Take back control of your browser—Malwarebytes Browser Guard now blocks search hijacking attempts

Search hijacking, often referred to as browser hijacking, occurs when cybercriminals modify users’ browser settings without their consent. This often results in users being redirected to potentially malicious websites, such as fake customer service offerings. Search hijacking commonly happens...

Deepfake-posting man faces huge $450,000 fine

A man is facing a $450,000 AU fine after he published deepfake images of prominent Australian women on the now-defunct MrDeepfakes web site. That's if Australia's online safety regulator gets its way. Anthony Rotondo faces charges of posting these and other explicit deepfake images to the...

Deepfake-posting man faces huge $450,000 fine

A man is facing a $450,000 AU fine after he published deepfake images of prominent Australian women on the now-defunct MrDeepfakes web site. That's if Australia's online safety regulator gets its way. Anthony Rotondo faces charges of posting these and other explicit deepfake images to the...

Fake AI video generator tools lure in Facebook and LinkedIn users to deliver malware

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the public’s interest in Artificial Intelligence AI and delivering malware via text-to-video tools. According to researchers at Mandiant, the criminals are setting up websites claiming to offer “AI video generator” services, and then using those fake tools t...

New warning issued over toll fee scams

Over a year ago the FBI warned about what was then a new form of smishing phishing via SMS scam: text messages that demanded payment for toll fees. The FTC sent out a similar warning in January, 2025. Then, in April another wave of toll fee scams began doing the rounds. Now the Departments of Mot...

184 million logins for Instagram, Roblox, Facebook, Snapchat, and more exposed online

A recent discovery by cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler of an unsecured database containing over 184 million unique login credentials has once again highlighted the growing threat posed by infostealers. While the sheer volume of exposed data—including emails, passwords, and authorization...

A week in security (May 19 – May 25)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Lumma information stealer infrastructure disrupted Stalkerware apps go dark after data breach Scammers are using AI to impersonate senior officials, warns FBI 23andMe and its customers’ genetic data bought by a pharmaceutical org Malware-infected printer delivered...

Lumma information stealer infrastructure disrupted

The US Department of Justice DOJ and Microsoft have disrupted the infrastructure of the Lumma information stealer infostealer. Lumma Stealer, also known as LummaC or LummaC2, first emerged in late 2022 and quickly established itself as one of the most prolific infostealers. Infostealers is the na...

Stalkerware apps go dark after data breach

A stalkerware company that recently leaked millions of users' personal information online has taken all of its assets offline without any explanation. Now Malwarebytes has learned that the company has taken down other apps too. Back in February, news emerged of a stalkerware app compromise...

Scammers are using AI to impersonate senior officials, warns FBI

The FBI has issued a warning about an ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign that impersonates senior US officials. The targets are predominantly current or former US federal or state government officials and their contacts. In the course of this campaign, the cybercriminals have use...

23andMe and its customers’ genetic data bought by a pharmaceutical org

The bankrupt genetic testing company 23andMe has been scooped up by drug producer Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for $256 million dollars. But why would a pharmaceutical company like Regeneron buy a bankrupt genetics testing company like 23andMe for such a large amount of money? Well, Regeneron is a...

Malware-infected printer delivered something extra to Windows users

You'd hope that spending $6,000 on a printer would give you a secure experience, free from viruses and other malware. However, in the case of Procolored printers, you'd be wrong. The Shenzen-based company sells UV printers, which are able to print on a variety of materials including wood, acrylic...

How Los Angeles banned smartphones in schools (Lock and Code S06E10)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … There's a problem in class today, and the second largest school district in the United States is trying to solve it. After looking at the growing body of research that has associated increased smartphone and social media usage with increased levels of...

Update your Chrome to fix serious actively exploited vulnerability

Google released an emergency update for the Chrome browser to patch an actively exploited vulnerability that could have serious ramifications. The update brings the Stable channel to versions 136.0.7103.113/.114 for Windows and Mac and 136.0.7103.113 for Linux. The easiest way to update Chrome is...

A week in security (May 12 – May 18)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Data broker protection rule quietly withdrawn by CFPB Meta sent cease and desist letter over AI training Google to pay $1.38 billion over privacy violations Android users bombarded with unskippable ads Last week on ThreatDown: ThreatDown introduces Firewall...

Data broker protection rule quietly withdrawn by CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau CFPB has decided to withdraw a 2024 rule to limit the sale of Americans’ personal information by data brokers. In a Federal Register notice published yesterday, the CFPB said it "has determined that legislative rulemaking is not necessary or appropriate at...

