Google delays Chrome third party cookie sunsetting...again

We've seen many examples of third-party cookies being tackled by browsers recently. It's not so long ago that Firefox effectively locked down third-party tracking by isolating cookies into so-called jars. By doing so, their "Total Cookie Protection" seeks to prevent all those cookies on your PC...

A week in security (August 17 – August 23)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Zombie Card: An expired Visa credit card can be used for purchases Medical records, SSNs, and bank details exposed in CareCloud data breach ChatGPT for Teens tackles risky chats and homework shortcuts Twitch wants your content for Amazon AI training. Here’s how to...

We found 120 fake Walmart stores trying to steal your credit card

Shoppers browsing on their phones are landing on convincing Walmart lookalike sites offering name-brand liquor at 40% to 70% off, only to be led straight to a checkout page asking for a full credit card number, expiry date, and CVV. The sites have no connection to Walmart. They're part of a netwo...

AI nudify apps spark legal scrutiny of Apple and Google’s profits

You expect all kinds of apps on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, from weather monitors to home automation apps and games. What you might not expect are apps that can create non-consensual nude imagery from ordinary photos. But they exist, and the City of San Francisco has had enough. On...

This old-school scam is still working

When we read about this new malware tactic, or that novel social engineering approach, it’s easy to forget that there are scammers out there making a living from ancient methods. Recently, one of our researchers received this variation on the good old Nigerian advance-fee scam. From: Mrs.Inga-Bri...

Are we ready for ChatGPT Health?

How comfortable are you with sharing your medical history with an AI? I’m certainly not. OpenAI’s announcement about its new ChatGPT Health program prompted discussions about data privacy and how the company plans to keep the information users submit safe. ChatGPT Health is a dedicated “health...

Malwarebytes joins Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) as supporting member

We are excited to share that Malwarebytes has officially joined the Global Anti-Scam Alliance GASA as a supporting member. Working with GASA helps us stay aligned with others who are focused on reducing scams and keeping people safer online. Modern-day scams aren’t the clumsy, obvious tricks they...

Hackers commit highway robbery, stealing cargo and goods

There’s a modern-day train heist happening across America, and this time, some of the bandana-masked robbers are sitting behind screens. According to new research, a group of cybercriminals has been attacking trucking, freight, and logistics companies for months, impersonating brands and even...

A week in security (October 6 – October 12)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Apple voices concerns over age-check law that could put user privacy at risk Your passwords don’t need so many fiddly characters, NIST says Millions of very private chats exposed by two AI companion apps Fake VPN and streaming app drops malware that drains your ban...

Apple voices concerns over age-check law that could put user privacy at risk

Apple has raised concerns about a new Texas state law, SB 2420, which introduces age assurance requirements for app stores and app developers. One of its main objections is that the requirements are over the top and don’t take into account what the user is actually trying to do. Apple stated: “We...

Don’t connect your wallet: Best Wallet cryptocurrency scam is making the rounds

Phishers and scammers can’t get enough of sending their feeble attempts to Malwarebytes’ employees. For which we can’t thank them enough because it means we can warn you, our readers. This time the scammers tried to impersonate Best Wallet—an app that lets people store, send, and receive...

Google and Flo to pay $56 million after misusing users’ health data

Popular period-tracking app Flo Health shared users’ intimate health data—such as menstrual cycles and fertility information—with Google and Meta, allegedly for targeted advertising purposes, according to multiple class-action lawsuits filed in the US and Canada. Between 2016 and 2019, the...

Roblox introduces age checks to use communication features

Roblox is an online platform that allows users to build, play and share online worlds and 3D games. Unfortunately, it’s also a popular platform among predators reaching out to kids and seducing them using game features such as messaging, avatar customization, and role-play. Over the years, the...

Popular Android VPN apps found to have security flaws and China links

People use VPNs for different security and privacy reasons, to access content anonymously, or to bypass content controls and age verification by pretending to be in different places. But not all VPNs are created equal. A recent report has revealed that many of them might allow others to sniff you...

No we didn’t warn all Gmail users about imminent digital doom, says Google

Cybersecurity publications are rife with headlines about breaches and threats, but sometimes things aren't always what they seem. In fact sometimes they're plain wrong remember toothbrushgate? This week, Google highlighted another story that it said was fake - and this one was about its own...

Developer verification: a promised lift for Android security

To reduce the number of harmful apps targeting Android users, Google has announced that certified Android devices will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed. But this new measure is not just about malware that's found on the Google Play Store, it’s main...

AI browsers could leave users penniless: A prompt injection warning

Artificial Intelligence AI browsers are gaining traction, which means we may need to start worrying about the potential dangers of something called "prompt injection." Large language models LLMs—like the ones that power AI chatbots including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini—are designed to follow...

