Asking AI for personal advice is a bad idea, Stanford study shows

Stanford computer scientists just proved what therapists already suspected: AI chatbots will agree with almost anything you say to keep you happy. The researchers caught these systems validating dangerous decisions just to maintain user engagement. That's a worrying development, especially given...

Axios supply chain attack chops away at npm trust

Researchers found that compromised Axios versions installed a Remote Access Trojan. Axios is a promise-based HTTP Client for node.js, basically a helper tool that developers use behind the scenes to let apps talk to the internet. For example, Axios makes requests such as “get my messages from the...

New macOS security feature will alert users about possible ClickFix attacks

Rumor has it that Apple deployed a new security feature in the fight against ClickFix. The new feature will be available for macOS Tahoe 26.4 and it will warn Mac users if they paste certain commands into the Terminal app that might be harmful. If such a command is pasted, macOS will warn the use...

A week in security (March 23 – March 29)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Criminals are renting virtual phones to bypass bank security Bogus Avast website fakes virus scan, installs Venom Stealer instead Infiniti Stealer: a new macOS infostealer using ClickFix and Python/Nuitka GlassWorm attack installs fake browser extension for...

Criminals are renting virtual phones to bypass bank security

Researchers at Group-IB warn about criminals using virtual Android devices to bypass modern security solutions. Cloud phones are virtual Android devices that can fully mimic real device fingerprints model, hardware, IP, timezone, sensor data, behavior. This allows them to undermine banks’...

Bogus Avast website fakes virus scan, installs Venom Stealer instead

A fake website impersonating Avast antivirus is tricking people into infecting their own computers. The site looks legitimate, runs what appears to be a virus scan, and claims your system is full of threats. But the results are fake: when you’re prompted to “fix” the problem, the download you’re...

Infiniti Stealer: a new macOS infostealer using ClickFix and Python/Nuitka

A previously undocumented macOS infostealer has surfaced during our routine threat hunting. We initially tracked it as NukeChain , but shortly before publication, the malware’s operator panel became publicly visible, revealing its real name: Infiniti Stealer. This malware is designed to steal...

GlassWorm attack installs fake browser extension for surveillance

GlassWorm hides inside developer tools. Once it's in, it steals data, installs remote access malware, and even a fake browser extension to monitor activity. While it starts with developers, the impact can quickly spread. With stolen credentials, access tokens, and compromised tools, attackers can...

Landmark verdicts put Meta’s “addiction machine” platforms on trial

Meta faced two major legal setbacks this week as courts in New Mexico and California both found the company liable for harm to children. A New Mexico jury just ordered Meta to pay $375 million for misleading parents about child safety on Instagram and Facebook. Jurors found the company violated...

Hackers claim to have accessed data tied to millions of crime tipsters

Millions of crime tips may have been exposed after a hacker group claims to have compromised systems used by Crime Stoppers programs and other organizations worldwide. The incident centers on P3 Global Intel, a Texas-based provider of cloud-based tip and intelligence management software owned by...

New FCC router ban could leave home networks less secure

On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission FCC updated its list of insecure equipment, outlining its reasons for adding all consumer-grade routers made outside the US. Effectively, this would stop foreign-made routers from being imported unless their manufacturers obtain an exemption, due t...

Meet Khaled Mohamed: the bug hunter who found a Microsoft flaw

It’s only on rare occasions that anyone pays attention to the acknowledgment section of a vulnerability disclosure. But for the person who found the bug, it's often the conclusion of hours of work, trial and error, searching for recognition, and finally seeing the vulnerability get patched. Bug...

FBI, CISA warn of Russian hackers hijacking Signal and WhatsApp accounts

In a Public Service Announcement PSA the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA warn the public about ongoing Russian-linked phishing campaigns that aim to gain access to messaging accounts. Earlier this month we wrote about a large‑scale...

Scam compounds hiring “AI models” to seal the deal in deepfake video calls

Scam compounds in Southeast Asia have already become modern slave farms, trapping victims and forcing many of them to become scammers for them. Now they've added another type of worker to the mix: so-called AI models. These professional scammers conduct video calls with their targets, charming th...

FriendlyDealer mimics official app stores to push unvetted gambling apps

We’ve identified a huge social-engineering campaign designed to steer people into online gambling sites under the impression they’re installing a legitimate app. We’re calling it FriendlyDealer. It’s been observed across at least 1,500 domains, each hosting a website that impersonates the Google...

The March Madness scam playbook

March Madness is the annual men's and women's NCAA Division I basketball tournament, where 68 teams play in a single-elimination bracket for the US national championship. But March Madness doesn’t just bring buzzer beaters and busted brackets. It also kicks off a short, intense season for scammer...

Advanced Flow will make Android sideloading safer

Google has announced the introduction of Advanced Flow, designed to let Android users install apps from unverified developers more safely than before. This process is known as sideloading. It means installing an app on your device from somewhere other than the Google Play store, usually by...