Meta sent cease and desist letter over AI training

EU privacy advocacy group NOYB has clapped back at Meta over its plans to start training its AI model on European users' data. In a cease and desist letter to the social networking giant's Irish operation signed by founder Max Schrems, the non-profit demanded that it justify its actions or risk...

Google to pay $1.38 billion over privacy violations

The state of Texas reached a mammoth financial agreement with Google last week, securing $1.375 billion in payments to settle two three year-old lawsuits. The Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton originally filed the first lawsuit against Google in January 2022, complaining that the tech...

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 (May 4 – May 10)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: The AI chatbot cop squad is here Lock and Code S06E09 Android fixes 47 vulnerabilities, including one zero-day. Update as soon as you can! "Your privacy is a promise we don’t break": Dating app Raw exposes sensitive user data FBI issues warning as scammers target...

Google Chrome will use AI to block tech support scam websites

Google has expressed plans to use Artificial Intelligence AI to stop tech support scams in Chrome. With the launch of Chrome version 137, Google plans to use the on-device Gemini Nano large language model LLM to recognize and block tech support scams. Users already have the ability to chose...

Cyber criminals impersonate payroll, HR and benefits platforms to steal information and funds

The relentless battle against online fraud is a constant evolution, a digital chase where security teams and malicious actors continually adapt. The increasing sophistication of attacks is blurring the lines between legitimate user behavior and impersonation attempts. The campaign we are exposing...

Tired of Google sponsored ads? So are we! That’s why we’re introducing the option to block them on iOS

Sponsored ads on Google search don’t just irritate users—they also provide a dangerous opportunity for cybercriminals to spread malware and scams to their unsuspecting victims. What looks like a harmless search result can be a carefully disguised trap. At Malwarebytes, our researchers have...

Passwords in the age of AI: We need to find alternatives

For decades, passwords have been our default method for keeping online accounts safe. But in the age of artificial intelligence, this traditional security method is facing challenges it was never built to withstand. A team at Cybernews conducted a study of over 19 billion newly exposed passwords...

WhatsApp hack: Meta wins payout over NSO Group spyware

Meta has won almost $170m in damages from Israel-based NSO Group, maker of the Pegasus spyware. The ruling comes after a six-year legal case against the company after Meta accused it of misusing its servers to spy on users. According to the original complaint against NSO Group, filed in October...

FBI issues warning as scammers target victims of crime

The FBI has issued a warning about an ongoing fraud scheme where criminal scammers are impersonating FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3 employees in order to scam people. Between December 2023 and February 2025, the FBI received over 100 reports of scams involving people posing as IC3...

“Your privacy is a promise we don’t break”: Dating app Raw exposes sensitive user data

Any app that hands over user data is a concern, but leaky dating apps are especially worrying given the sensitivity of the data involved. A relatively new app called Raw that aims to rewrite the rules of dating is the latest to trip over its coattails by exposing user data to…well, anyone who ask...

Android fixes 47 vulnerabilities, including one zero-day. Update as soon as you can!

Google has patched 47 vulnerabilities in Android, including one actively exploited zero-day vulnerability in its May 2025 Android Security Bulletin. Zero-days are vulnerabilities that are exploited before vendors have a chance to patch them—often before they even know about them. The May updates...

The AI chatbot cop squad is here (Lock and Code S06E09)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … “Heidi” is a 36-year-old, San Francisco-born, divorced activist who is lonely, outspoken, and active on social media. “Jason” is a shy, bilingual teenager whose parents immigrated from Ecuador who likes anime, gaming, comic books, and hiking. Neither of th...

A week in security (April 27 – May 3)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: On world password day, Microsoft says fewer passwords, more passkeys Apple AirPlay SDK devices at risk of takeover—make sure you update The 3 biggest cybersecurity threats to small businesses Zero-day attacks on browsers and smartphones drop, says Google Fake Socia...

On world password day, Microsoft says fewer passwords, more passkeys

And we agree. If there is a cybersecurity themed day that we would like to get rid as soon as possible it’s world password day. Sorry, old friend, but you’re outdated, and it looks like your days are numbered. Let's switch to passkeys. To quote Microsoft: “As the world shifts from passwords to...

Apple AirPlay SDK devices at risk of takeover—make sure you update

Researchers found a set of vulnerabilities in Apple’s AirPlay SDK that put billions of users at risk of their devices being taking over. AirPlay is Apple's proprietary wireless technology that allows you to stream audio, video, photos, and even mirror your device's screen from an iPhone, iPad, or...

