSR patches, iOS 16.4.1 a, iPadOS 16.4.1 a, and macOS 13.3.1 a, for iPhone and iPad, and macOS devices, respectively. RSR is a new type of software patch delivered between Apple's regular, scheduled software updates. Previously,...

Upcoming webinar: Is EDR or MDR better for your business?

Don't miss our upcoming webinar on EDR vs. MDR! In the webinar, Marcin Kleczynski, CEO and co-founder of Malwarebytes, and guest speaker Joseph Blankenship, Vice President and research director at Forrester, discuss topic such as: The difference between EDR and MDR, how EDR solutions can be...

Fake Chrome updates spread malware

Compromised websites are causing big headaches for Chrome users. A campaign running since November 2022 is using hacked sites to push fake web browser updates to potential victims. Researcher Rintaro Koike says this campaign has now expanded to also target those who speak Korean, Spanish, and...

A week in security (April 10 - 16)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: How the cops buy a "God view" of your location data, with Bennett Cyphers: Lock and Code S04E09 Apple releases emergency updates for two known-to-be-exploited vulnerabilities Don't plug your phone into a free charging station, warns FBI KFC, Pizza Hut owner employe...

Don't plug your phone into a free charging station, warns FBI

In a recent tweet, the FBI office in Denver warned consumers against using free public charging stations, stating that criminals have managed to hijack public chargers with the objective of infecting devices with malware or other software that can give hackers access to your phone, tablet or...

Do cyber regulations actually make K–12 schools safer? Navigating compliance while securing school and student data

Over the last decade, K-12 schools have made great strides in employing technologies that facilitate learning--especially since the onset of pandemic-induced distance education. While students have long since returned to the classroom, digital platforms for instruction, collaboration, and homewor...

TikTok misused children's data, faces $15.6M fine

TikTok has been ordered to pay a fine of $15.6M £12.7M for failing to protect 1.4 million UK children under the age of 13 from accessing its platform in 2020. The Information Commissioner's Office ICO, the UK's data protection watchdog, imposed the fine after finding the company used children's...