Kaspersky’s kaput: The U.S. has officially banned Kaspersky antivirus software over its shady ties to Russia. Officials say it poses a national security risk due to the Russian government’s influence. If you don’t have an antivirus solution (or you need a new one), TotalAV is my pick.
Operation Cookie Monster brought down a massive hacker marketplace - See if your info was there
Scammers never run out of tricks, and this one’s a doozy: They’re using AI to impersonate you. Here’s why you need to change your voicemail setting right now.
Getting ahold of your voice is one thing, but once a hacker gets into your computer, they can wreak all sorts of havoc and truly ruin your life.
There’s good news on that front, though. Law enforcement agencies around the world just brought down Genesis Market, an online marketplace that bought and sold hacked user data. Score one for the good guys!
Mass arrests
A reported 119 people were arrested as part of Operation Cookie Monster. Yes, that’s the real name!
The Department of Justice says Genesis Market offered access to stolen data from over 1.5 million computers containing over 80 million account access credentials. If your login was breached in the past five years, it probably ended up on Genesis.
Law enforcement seized 11 domains used by Genesis Market to support its infrastructure. The main login page was replaced with a takedown notice, containing information to contact the FBI.
An international effort
The FBI worked with agencies from 17 different countries to take down the hacker ring. Suspects from around the world, including ones in the U.S., were taken in by police.
It’s nice when the world can come together against a common enemy!
A crooked one-stop shop
This was quite the operation. Since 2018, Genesis Market sold access to “fingerprints,” aka all the identifying data stored on a computer. Buyers could then impersonate that user and get into personal accounts like eBay, Dropbox, PayPal, Microsoft, Twitter, Fidelity and crypto exchanges.
4 vital steps to protect your online accounts from hackers and scammers
You can never be too safe from cybercriminals, and you need all the help you can get to avoid becoming another victim among countless others.
Run a small business? You’re even more exposed to cybercrime. Imagine your hard work being held at ransom by a hacker or your data falling into the hands of the competition. Tap or click here for three security steps every small business needs to take.
Security tip: 5 mistakes to avoid when downloading files
I’ve noticed many questions in my inbox lately about whether or not the downloads I recommend are safe. The answer is yes. Before recommending anything to Komando.com readers, we test them rigorously.
But other sites may not, so you need to be careful. It’s easy to be careless when downloading files and free programs from the web since all it takes is a few clicks, but those clicks may lead you to something you are not expecting. Tap or click here for questions to ask yourself before clicking any links.
Windows and Mac security settings to check now
It’s never good to go too long without checking your security settings. Now and then, you should brush up on your protections. Whether you use a Mac or a PC, all devices are vulnerable to attacks.
On the bright side, there are tons of built-in features you can take advantage of for your safety. For example, Windows Defender can help protect your PC from lurking threats. However, many native protections might be a bit hard to find on your own.
Stop leaving it up to chance: Today’s hackers have more tricks at their disposal than ever to fool even the savviest person. Protect your devices with a solid antivirus solution. It’s def worth $19 a year — trust me.
Stop leaving it up to chance: Today’s hackers have more tools than ever to fool even the savviest person. Protect your devices with a solid antivirus solution. It’s def worth the $19 a year, trust me.
Sneaky new malware avoids detection - How to check your computer
Anybody who uses the internet can fall victim to malware. The malicious code is often so crafty that researchers only detect their presence after the initial attack. For the average consumer, the situation is far worse. Tap or click here to discover how malware exposes passwords saved in browsers.