A week in security (March 16 – March 22)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Could your face change what you pay? NYC wants limits on biometric tracking That "job brief" on Google Forms could infect your device A DarkSword hangs over unpatched iPhones Your tax forms sell for $20 on the dark web Researchers found font-rendering trick to hide...

This is all it takes to stop a train (Lock and Code S07E06)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … Forget the runaway train thrillingly shot in Buster Keaton's 1926 film "The General," and never mind the charging locomotive rescued by actors Denzel Washington and Chris Pine in the 2010 film "Unstoppable," as there's a far more frequent and far less...

Could your face change what you pay? NYC wants limits on biometric tracking

New York City lawmakers are pushing to ban private businesses from using biometric tools like voice and facial recognition software to track the public. While the desire to use surveillance technology in stores to fight shoplifting is understandable, lawmakers and privacy advocates are worried th...

That “job brief” on Google Forms could infect your device

We've identified a campaign using business-related lures, such as job interviews, project briefs, and financial document, to distribute malware, including the PureHVNC Remote Access Trojan RAT. It's not the malware that's new, but how the attack starts. Instead of the usual phishing email or fake...

A DarkSword hangs over unpatched iPhones

Researchers at Google have identified an iOS exploit chain, named DarkSword, that has been used since late last year by multiple actors to infect iPhones with malware in targeted attacks. DarkSword combines six vulnerabilities in iOS and Safari to deploy malware on the device. It demonstrates, on...

Your tax forms sell for $20 on the dark web

Tax season is also peak season for identity theft. Criminals use stolen personal data to file fake tax returns and claim refunds before the real taxpayer does. Here’s how the fraud works, and how to protect yourself. What is Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SIRF? Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SIRF is ...

Researchers found font-rendering trick to hide malicious commands

Researchers have published a proof-of-concept PoC that uses custom fonts to fool many popular Artificial Intelligence AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, Leo, Grok, Perplexity, Sigma, Dia, Fellou, and Genspark. Imagine a book where the visible text is harmless, but hidden...

Apple patches WebKit bug that could let sites access your data

Apple has released a Background Security Improvement to patch a flaw that could allow malicious websites to bypass browser protections and access data from other sites. What is it? The patched WebKit vulnerability is described as: “A cross-origin issue in the Navigation API was addressed with...

Inside a network of 20,000+ fake shops

We mapped a sprawling fake shop operation of over 20,000 domains, dozens of shared IP addresses and identical storefronts with different names pasted on top. They exist for one purpose: to steal your payment details and personal data. The thread that ties them all together is a browser tab title...

Fake Pudgy World site steals your crypto passwords

A phishing site impersonating the newly-launched Pudgy World browser game is targeting crypto users with a technique that goes well beyond a convincing logo and matching color scheme. Pudgy World is a free-to-play browser game built around the Pudgy Penguins NFT brand. Players explore a virtual...

90% of people don’t trust AI with their data

AI didn’t sneak into our lives. It burst through the door, took a seat at the table, and started finishing our sentences. Instead of a helpful list of links, Google now tries to answer your question. Microsoft’s Copilot drafts replies to your boss before you’ve had coffee. Your phone summarizes...

How searching for a VPN could mean handing over your work login details

This blog is about how trying to do the “right thing” can lead you straight into a trap. People searching for a VPN ended up downloading credential-stealing malware. From the victim’s perspective, their trust was exploited at every step: trust in search engines, in familiar logos, in digital...

Google cracks down on Android apps abusing accessibility

Google just dropped a bombshell for app developers with the latest version of its Android mobile operating system. The company can now prevent apps from installing if they try to use the system's accessibility features. The new development, live in version 17.2 of Android, is all about security,...

Hacked sites deliver Vidar infostealer to Windows users

In recent years, ClickFix and fake CAPTCHA techniques have become a popular way for cybercriminals to distribute malware. Instead of exploiting a technical vulnerability, these attacks rely on convincing people to run malicious commands themselves. Our researchers have recently detected a campaig...

Zombie ZIP method can fool antivirus during the first scan

A researcher published “Zombie ZIP,” a simple way to change the first part header of a ZIP file so it falsely claims its contents are uncompressed while they are actually compressed. Many antivirus products trust that header and never properly decompress or inspect the real payload. In tests...

Delete doesn’t mean gone. Here’s how File Shredder fixes that

You have done it a thousand times. Right-click. Delete. Empty Trash. Done. Except it's not done. That file, your tax return, your private photos, that EmbezzlementPlan.doc… it's all still sitting on your drive. Invisible to you, but not to anyone with a $30 recovery tool downloaded from the...

A week in security (March 9 – March 15)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Watch out for fake Malwarebytes renewal notices in your calendar Google patches two Chrome zero-days under active attack. Update now Attackers impersonate Temu in ClickFix $Temu airdrop scam Apple patches Coruna exploit kit flaws for older iOS versions This Android...

