35-year long identity theft leads to imprisonment for victim

Sometimes the consequences of a stolen identity exceed anything you could have imagined. Matthew David Keirans, a 58-year-old former hospital employee has pleaded guilty to assuming another man’s identity since 1988. He was convicted of one count of making a false statement to a National Credit...

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 (April 1 – April 7)

A list of topics we covered in the week of April 1 to April 7 of 2024 Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: 60% of small businesses are concerned about cybersecurity threats Cookie consent choices are just being ignored by some websites Bing ad for NordVPN leads to SecTopRAT Jackson County hit by...

60% of small businesses are concerned about cybersecurity threats

According to a recent poll by the US Chamber of Commerce, 60% of small businesses are concerned about cybersecurity threats, and 58% are concerned about a supply chain breakdown. Not surprisingly, small businesses in the professional services sector feel significantly more concerned about...

Cookie consent choices are just being ignored by some websites

In news that is, sadly, unlikely to shock you, new research indicates that many websites ignore visitors choices to refuse cookies and collect their data anyway. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam UvA analyzed 85,000 European websites and came to the conclusion that 90% of them violated a...

Bing ad for NordVPN leads to SecTopRAT

Most of the malicious search ads we have seen have originated from Google, but threat actors are also abusing other search engines. Microsoft Bing is probably the second best target due to its close ties to the Windows ecosystem and Edge browser. In this blog post, we look at a very recent...

Jackson County hit by ransomware, declares state of emergency

On April 2, 2024, Jackson County tweeted that it had identified significant disruptions within its IT systems, "potentially attributable to a ransomware attack". Jackson County is one of 114 counties in Missouri, with a population of approximately 718,000 people, mostly in Kansas City. We have...

Google patches critical vulnerability for Androids with Qualcomm chips

In April’s update for the Android operating system OS, Google has patched 28 vulnerabilities, one of which is rated critical for Android devices equipped with Qualcomm chips. You can find your device’s Android version number, security update level, and Google Play system level in your Settings ap...

Google Chrome gets ‘Device Bound Session Credentials’ to stop cookie theft

Google has announced the introduction of Device Bound Session Credentials DBSC to secure Chrome users against cookie theft. In January we reported how hackers found a way to gain unauthorized access to Google accounts, bypassing multi-factor authentication MFA, by stealing authentication cookies...

AT&T confirms 73 million people affected by data breach

Telecommunications giant AT&T has finally confirmed that 73 million current and former customers have been caught up in a massive dark web data leak. The leaked data includes names, addresses, mobile phone numbers, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Malwarebytes VP of Consumer Privacy,...

Trusted Advisor now available for Mac, iOS, and Android

First released for Windows last year, the Malwarebytes Trusted Advisor dashboard is also now available on Mac, iOS and Android. Our Trusted Advisor dashboard provides an easy-to-understand assessment of your device’s security, with a single comprehensive protection score, and clear, expert-driven...

2024 State of Malware in Education report: Top 6 cyberthreats facing K-12 and Higher Ed

Educational institutions may face a range of cyberthreats in 2024, but our 2024 State of Malware in Education report identifies the six most critical ones. Ransomware, for example, stands out as a key threat for schools and universities. The report covers how last year, we witnessed a 92% increas...

Free VPN apps turn Android phones into criminal proxies

Researchers at HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence have discovered a disturbing number of VPN apps that turn users devices into proxies for cybercriminals without their knowledge, as part of a camapign called PROXYLIB. Cybercriminals and state actors like to send their traffic through other people...

A week in security (March 25 – March 31)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: MFA bombing taken to the next level How to back up your Mac How to back up your Windows 10/11 PC to OneDrive How to back up your iPhone to a Windows computer How to back up your iPhone to a Mac How to back up your iPhone to iCloud Powering the future of ThreatDown...

MFA bombing taken to the next level

Simply put, MFA bombing also known as “push bombing” or “MFA fatigue” is a brute force attack on your patience. Cybercriminals use MFA bombing to break into accounts that are protected by multi-factor authentication MFA. MFA normally requires a user to enter a six-digit code sent by SMS, or...

How to back up your Mac

Backing up your Mac computer doesn’t need to be intimidating. By taking advantage of a user-friendly feature released by Apple several years ago, the entire backup process can be handled almost automatically, preserving your most important files, photos, applications, and emails from cyberthreats...

How to back up your Windows 10/11 PC to OneDrive

They say the only backup you ever regret is the one you didnt make. Starting in Windows 10, the operating system OS now comes with a built-in tool to back up your files, themes, some settings, many of your installed apps, and your Wi-Fi information. First, you’ll need to sign in with your Microso...

How to back up your iPhone to a Windows computer

They say the only backup you ever regret is the one you didnt make. iPhone backups can be used to easily move your apps and data to a new phone, to recover things youve lost, or to fix things that have failed. Weve published posts on how to back up your iPhone to iCloud, and how to backup an iPho...

