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Register Kettle If there's one thing that's more all the rage these days than this AI hype, it's warrantless spying by the Feds.β¦
ESET researchers reveal details about a prevalent cryptor, operating as a cryptor-as-a-service used by tens of malware families
The post Shedding light on AceCryptor and its operation appeared first on WeLiveSecurity
The UK Parliament has heard that a facial recognition system used by the Metropolitan police during the Kingβs Coronation can exhibit racial bias at certain thresholds.β¦
Waiting in the checkout line. Waiting to fall asleep. Waiting for your boring work call to finally end.Β
When you find yourself in these situations, do you usually have your phone in hand? And does it usually include scrolling through videos on TikTok? Youβre far from alone! The app has 150 million users in the United States and more than a billion daily users worldwide.1Β
However, governments around the world believe that while youβre exploring the world through short-form video, unscrupulous characters are lurking in the background collecting your personal data. Hereβs the real story behind TikTok bans and what they mean for you and your online privacy.Β
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. Much of the data privacy unease surrounding TikTok is ByteDanceβs opacity in their data mining practices. Itβs unknown how much data it collects on users and what it does with that information. Since the Chinese government has a hand in many of the businesses based in the country, itβs unclear if the government is party to the mined data. Because many countries are tense politically with China, some governments are being cautious about limiting ByteDanceβs access to personal information and potentially government secrets.Β Β
So far, various countries have banned TikTok from the work phones of government employees, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, and various European Union members.2 India completely banned the app in the country in 2020. Various other countries with strict limits on self-expression have also attempted to forbid their citizens from accessing TikTok.Β
Montana became the first state to ban TikTok in May 2023. The governor cited βprotecting Montanansβ personal and private dataβ as the reason behind the new bill, which is set to go into effect in January 2024.3Β Β
For the general population, bans of TikTok on government-issued devices will not affect your access to the platform Even for government employees, this just means that you canβt access the app from your work phone, laptop, or tablet. On your own time and your personal devices, you can still scroll to your heartβs content.Β
Montanaβs TikTok bill could pick up steam with other states claiming to protect the PII of their citizens; however, the Montana law and any similar ones that may arise are likely to be scrutinized as a violation of freedom of speech. As of now, itβs unclear whether the bill β and future ones like it β will be invalidated due to a violation of the First Amendment.Β Β Β
How these TikTok bans and the news headlines may affect you is that they emphasize the necessity of social media best practices and guarding your personally identifiable information (PII) more closely.Β
Because itβs unclear how much and with whom TikTok is gathering and sharing your data, itβs best to play it safe and limit the amount you reveal about yourself on the app. Here are a few tips to give you peace of mind and improve your online privacy:Β
This is a good practice on any social media platform. Geo-tagging is a function where the app uses GPS to track your location and then publish it alongside your post. This feature may put your personal safety at risk, since stalkers can use the geotag, context clues, and video background to guess at your location.Β Β
TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and gaming apps depend on advertisersβ dollars to make money. To provide users with the most relevant ads (and improve their chances of making a sale), companies gather information about you and build a profile based on your online comings and goings. Most apps that allow tracking must ask your permission first to do so. Always uncheck this box and disable ad tracking, because thereβs no guarantee that the PII the ad company collects will stay a secret. Did you know that 98% of people have their personal information up for sale on the internet? Personal Data Cleanup is an excellent tool to erase your private details from the internet and keep it out of the hands of strangers.Β
Oversharing on social media may leave you vulnerable to social engineering schemes. This happens when a scammer gathers details about you and then tailor-makes a scam thatβs likely to get your attention. For example, if your social media profiles make it clear that youβre an animal lover, a scammer may write a heartfelt post about needing donations to save their beloved pet.Β Β
A virtual private network (VPN) scrambles your online traffic, making it very difficult for someone to digitally eavesdrop on you or pinpoint your location. Plus, a VPN works on any device, not just desktops. So, while you scroll on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, a VPN can keep your internet traffic a secret.Β
Donβt worry: TikTok β the constant companion in times of boredom, transit, and when youβre in need of a laugh β isnβt going anywhere anytime soon. For the general population in most parts of the world, the app is staying put.Β
However, just because itβs not banned doesnβt mean that itβs 100% safe for your online privacy. Keep our tips in mind the next time you scroll through or post. To fully cover your bases and give you peace of mind, partner with McAfee+ Ultimate. This all-in-one service includes unlimited VPN for all your devices, Personal Data Cleanup, and more.Β Β