The 3 biggest cybersecurity threats to small businesses

In an online world filled with extraordinarily sophisticated cyberattacks—including organized assaults on software supply chains, state-directed exploitations of undiscovered vulnerabilities, and the novel and malicious use of artificial intelligence AI—small businesses are forced to prioritize a...

Zero-day attacks on browsers and smartphones drop, says Google

Cybercriminals are having less success targeting end-user technology with zero-day attacks, said Google's security team this week. While most attacks do still target personal technology like smartphones and browsers, the focus is moving increasingly to enterprise tech. Zero-day vulnerabilities ar...

Fake Social Security Statement emails trick users into installing remote tool

Fake emails pretending to come from the US Social Security Administration SSA try to get targets to install ScreenConnect, a remote access tool. This campaign was flagged and investigated by the Malwarebytes Customer Support and Research teams. ScreenConnect, formerly known as ConnectWise Control...

Digital rampage saw ex-Disney employee remove nut allergy info from menus, dox co-workers, and more

A former Disney employee, Michael Scheuer, will serve three years in prison for computer fraud and aggravated identity theft after a digital sabotage campaign against his ex-employer. In addition to his sentence, he must pay nearly US$688,000 in restitution. Scheuer, a former menu production...

What privacy? Perplexity wants your data, builds browser to track you and serve ads

AI search service Perplexity AI doesn't just want you using its app—it wants to take over your web browsing experience too. The company is planning to launch its own browser, called Comet, next month. But what does this mean for your privacy? Launched in 2022, Perplexity AI is an AI-powered searc...

What privacy? Perplexity wants your data, builds browser to track you and serve ads

AI search service Perplexity AI doesn't just want you using its app—it wants to take over your web browsing experience too. The company is planning to launch its own browser, called Comet, next month. But what does this mean for your privacy? Launched in 2022, Perplexity AI is an AI-powered searc...

Employee monitoring app exposes users, leaks 21+ million screenshots

Unfortunately, spyware apps with poor reputations and even weaker security practices are all too common. I’ve lost count of how many blogs I’ve written about stalkerware-type apps that not only exposed the people they spied on but also ended up exposing the spies themselves. However, perhaps one...

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...

AI is getting “creepy good” at geo-guessing

If you are worried about revealing your exact location—or if you maybe even fib about it at times—there are some good reasons to worry about what is visible in background photos, because Artificial Intelligence AI is getting very good at guessing where you are based on the smallest of clues. And...

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...

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...

Android malware turns phones into malicious tap-to-pay machines

Got an Android phone? Got a tap-to-pay card? Then you're like millions of other users now at risk from a new form of cybercrime - malware that can read your credit or debit card and hand its data over to an attacker. A newly discovered malicious program effectively turns Android phones into...

4.7 million customers’ data accidentally leaked to Google by Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California leaked the personal data of 4.7 million people to Google after a Google Analytics misconfiguration. The tech giant may have used this data for targeted advertising, according to Blue Shield, which is one of the largest health insurers in the US. In a data breach notice o...

Shopify faces privacy lawsuit for collecting customer data

Shopify faces a data privacy class action lawsuit in the US that could change the way globally active companies can be held accountable. The proposed class action is a revival of a case that had been dismissed by a lower court judge and a three-judge 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel. But now it...

All Gmail users at risk from clever replay attack

Cybercriminals are abusing Google’s infrastructure, creating emails that appear to come from Google in order to persuade people into handing over their Google account credentials. This attack, first flagged by Nick Johnson, the lead developer of the Ethereum Name Service ENS, a blockchain...

A week in security (April 12 – April 18)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Text scams grow to steal hundreds of millions of dollars Apple patches security vulnerabilities in iOS and iPadOS. Update now! Hi, robot: Half of all internet traffic now automated "I sent you an email from your email account," sextortion scam claims "Follow me" to...

Did DOGE “breach” Americans’ data? (Lock and Code S06E08)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … If you don't know about the newly created US Department of Government Efficiency DOGE, there's a strong chance they already know about you. Created on January 20 by US President Donald Trump through Executive Order, DOGE's broad mandate is “modernizing...

Did DOGE “breach” Americans’ data? (Lock and Code S06E08)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … If you don't know about the newly created US Department of Government Efficiency DOGE, there's a strong chance they already know about you. Created on January 20 by US President Donald Trump through Executive Order, DOGE's broad mandate is “modernizing...