Skip to main content

Criminals are flooding the internet with fake advice scams and adware, so watch out

Cybersecurity giant Avast has published its Q4 2022 Threat Report, taking a close look at the type of scams targeting vulnerable users. 

Some of the most notable scam types included social engineering which exposes human error, like refund and invoice fraud tactics, as well as supposed tech support scams. Lottery-themed adware campaigns remained just as prevalent, as they have done in previous quarters.

Besides scams, the company noted a pair of zero-day exploits in Chrome and Windows, which have since been patched, highlighting the importance for users to keep software up-to-date.

Avast Malware Research Director Jakub Kroustek explained that cybercriminals accredit a large proportion of their success to human nature, which sees us reacting with urgency, fear, and trying to regain control of issues.

Kroustek’s advice is: “When people face surprising pop-up messages or emails, we recommend they stay calm and take a moment to think before they act.”

Read more

> These are best malware removal tools around

 > Fake installers are tricking victims into installing malware

 > This odd phishing scam targets victims with a blank image

An alarming increase in refund and invoice fraud was noted during the final months of 2022 leading up to Christmas, which saw fooled users given malicious actors control to their screen and online banking. Instead of calling the number on the scam email, unsure users may want to head directly to the platform’s website and use a number that they’re sure of.

Data theft also occurred in several lottery-type popups, as well as the Arkei information stealer which saw a staggering 437% increase. Arkei is known for stealing information from browsers’ autofill forms, among other sources.

Finally, a pair of zero-day exploits were found in Google Chrome and Windows. Avast says that both companies were notified and reacted promptly, helping to minimize risk to users.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more