A week in security (August 18 – August 24)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Clickjack attack steals password managers’ secrets Grok chats show up in Google searches All Apple users should update after company patches zero-day vulnerability in all platforms Google settles YouTube lawsuit over kids’ privacy invasion and data collection...

Weight loss scams, or why ‘Jodie Foster’ wants me to lose weight

It seems like it's hard to move on social media without some kind of mention of weight-loss injections these days. And, sure, these drugs can have a positive affect for many people, but not all these cases of weight loss are real, nor are the people promoting them who they say they are. Weight-lo...

Alleged ‘tap-in’ scammer advertised services on social media

Would you give a complete stranger your credit card in return for the promise of easy money? No, neither would we. But apparently well over a hundred people did. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 24 year-old Janetcilize Martinez in Tampa, FL, for allegedly using willing participants'...

Prison visitor details shared with all inmates at correctional facility

The Everglades Correctional Institution ECI in Miami-Dade County has leaked the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of visitors to the facility to every inmate. The inmates received an email last week sent by a staff member that included the personal information of the visitors. Inmates...

Age verification: Child protection or privacy risk?

With governments demanding actual age verification on websites with adult content, and platforms like social media and Roblox introducing restrictions based on a user’s age, the controversy about different types of age verification and their implications is growing. Last week, Roblox announced ne...

Introducing the smarter, more sophisticated Malwarebytes Trusted Advisor, your cybersecurity personal assistant

You ever get that feeling when you double-check the locks, but still wonder if you’ve missed something? That’s what a lot of people feel about cybersecurity. That’s where Malwarebytes Trusted Advisor comes in. You can see it as your very own cybersecurity personal assistant, giving you real-time...

AI-generated image watermarks can be easily removed, say researchers

Now that AI can make fake images that look real, how can we know what's legitimate and what isn't? One of the primary ways has been the use of defensive watermarking, which means embedding invisible markers in AI-generated images to show they were made up. Now, researchers have broken that...

Amazon warns 200 million Prime customers that scammers are after their login info

Amazon has sent out an alert to its 200 million customers, warning them that scammers are impersonating Amazon in a Prime membership scam. In the email, sent earlier this month, Amazon said it had noticed an increase in reports about fake Amazon emails: What 's happening: Scammers are sending fak...

Roblox called “real-life nightmare for children” as Roblox and Discord sued

Last week it was reported that a lawsuit has been initiated against gaming giant Roblox and leading messaging platform Discord. The court action—charging them with the facilitation of child predators and misleading parents into believing the platforms are safe to use for their children—centers...

The new rules for AI and encrypted messaging, with Mallory Knodel (Lock and Code S06E01)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … The era of artificial intelligence everything is here, and with it, come everyday surprises into exactly where the next AI tools might pop up. There are major corporations pushing customer support functions onto AI chatbots, Big Tech platforms offering AI...

Massive breach at location data seller: “Millions” of users affected

Like many other data brokers, Gravy is a company you may never have heard of, but it almost certainly knows a lot about you if you’re a US citizen. Data brokers come in different shapes and sizes. What they have in common is that they gather personally identifiable data from various sources—from...

DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers’ genetic data

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8 security tips for small businesses

Small businesses and startups are known to face some extra challenges when it comes to cybersecurity. Because they don’t have the size or budget to have a fully-fledged dedicated security team, it often comes down to one person that doesn’t have the time to do everything that is recommended or ev...

Romance scams costlier than ever: 10 percent of victims lose $10,000 or more

Romance scams continue to plague users, but their costs have risen to staggering heights, according to a Malwarebytes survey carried out last month via our weekly newsletter. More than 66 percent of 850 respondents have been targeted by a romance scam, and those that were ensnared paid a hefty...

Hacked GPS tracker reveals location data of customers

Stalkerware researcher maia arson crimew strikes again. Big time. We know maia as a researcher that loves to go after stalkerware peddlers, which Malwarebytes—as one of the founding members of the Coalition Against Stalkerware—loves to see. This time the target company, Tracki, is one selling GPS...

Zombie Card: An expired Visa credit card can be used for purchases

Did you know there is still a good reason to physically destroy your expired credit card? Scientific research found that the expiration date used by payment terminals on some contactless cards was not effectively protected against tampering. University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers Raja...

Update Chrome now: Two critical vulnerabilities fixed

Chrome is rolling out an update for its desktop versions. The update includes 15 security fixes, two of which address critical buffer overflow vulnerabilities. The stable channel has been updated to 151.0.7922.169/.170 for Windows and Mac, and 151.0.7922.169 for Linux. How to update Chrome If you...

