🔐 Change your password: Over 2 million VPN passwords were stolen using malware last year. ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN were the biggest targets. The companies weren’t breached; hackers went after users through phishing attacks, keyloggers and credential stuffing. Change your password ASAP if you have a VPN. And remember, “beefstew” as a password isn’t stroganoff.
Cheap and easy-to-use hacking tools put you at more risk than ever
Phishing attacks, ransomware and data breaches have been ramping up over the last few years and threatening our digital lives more than ever before.
You don’t need to be a professional hacker living off the grid in a remote location guzzling energy drinks while you ply your crooked trade. Hacker toolkits are available online for anyone to purchase and they’re shockingly cheap and easy to use.
A dark marketplace
The Dark Web keeps internet activity private and anonymous. Dark Web content isn’t indexed by search engines, and you need special software to access it. You can imagine the applications for this, such as avoiding government censorship and keeping identities private.
The Dark Web is a hotbed for illegal activity, such as selling drugs and firearms. You can also find financial and personal information up for sale. Here’s to learn how much your stolen credit card is worth on the Dark Web.
Unsurprisingly, hacking tools known as Crimeware-as-a-Service (CaaS) or Malware-as-a-Service (Maas) are also on sale for as little as $40. Crooks who purchase these programs don’t need much know-how to deploy them. Last year phishing software purchased online targeted some of the biggest banks in the country.
Some malware is available as a subscription service. Fast Company reports that Eternity Stealer, which steals usernames, emails, and credit card numbers, goes for $260 per year.
Everything you do is at risk
Whether you’re buying something online or checking your email, you’re always a potential target for hacks and scams. With CaaS, the risk goes up even higher because the crooked tools are more readily available.
And as in any market, competition breeds innovation — hackers will compete with each other to make more sophisticated and user-friendly tools to get a leg up in the business. And that spells bad news for us all.
RELATED: Operation Cookie Monster brought down a massive hacker marketplace – See if your info was there
Now more than ever it’s important to protect yourself
Scammers' latest trick: Getting you to open a OneNote document
Cybercriminals have been spreading malware through phishing emails for quite a while. But a new twist is making the rounds catching victims off guard. Instead of using malicious Word docs to spread malware, they have turned their attention to OneNote documents.
More fake ChatGPT malware spreading – Don't download this
OpenAI’s artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT is an incredible showcase of how we can interact with machines in futuristic ways. The text-based generative AI system can produce stunning results for just about any question or request. Tap or click here for everything you need to know about ChatGPT.
This tricky email scam can fool just about anyone
Business email compromise (BEC) is one of the leading causes of company fraud, and the threat is growing. These are phishing emails where scammers pretend to be someone who works in your company to steal vital information or rip you off financially.
The high-tech way to protect your logins that’s better than 2FA
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is becoming standard across all your devices and accounts, and for good reason. It’s easy to use and one of four ways to protect yourself from hackers and scammers.
2FA usually consists of two things: something you know (like a password) and something you have (like a smartphone). It can even involve who you are (a thumbprint or facial scan).
Can you spot the giveaway in this scam email?
Sometimes, you get a well-designed scam email that you’re unsure if it’s a phony. Below, you will see a screenshot of a fraud email that nearly had us fooled.
Read on for details on a devious email making the rounds and ways to outwith these scams.
Tax season: Scams to watch for so you don't get taken
Don’t be so quick to accept the help of strangers if they offer to make filing taxes less stressful. Tap or click here for more information on the tax prep software that was sending data back to Meta. Now, tax scams are making the rounds looking to rip you off.
Opt-out Tuesday: How to remove yourself from BeenVerified
There is a scary amount of personal information on the internet. You don’t need a degree in information technology or network administration to find someone’s email address, telephone number or where they live.
Whether you consider them shady or not, people search websites have a lot of information on all of us. The worst part is that most don’t even know their details are publically available.
6 data breach dangers lurking in your home and office
Hollywood has helped create an image that instantly pops into our minds when we hear the term cyberattack. Many of us think of a group of devious hackers led by the likes of Hans Gruber from “Die Hard.” While people like Gruber exist, most cybercriminals are simply common thieves looking to rip people off.
Using AI against us: Hackers can weaponize chatbots to write phishing campaigns
Artificial intelligence has received a lot of attention over the last few weeks. Several platforms have become viral hits for using AI to create art with a one-word prompt or transforming selfies into magical portraits.
5 clues that your email has been hacked
Scams are rising, and more people are falling for phishing attacks and email hacks than ever. Tap or click here for three immediate steps to take if you fell for a scam.
Just think about how often you open an email from someone you trust and click a link or download an attachment. Every one of those times is a chance for an enterprising cybercriminal to fool you.
Use Outlook or Microsoft Office? Malware red flag uses a new twist on an old trick
Cybercriminals constantly update their techniques to make malware, viruses and other cyber-threats as hard as possible for humans and artificial intelligence to spot. Antivirus apps check for infected files and malware, but there’s one kind of attack that humans and apps are relatively bad at noticing.
Antivirus vs. VPN: Do you need both for online privacy and security?
You probably know that bad guys lurk within every corner of the internet. You have to watch out for spyware, ransomware, phishing attacks, IoT invasions and more. Oh, and don’t forget “zero-click attacks.” Researchers recently discovered hackers used military-grade spyware to remotely access iPhones and even replicate their data.
This data-stealing phishing attack is a triple malware threat
Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to spread malware. One of their favorite ways is by hiding malware in Android apps. Tap or click here for three types of Android malware to avoid.
Phishing attacks are another popular way to spread malware and steal sensitive data. There is a new type of phishing attack making the rounds that is difficult to spot.
Online forms are grabbing your data - even if you don’t hit enter
An effective way to get someone’s opinion on a product or service is to create an online form or survey. Other times, online forms are the preferred way to sign up for newsletters, register an account or buy tickets. Tap or click here for a list of apps that collect the most private data from you.
See this one-word subject line in your inbox? It's a phishing scam red flag
Email scams often contain elaborate details to entice you into clicking a link or opening an attachment. Usually, there is some heartfelt backstory to why you must open that document or a severe threat of what will happen if you don’t.
You should remove Russian-based Kaspersky antivirus from your computer - Here's how
You must have antivirus software on your devices to protect against malware and phishing attacks. But there are now fears that the Kremlin could turn one of the most popular Russian antivirus programs into a tool of war. As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues the invasion of Ukraine, there are worrying signs that the battle could shift from ground troops to cyberattacks.
Use a payment app? New scam stealing thousands from unsuspecting victims
There are plenty of dangers associated with online shopping. User-driven platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are hotspots for scammers trying to tell fake products or not shop the items.
If that isn’t enough to put you off from shopping online, several other scams can be more damaging to your wallet. Cybercriminals will often go out of their way to launch sophisticated phishing scams to make a quick buck.
Update your PC! Microsoft patch fixes 3 zero-days, 71 other flaws
When you purchase an app or virtually any modern software, you are not getting the final product. Developers release patches, fixes and new features to secure their work, protect users and stay competitive.
Whan was the last time you updated your browser? It’s important to keep it up to date to protect against malware, phishing attacks, viruses and more. Google recently updated Chrome to patch a zero-day flaw used to launch cyberattacks. Tap or click for details and instructions for updating Chrome.