Watch out for fake Malwarebytes renewal notices in your calendar

We’ve become aware of a scam campaign sending fake calendar invites that impersonate Malwarebytes and attempt to trick recipients into calling a scam “billing support” number. We have written before about how calendar invites can be abused for phishing, and even about how Google Calendar invites...

[updated] Google patches two Chrome zero-days under active attack

Update March 16, 2026 Earlier this week, Google incorrectly reported that an actively exploited vulnerability in Chrome had been fixed, and has now announced it will roll out a new update to protect users against the vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-3909. Original content: Google has released an...

Attackers impersonate Temu in ClickFix $Temu airdrop scam

Update Friday, March 13: A Temu spokesperson contacted us to say: " Temu has not issued any cryptocurrency, token, or digital asset—including any so-called "Temu Coin." Any airdrop, wallet claim, or cryptocurrency offer purporting to be from Temu is fraudulent and has no connection to our company...

Apple patches Coruna exploit kit flaws for older iOS versions

On March 3, 2026, Google warned about a powerful exploit kit targeting Apple iPhone models running iOS version 13.0 released in September 2019 up to version 17.2.1 released in December 2023. In the latest security updates, Apple patched the vulnerabilities used in the Coruna exploit kit for older...

This Android vulnerability can break your lock screen in under 60 seconds

A vulnerability in Android devices can allow attackers to gain access to a phone in less than a minute. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-20435, affects certain MediaTek SoCs System-on-a-Chip using Trustonic’s TEE Trusted Execution Environment. That may sound rare, but reportedly that’s abou...

Microsoft Authenticator could leak login codes—update your app now

A vulnerability in Microsoft Authenticator for both iOS and Android CVE-2026-26123 could leak your one-time sign-in codes or authentication deep links to a malicious app on the same device. Deep links are predefined URIs Uniform Resource Identifiers that allow direct access to an activity in a we...

Meta rolls out anti-scam tools across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger

Meta has rolled out more anti-scam protections across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger to fight sophisticated fraud tactics. The features will help stop celebrity impersonators and brand spoofers from defrauding its users, the company said. Meta is also targeting attackers who exploit legitimate...

Phishers hide scam links with IPv6 trick in “free toothbrush” emails

A recurring lure in phishing emails impersonating United Healthcare is the promise of a free Oral-B toothbrush. But the interesting part isn’t the toothbrush. It’s the link. Two examples of phishing emails Recently we found that these phishers have moved from using Microsoft Azure Blob Storage...

Sextortion “I recorded you” emails reuse passwords found in disposable inboxes

Our malware removal support team recently flagged a new wave of sextortion emails, with the subject line: “You pervert, I recorded you!” If the message sounds familiar, that's because it's a variation of the long-running "Hello pervert" scam. The email claims the target’s device has been infected...

Watch out for tax-season robocalls pushing fake “relief programs”

While Americans are sorting through paperwork to get their taxes filed in time, scammers are working overtime to grab a piece of the action. As tax season ramps up, so does scam activity. Our telemetry shows a spike in robocalls impersonating tax resolution firms, tax relief agencies, and vaguely...

March 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes two zero-day vulnerabilities

Microsoft releases important security updates on the second Tuesday of every month, known as Patch Tuesday. This month’s update fixes 79 Microsoft CVEs including two zero-day vulnerabilities. Microsoft defines a zero-day as “a flaw in software for which no official patch or security update is...

How to see your Google Search history (and delete it)

Your Google Search history provides one of the most detailed windows into your private life, and I know this because when I looked at my own search history last year, I was overwhelmed by the information buried within. Across just 18 months, Google tracked the 8,079 searches I made and the 3,050...

Signal and WhatsApp accounts targeted in phishing campaign

Dutch intelligence services AIVD and MIVD warn that Russian state‑backed hackers are running a large‑scale campaign to break into Signal and WhatsApp accounts of high‑value targets. The targets are said to be senior officials, military personnel, civil servants, and journalists. The attackers are...

Hackers may have breached FBI wiretap network via supply chain

Investigators are worried that a recent attack on a critical FBI system was more than just a random hit, and that another nation-state might have been involved. On February 17, the FBI flagged irregular network activity that led straight to its Digital Collection System Network. That system...

Fake Claude Code install pages hit Windows and Mac users with infostealers

Attackers are cloning install pages for popular tools like Claude Code and swapping the “one‑liner” install commands with malware, mainly to steal passwords, cookies, sessions, and access to developer environments. Modern install guides often tell you to copy a single command like curl...

Quiz sites trick users into enabling unwanted browser notifications

Our support team flagged a number of customers who suspected their device might be infected with malware, but Malwarebytes scans came up empty. When the customers provided screenshots, our Malware Removal Support team quickly recognized the format as web push notifications. The reason the scans...