Laugh, cry, learn, and explore the world through TikTok with confidence in the security of your online privacy!Β
1TikTok, βCelebrating our thriving community of 150 million AmericansβΒ
2Associated Press, βHere are the countries that have bans on TikTokβΒ
3CNN, βMontana governor bans TikTokβΒ
The post Why Are Some Countries Banning TikTok? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
China has attacked critical infrastructure organizations in the US using a "living off the land" attack that hides offensive action among everyday Windows admin activity.β¦
When you wind up with mobile spyware, you may wind up with a stalker on your phone.Β
In its most malicious forms, mobile spyware can steal information like text messages and photos, capture passwords as you tap them in, secretly turn on your microphone or camera for recording, and track your movements using GPS.Β Β
Figuratively speaking, itβs like going about your day with a stalker peering over your shoulder.Β Β
If that doesnβt sound creepy enough, it can get worse. More than just providing attackers with a live feed of your activity, spyware can record and archive your actions. From there, it can βphone home,β meaning it sends stolen information back to cybercriminals so they can hoard it for later use.Β
That stolen information can lead to identity fraud and theft, such as when a cybercriminal raids your existing bank accounts, sets up entirely new lines of credit in your name, or impersonates you in several other ways. In darker scenarios, stolen photos, files, and information can lead to blackmail and harassment.Β
Without question, a case of mobile spyware can get serious quite quickly. Yet, it is highly preventable when you know how it can end up on your phoneβand the steps you can take to keep that from happening.Β
Malicious apps. They account for much of mobile spyware today.Β
Whether theyβre downloaded from a third-party app store or even from Google Play or Appleβs App Store, the ruse remains the same: a malicious app poses as legitimate app. These apps may present themselves as games, wallpapers, productivity apps, exercise apps, utility apps, and even security apps. Instead, theyβre loaded with spyware.Β Β Β
Google Play does its part to keep its virtual shelves free of malware-laden apps with a thorough submission process asβ―reported by Googleβ―and through its App Defense Alliance that shares intelligence across a network of partners, of which weβre a proud member. Further, users also have the option of runningβ―Play Protectβ―to check apps for safety before theyβre downloaded.β―β―Β
Appleβs App Store has its own rigorous submission process for submitting apps. Likewise, Apple deletes hundreds of thousands of malicious apps from its store each year.Β
Yet, bad actors find ways to sneak malware into the store. Sometimes they upload an app thatβs initially innocent and then push malware to users as part of an update. Other times, theyβll embed malicious code such that it only triggers once itβs run in certain countries. They will also encryptβ―maliciousβ―code in the app that they submit, which can make it difficult for reviewers to sniff out.β―β―Β
Unique to Android phones, Android gives people the option to download apps from third-party app stores. These stores may or may not have a thorough app submission process in place. As a result, they can be far less secure than Google Play. Moreover, some third-party app stores are fronts for organized cybercrime gangs, built specifically to distribute malware, making third-party download that much riskier.Β
Someone can install it directly.Β Β
In this case, a bad actor needs physical access to your phone. If they know the passcode or if the phone is unlocked, they can tamper with the phoneβs settings and install the spyware themselves. This requires access, time, and effort, yet some bad actors certainly take this approach.Β Β
Surprisingly, weβve also seen cases where malware comes pre-installed on phones. A recent case estimated that some 9 million smartphones had spyware installed in them somewhere along the supply chain. Reportedly, the spyware could steal personal information from the phone or possibly take it over entirely for a short stretch of time.Β
You can spot signs of tampering on an Android phone by heading to Settings and searching for βInstall Unknown Apps.β If you see any sources that you didnβt set to the βOnβ position or a third-party website you donβt recognize, it indicates that apps from outside official app stores could have been installed in the device. Such apps are generally riskier than apps from official sources like Google Play. While not an outright indication of spyware, you should set those to βOff.βΒ
On an iPhone, directly installing spyware takes a bit more effort. Typically, it requires βjailbreakingβ the phone. This process tampers with the operating system and removes software restrictions so the iPhone can access third-party app stores and download unapproved apps. Both are highly risky activities and the reason why Appleβs iOS enforces such restrictions in the first place.Β Β
Put plainly, βjailbreakingβ is not safe.Β
In the hands of bad actors, they can install an app called βCydiaβ on a jailbroken iPhone. Cydia is an unapproved app store that offers potentially dangerous modifications and apps. If you spot Cydia on your iPhone, itβs certain sign of tampering.Β
Not long ago, you could often see or even feel if your smartphone was infected with spyware. It could run hot, like it was left out on blanket at the beach, because the spyware ate up computing cycles while it ran in the background. It could drain batteries or lead to sluggish performance. Thatβs not always the case anymore. Spyware has become leaner and more efficient in recent years, so cybercriminals can better mask their attacks.Β