Android malware steals your card details and PIN to make instant ATM withdrawals

The Polish Computer Emergency Response Team CERT Polska analyzed a new Android-based malware that uses NFC technology to perform unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals and drain victims' bank accounts. Researchers found that the malware, called NGate, lets attackers withdraw cash from ATMs Automated...

Travelers to the UK targeted in ETA scams

Since January 8, 2025, travelers from most countries, including the US, Australia, and Canada have to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation ETA for visa free travel to the UK. You can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation using the ETA App, or via an online form. When you apply for ...

Claude AI chatbot abused to launch “cybercrime spree”

Anthropic—the company behind the widely renowned coding chatbot, Claude—says it uncovered a large-scale extortion operation in which cybercriminals abused Claude to automate and orchestrate sophisticated attacks. The company issued a Threat Intelligence report in which it describes several...

Facebook users targeted in ‘login’ phish

A few weeks ago we warned our readers of a phishing campaign targeting Instagram users that didn’t resort to the usual links to phishing websites, but used mailto: links instead. Now, it seems that these scammers have turned their attention to Facebook users. It works like this: The target receiv...

Malwarebytes earns MRG Effitas Android 360° Certificate for mobile threat detection

We’re excited to announce that MRG Effitas, a globally recognized security assessment firm, has awarded Malwarebytes the prestigious MRG Effitas Android 360° Certificate, one of the toughest independent tests in mobile security. Our mobile protection received the highest marks, achieving a...

Apple ID scam leads to $27,000 in-person theft of Ohio man

You've probably heard about people scamming from halfway around the world, but sometimes they turn up at your door. That's what happened in May, when 67 year-old Robert Wise of Ohio received a text telling him that his Apple ID had been compromised. It had been used at an Apple store for a $213...

Zoom attack tricks victims into allowing remote access to install malware and steal money

Be careful when talking to people you've not met with before over the Zoom video conferencing system; you might get more than you bargained for. Two CEOs were recently targeted by a Zoom-based attack. One spotted it in time - and sadly, one did not. The attack is by a crime group that the Securit...

Avery had credit card skimmer stuck on its site for months

The consequences of a wave of credit card skimmers—which is normal around the holidays—are starting to show. Label maker Avery has filed a data breach notification, saying 61,193 people may have had their credit card details stolen. On December 9, Avery said it became aware of an attack on its...

A week in security (August 5 – August 11)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Security company ADT announces security breach of customer data Stolen data from scraping service National Public Data leaked online Android vulnerability used in targeted attacks patched by Google Men report more pressure and threats to share location and accounts...

Fake Microsoft security scans trick victims into uninstalling their antivirus

A wave of websites is offering to check whether your antivirus is working. They call themselves SysScan , carry Microsoft branding, and all reach the same conclusion: Your computer has serious problems, and the cause is the antivirus software you installed. Windows, they claim, no longer supports...

ShieldBreak bypasses Microsoft’s patch for earlier Defender flaw

Microsoft Defender’s latest patch bypass shows a familiar problem. A newly disclosed Microsoft Defender flaw called ShieldBreak shows that fixing one attack path doesn't always close every route to the same result. Microsoft has assigned ShieldBreak the identifier CVE-2026-69414 and confirmed it ...

Fake CCleaner installs GhostDesk Chrome spyware

A fake version of the popular PC cleaning tool CCleaner is being used to infect Windows users with a malicious Chrome extension called GhostDesk, which acts as spyware inside the browser. With more than 2 billion downloads worldwide, CCleaner is one of the best-known Windows utilities, making it ...

Chinese gangs made over $1 billion targeting Americans with scam texts

We regularly warn our readers about new scams and phishing texts. Almost everyone gets pestered with these messages. But where are all these scam texts coming from? According to an article in The Wall Street Journal: “It has become a billion-dollar, highly sophisticated business benefiting...

“Can you test my game?” Fake itch.io pages spread hidden malware to gamers

You get a message from a Discord friend. Or maybe an unknown indie developer reaches out to you. “Can you test my game?” they ask. The webpage they send over a link to looks legit: screenshots, dev blurb, itch.io-style layout, and the download button is right there, waiting to be clicked. The...

Popular Android VPN apps found to have security flaws and China links

People use VPNs for different security and privacy reasons, to access content anonymously, or to bypass content controls and age verification by pretending to be in different places. But not all VPNs are created equal. A recent report has revealed that many of them might allow others to sniff you...

Microsoft wants to automatically save your Word docs to the cloud

Microsoft has revealed it plans to automatically save all Word document to the cloud. The feature is currently only available to Microsoft 365 Insiders, although it's likely to expand this to all users in the future. Microsoft proudly announced: “We are modernizing the way files are created and...