How to back up your iPhone to a Mac

They say the only backup you ever regret is the one you didnt make. iPhone backups can be used to easily move your apps and data to a new phone, to recover things youve lost, or to fix things that have failed. One of the most cost effective ways to backup your iPhone is to save backups to your Ma...

How to back up your iPhone to iCloud

They say the only backup you ever regret is the one you didnt make. iPhone backups can be used to easily move your apps and data to a new phone, to recover things youve lost, or to fix things that have failed. The most convenient way to backup your iPhone is to have it backup to iCloud. Backups a...

Powering the future of ThreatDown with AI

Nobody can deny the influence of AI today. In just a few years, we have observed AIs capacity to be as transformative as the internet and smartphones, especially for cybersecurity. Indeed, the potential of AI to radically simplify complex security environments is unmistakable, and aligns closely...

Stopping a K-12 cyberattack (SolarMarker) with ThreatDown MDR

In early 2024, a large K-12 school district partnered with ThreatDown MDR to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. Shortly after onboarding, ThreatDown MDR analysts detected unusual patterns of activity subsequently identified as the work of SolarMarker, a sophisticated backdoor. It became eviden...

Facebook spied on Snapchat users to get analytics about the competition

Social media giant Facebook snooped on Snapchat users network traffic, engaged in anticompetitive behavior and exploited user data through deceptive practices. Thats according to a court document filed March 23, 2024. The document mentions Facebook’s so-called In-App Action Panel IAAP program,...

Update Chrome now! Google patches possible drive-by vulnerability

Google has released an update to Chrome which includes seven security fixes. Version 123.0.6312.86/.87 of Chrome for Windows and Mac and 123.0.6312.86 for Linux will roll out over the coming days/weeks. The easiest way to update Chrome is to allow it to update automatically, which basically uses...

Disturbing robocaller fined $9.9 million

A federal court in Montana has fined a man $9.9 million after he was found responsible for causing thousands of unlawful and malicious spoofed robocalls. Sometimes there is good news. Well, for almost everybody except for the robocaller who was found guilty of unlawful robocalls to people in stat...

Meta to abandon social media tracking tool CrowdTangle

On 14 March, Meta announced it would abandon CrowdTangle, saying the tool will no longer be available after August 14, 2024. While most people have never heard of CrowdTangle, among journalists the tool is considered essential. Its popularity largely depends on the ability to monitor social media...

Patch now: Mozilla patches two critical vulnerabilities in Firefox

Mozilla released version 124.0.1 of the Firefox browser to Release channel users the default channel that most non-developers run on March 22, 2024. The new version fixes two critical security vulnerabilities. One of the vulnerabilities affects Firefox on desktop only, and doesnt affect mobile...

YouTube ordered to reveal the identities of video viewers

Federal US authorities have asked Google for the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and user activity of accounts that watched certain YouTube videos, according to unsealed court documents Forbes has seen. Of those users that weren’t logged in when they watched those videos between January 1 an...

Vans warns customers of data breach

Skater brand Vans emailed customers last week to tell them about a recent “data incident.” On December 13, 2023, Vans said it detected unauthorized activities on its IT systems, attributed to "external threat actors." An investigation revealed that the incident involved some personal information ...

Securing your home network is long, tiresome, and entirely worth it, with Carey Parker: Lock and Code S05E07

This week on the Lock and Code podcast… Few words apply as broadly to the public—yet mean as little—as “home network security.” For many, a “home network” is an amorphous thing. It exists somewhere between a router, a modem, an outlet, and whatever cable it is that plugs into the wall. But the id...

3 important lessons from a devastating ransomware attack

In October 2023, The British Library was attacked by the Rhysida ransomware gang in a devastating cyberattack. The library, a vast repository of over 170 million items, is still deep in the recovery process, but recently released an eighteen page cyber incident review describing the attack, its...

A week in security (March 18 – March 24)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: New Go loader pushes Rhadamanthys stealer Canada revisits decision to ban Flipper Zero Patch Ivanti Standalone Sentry and Ivanti Neurons for ITSM now 19 million plaintext passwords exposed by incorrectly configured Firebase instances Apex Legends Global Series...

New Go loader pushes Rhadamanthys stealer

Malware loaders also known as droppers or downloaders are a popular commodity in the criminal underground. Their primary function is to successfully compromise a machine and deploy one or multiple additional payloads. A good loader avoids detection and identifies victims as legitimate i.e. not...

Canada revisits decision to ban Flipper Zero

In February 2024 the Canadian government announced plans to ban the sale of the Flipper Zero, mainly because of its reported use to steal cars. The Flipper Zero is a portable device that can be used in penetration testing with a focus on wireless devices and access control systems. If that doesnt...