Some signs that are better indicators of spyware include:Β
Whether through your phoneβs data connection or through a Wi-Fi connection, unexpected increases in usage could be a sign that your phone is communicating with a third party.Β
A phone infected with spyware may communicate your activity to a third party, rather than to the legitimate login. The legitimate site or service never receives the first login attempt, forcing you to log in again.Β
This may be a sign that a cybercriminal already hacked your password, logged in under your name, and then changed the password to one of their own. (Note that this could also be a sign of a compromised or stolen password and not necessarily a sign of spyware.)Β
Some types of spyware can gain administration-level privileges to your phone and drop its defenses, leaving you yet more vulnerable.Β
Above we mentioned how cybercriminals use spyware to gain login credentials to banks and credit cards, and even steal personal items like files and photos. If you spot any unusual activity or find yourself threatened with demands, itβs possible that spyware could be a possible cause among others.Β
Along with installing security software, keeping your phoneβs operating system up to date can greatly improve your security. Updates can fix vulnerabilities that hackers rely on to pull off their malware-based attacks. Itβs another tried and true method of keeping yourself safeβand for keeping your phone running great too.Β Β
As mentioned above, Google Play has measures in place to review and vet apps to help ensure that they are safe and secure. Third-party sites may very well not, and they may intentionally host malicious apps as part of a front. Further, Google is quick to remove malicious apps from their store once discovered, making shopping there safer still.Β Β
Check out the developerβhave they published several other apps with many downloads and good reviews? A legit app typically has quite a few reviews, whereas malicious apps may have only a handful of (phony) five-star reviews. Lastly, look for typos and poor grammar in both the app description and screenshots. They could be a sign that a hacker slapped the app together and quickly deployed it.Β Β
Yet better than combing through user reviews yourself is getting a recommendation from a trusted source, like a well-known publication or from app store editors themselves. In this case, much of the vetting work has been done for you by an established reviewer. A quick online search like βbest fitness appsβ or βbest apps for travelersβ should turn up articles from legitimate sites that can suggest good options and describe them in detail before you download.Β Β
Another way hackers weasel their way into your device is by getting permissions to access things like your location, contacts, and photosβand theyβll use malicious apps to do it. If an app asks for way more than you bargained for, like a simple puzzle game that requests access to your camera or microphone, it might be a scam. On Android, recent spyware usually requests REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS permission to execute the malicious behavior in the background. If you see behaviors like these, delete the app.Β Β
Remove old, unused, and underused applications that could be future vectors of attacks.Β
Along this line, weβve seen where mobile applications change ownership (whether they get sold or others take over its operations), and the new owners donβt have the same standard operating procedures as the founders.Β
As mentioned above, some bad actors will install spyware on phones themselves. However, this requires access, time, and effort to pull off. Locking your phone and always keeping it close can help prevent bad actors from infecting your phone this way.Β Β
Comprehensive online protection softwareβ―can secure your phone in the same ways that it secures your laptops and computers. Installing it can protect your privacy, keep you safe from attacks on public Wi-Fi, and automatically block unsafe websites and links, just to name a few things it can do.Β
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The post Mobile SpywareβHow You Can Keep Stalkers Off Your Phone appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Google Play has been caught with its cybersecurity pants down yet again after a once-legit Android screen-and-audio recorder app was updated to include malicious code that listened in on device microphones.β¦
The Philadelphia Inquirer has punched back at the Cuba ransomware gang after the criminals leaked what they said were files stolen from the newspaper.β¦
Nobody wants to spend their time dealing with the fallout of a security incident instead of building up their business
The post Digital security for the selfβemployed: Staying safe without an IT team to help appeared first on WeLiveSecurity
A former IT security analyst at Oxford Biomedica has admitted, five years after the fact, to turning to the dark side β by hijacking a cyber attack against his own company in an attempt to divert any ransom payments to himself.β¦
When businesses go shopping for IT services, North Korea-controlled companies probably struggle to make it into many lists.β¦
Personal and financial data describing almost 1.9 million Apria Healthcare patients and employees may have been accessed by crooks who breached the company's networks over a series of months in 2019 and 2021.β¦
Dish Network has admitted that a February cybersecurity incident and associated multi-day outage led to the extraction of data on nearly 300,000 people, while also appearing to indirectly admit it may have paid cybercriminals to delete said data.β¦
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