Items tagged with Malware
Google still has a massive malware problem within the Google Play store. In November, we learned that apps from Cheetah Mobile had been part of a massive click fraud scheme that saw apps from it and Kika Tech stealing millions of dollars in fraudulent clicks. The apps had reportedly been downloaded around 2 billion times in total. A malware-infected QR Reader app had racked up 500,000 downloads in March of last year before being removed from the store. Now Google has reportedly removed another 85 apps from Google Play because they were malware laden. The batch of 85 apps wasn't removed from...
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The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has announced a new authentication standard that can be implemented for USB-C devices and complimenting chargers. USB-C Authentication, as it’s called, uses 128-bit “cryptographic-based authentication” to help mitigate potential security intrusions from USB thumb drives and chargers that could be used to deliver malicious payloads/firmware. The USB-IF says that with its new authentication protocol, the host device would be able to in effect enter in a secure “handshake” with another USB-C device, confirming its identify. At the moment...
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Typically when we talk about malware, we are talking about malicious code that is hidden inside software to try and take advantage of end users. An example is a malware that was hiding aboard a fake Adobe Flash update that was designed to install cryptocurrency mining software or other nefarious payloads. Earlier this month, another malware making the rounds was able to steal PayPal account balances despite users having two-factor authentication enabled. Today, a new malware has been identified and this one isn't attacking end users, it's attacking major newspapers around the U.S., underscoring...
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Android malware authors are always out looking to make a buck, and it looks as though one particular outfit has struck gold. Researchers from ESET have come across a malicious app called Optimization Android that presents itself as a battery conditioning tool. Image Source: ESET However, the app doesn't actually provide any power optimizations at all. Instead, it simply immediately shuts down when it's opened. However, in the background it is waiting to perform its dastardly deeds. When first installed, the app asks the user for permission to access Android Accessibility services, which is...
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With the value of Bitcoin once again experiencing a big drop this past week, you may begin to think that malware developers would begin shifting focus elsewhere. Unfortunately, that's far from being the case. Even if crypto seems to have modest value, that value becomes substantial when you multiply it by every infected machine; it really is easy money for attackers. In case we needed a reminder that Linux is in fact susceptible to viruses, this latest malware targets that platform specifically. Ultimately, two vulnerabilities need to be exploited (CVE-2016-5195 and CVE-2013-2094) to gain root...
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Malware-laden apps are nothing new for the Google Play store where Android users go to download apps of all sorts. Google has been heavily criticized over the years for not doing enough to prevent malicious apps from being offered to users via the Google Play Store. This year we have seen a malicious app masquerading as the official Uber app with the intent of stealing real Uber account details. North Korean hackers also created a data-stealing malware app in May with the goal of seeking revenge on defectors. Thirteen game apps were recently identified as being malicious, and together the apps...
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It's not common to find free software that appears to be as feature-rich and capable as the commercial competition, but where Windows Defender is concerned, it's arguably one of the best free antivirus and anti-malware solutions out there. Many have come to trust it so much, that they don't even run an additional anti-virus solution, and Microsoft takes that responsibility seriously by constantly iterating on the software's capabilities. In a brand-new Windows Insider build, a massive overhaul of Defender can be found. After years of figuring out the best direction to take Defender, Microsoft decided...
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At least for the time being, it looks like the mad rush to buy graphics cards for cryptocurrency mining and leave gamers with overpriced options is in the rear view mirror. That doesn't mean cryptocurrency mining doesn't still present an annoyance in some sectors, though. Security researchers warn that cryptocurrency malware is currently hiding in a fake Adobe Flash update that is making the rounds. Adobe Flash can't disappear fast enough. In the meantime, it continues to present security issues, sometimes directly through discovered vulnerabilities, or in this case preying on the vigilance of...
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In recent years, we've seen a number of garden variety consumer electronics devices -- including routers and webcams among others -- that have been sucked into zombie botnets to wreak havoc around the globe. Many of those devices were accessible due to extremely weak passwords that were enacted by default by their manufacturers. California, however, is looking to change this and has passed a law that would require all internet-connected device sold in the state to have a unique "strong" password. This unique password would be obtained in one of two ways as outlined by the "Information...
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Those who enjoy streaming movies and television shows on their devices should always be cautious when downloading content. It has been revealed that several third-party Kodi add-ons for Windows and Linux contained cryptocurrency malware. The cryptocurrency miner is difficult to uncover and is believed to have infected nearly 4,700 users. ESET, a Slovak IT security company, discovered that Windows and Linux Kodi users who downloaded the third-party add-ons Bubbles, Gaia, and XvBMC, were the targets of the malware campaign. The add-ons contain malicious code that mines the cryptocurrency Monero...
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When it comes to Android smartphones, one of the biggest advantages that they have over iOS-based iPhones is the ability to access external storage in addition to their onboard storage allotment. Take the Galaxy Note 9 for example; it is available with up to 512GB of internal storage and can also access up to 512GB of microSD storage, giving users up to 1TB in their pockets. However, Android apps often handle external storage poorly, leaving users vulnerable to exploits according to new research by Check Point. These exploits are being labeled as “man-in-the-disk” attacks, which could...
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Fortnite is currently the hottest game in the world and appeals to a wide spectrum of gamers both young and old. However, its immense popularity also means that it is often the target of malware authors and scammers. That became readily apparent over the past few weeks by Rainway CEO Andrew Sampson. Sampson wrote in a blog post that his company began tracking "hundreds of thousands of error reports" starting on June 26th via its web-based game streaming platform. The errors related to calls to various ad platforms according to Sampson, which was peculiar given that Rainway doesn't...
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Malware is a huge problem for computer users today as the threat posed by malicious software continues to increase. A new botnet was recently detected in a live environment for an unnamed client of Deep Instinct, a security firm. The security firm says that the botnet, dubbed Mylobot, uses three different layers of evasion techniques. The evasion techniques that the botnet uses contact command and control servers that download the final payload, Deep Instinct says that the combination and complexity of the evasion techniques that the botnet deploys have never been seen in the wild before....
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Researchers have discovered a new strain of malware for Android devices that combines different styles of attack into a single package. Called MysteryBot, the new malware hits victims with a banking Trojan, keylogger, and ransomware in one fell swoop. The good news here is that the cybercriminals responsible for MysteryBot are still developing it, and it does not appear to be spreading in the wild at the moment. However, that could change at any time. Initially, the researchers thought they were looking at a revised version of LokiBot, a banking Trojan that targets Android devices. But upon closer...
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