Patch Ivanti Standalone Sentry and Ivanti Neurons for ITSM now

Ivanti has issued patches for two vulnerabilities. One was discovered in the Ivanti Standalone Sentry, which impacts all supported versions 9.17.0, 9.18.0, and 9.19.0. Older versions are also at risk. The other vulnerability impacts all supported versions of Ivanti Neurons for ITSM—2023.3, 2023.2...

19 million plaintext passwords exposed by incorrectly configured Firebase instances

Three researchers scanned the internet for vulnerable Firebase instances, looking for personally identifiable information PII. Firebase is a platform for hosting databases, cloud computing, and app development. Its owned by Google and was set up to help developers build and ship apps. What the...

[updated] Apex Legends Global Series plagued by hackers

The North American finals of online shooter game Apex Legends has been postponed after games were disrupted by hacking incidents. Apex Legends, published by EA, is currently in an important stage of its Global Series, the regional finals mode. This is a big deal for the top players since there is...

Tax scammer goes after small business owners and self-employed people

While most tax payers don’t particularly look forward to tax season, for some scammers it’s like the opening of their hunting season. So its no surprise that our researchers have found yet another tax-related scam. In this most recent scam, weve not seen the lure the scammer uses, but it is likel...

The ‘AT&T breach’—what you need to know

Earlier this week, the data of over 70 million people was posted for sale on an online cybercrime forum. The person selling the data claims it stems from a 2021 breach at AT&T. Back in 2021, a hacker named Shiny Hunters claimed to have breached AT&T and put the alleged stolen data up for sale for...

Upcoming webinar: How a leading architecture firm approaches cybersecurity

How does a company navigate over 80 years of technical debt? Which tools do a security team of 5 rely on everyday? What threats are considered most dangerous? On March 28, 2024, Malwarebytes CEO, Marcin Kleczynski, and Payette Associates Director of Information Technology, Dan Gallivan, will answ...

Social media influencers targeted by identity thieves

Social media influencers are attractive targets for identity thieves. With large followings and a literal influence on their followers, its no wonder they are targeted by scammers and spreaders of fake news. A subset of influencers are the so-called "finfluencers": influencers that provide their...

Store manager admits SIM swapping his customers

A 42-year-old manager at an unnamed telecommunications company has admitted SIM swapping customers at his store. SIM swapping, also known as SIM jacking, is the act of illegally taking over a target’s cell phone number and re-routing it to a phone under the attackers control. Once an attacker has...

A week in security (March 11 – March 17)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Ransomware’s appetite for US healthcare sees known attacks double in a year Webinar recap: 6 critical cyberthreats in 2024 and how to counter them TikTok faces ban in US unless it parts ways with Chinese owner ByteDance Malwarebytes Premium blocks 100% of malware...

Ransomware’s appetite for US healthcare sees known attacks double in a year

Following the February 21 attack on Change Healthcare, scores of people in the US have been living with the brutal, real-world effects of ransomware. Described by the American Hospital Association AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack as “the most significant and consequential incident of its kind...

Webinar recap: 6 critical cyberthreats in 2024 and how to counter them

Our webinar on the 2024 State of Malware report is now available on-demand. Featuring cybersecurity experts Mark Stockley and Jérôme Segura, this webinar unpacks 2024’s most critical cyberthreats, including big game ransomware, malvertising, and emerging challenges to mobile and Mac security. Key...

TikTok faces ban in US unless it parts ways with Chinese owner ByteDance

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would effectively ban TikTok from the US unless Chinese owner ByteDance gives up its share of the immensely popular app. TikTok is an immensely popular social media platform that allows users to create, share, and discover, short video clips. It...

Malwarebytes Premium blocks 100% of malware during external AVLab test

Malwarebytes Premium earned a perfect score in the latest AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation “Advanced In-The-Wild Malware Test,” catching and stopping 100% of malware samples, outperforming multiple competitors in the field, and continuing a longstanding tradition of proven, perfect protection for...

ThreatDown achieves perfect score in latest AVLab assessment

ThreatDown has once again earned a perfect score in AVLabs January 2024 real-world malware detection tests, marking the eleventh consecutive quarter in achieving this feat. Let’s delve into the details of the test and how ThreatDown outperformed competitors in exhaustive testing. The AVLab...

How to update outdated software on Mac endpoints: Introducing ThreatDown VPM for Mac

ThreatDown is happy to announce that our Vulnerability Assessment and Patch Management VPM tool is now available for Mac endpoints. There are hundreds of third-party apps that Mac endpoint use on a daily basis—and with that large number of apps comes a dizzying amount of software updates to apply...

Microsoft Patch Tuesday March 2024 includes critical Hyper-V flaws

The March 2024 Patch Tuesday update includes patches for 61 Microsoft vulnerabilities. Only two of the vulnerabilities are rated critical and both of these are found in Windows Hyper-V. Hyper-V is a hardware virtualization product that allows you to run multiple operating systems as virtual...