TA547 Phishing Attack Hits German Firms with Rhadamanthys Stealer

A threat actor tracked as TA547 has targeted dozens of German organizations with an information stealer called Rhadamanthys as part of an invoice-themed phishing campaign. "This is the first time researchers observed TA547 use Rhadamanthys, an information stealer that is used by multiple cybercriminal threat actors," Proofpoint said. "Additionally, the actor appeared to

How Cybercriminals are Exploiting India's UPI for Money Laundering Operations

Cybercriminals are using a network of hired money mules in India using an Android-based application to orchestrate a massive money laundering scheme. The malicious application, called XHelper, is a "key tool for onboarding and managing these money mules," CloudSEK researchers Sparsh Kulshrestha, Abhishek Mathew, and Santripti Bhujel said in a report. Details about the scam 

New 'VietCredCare' Stealer Targeting Facebook Advertisers in Vietnam

Facebook advertisers in Vietnam are the target of a previously unknown information stealer dubbed VietCredCare at least since August 2022. The malware is “notable for its ability to automatically filter out Facebook session cookies and credentials stolen from compromised devices, and assess whether these accounts manage business profiles and if they maintain a positive Meta ad credit

RustDoor macOS Backdoor Targets Cryptocurrency Firms with Fake Job Offers

Multiple companies operating in the cryptocurrency sector are the target of an ongoing malware campaign that involves a newly discovered Apple macOS backdoor codenamed RustDoor. RustDoor was first documented by Bitdefender last week, describing it as a Rust-based malware capable of harvesting and uploading files, as well as gathering information about the infected machines. It's

Glupteba Botnet Evades Detection with Undocumented UEFI Bootkit

The Glupteba botnet has been found to incorporate a previously undocumented Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) bootkit feature, adding another layer of sophistication and stealth to the malware. "This bootkit can intervene and control the [operating system] boot process, enabling Glupteba to hide itself and create a stealthy persistence that can be extremely difficult to

U.S. DoJ Dismantles Warzone RAT Infrastructure, Arrests Key Operators

The U.S. Justice Department (DoJ) on Friday announced the seizure of online infrastructure that was used to sell a remote access trojan (RAT) called Warzone RAT. The domains – www.warzone[.]ws and three others – were "used to sell computer malware used by cybercriminals to secretly access and steal data from victims' computers," the DoJ said. Alongside the takedown, the

DoJ Charges 19 Worldwide in $68 Million xDedic Dark Web Marketplace Fraud

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said it charged 19 individuals worldwide in connection with the now-defunct xDedic Marketplace, which is estimated to have facilitated more than $68 million in fraud. In wrapping up its investigation into the dark web portal, the agency said the transnational operation was the result of close cooperation with law enforcement authorities from Belgium

New JinxLoader Targeting Users with Formbook and XLoader Malware

A new Go-based malware loader called JinxLoader is being used by threat actors to deliver next-stage payloads such as Formbook and its successor XLoader. The disclosure comes from cybersecurity firms Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 and Symantec, both of which highlighted multi-step attack sequences that led to the deployment of JinxLoader through phishing attacks. "The

Microsoft Disables MSIX App Installer Protocol Widely Used in Malware Attacks

Microsoft on Thursday said it’s once again disabling the ms-appinstaller protocol handler by default following its abuse by multiple threat actors to distribute malware. “The observed threat actor activity abuses the current implementation of the ms-appinstaller protocol handler as an access vector for malware that may lead to ransomware distribution,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence

New Rugmi Malware Loader Surges with Hundreds of Daily Detections

A new malware loader is being used by threat actors to deliver a wide range of information stealers such as Lumma Stealer (aka LummaC2), Vidar, RecordBreaker (aka Raccoon Stealer V2), and Rescoms. Cybersecurity firm ESET is tracking the trojan under the name Win/TrojanDownloader.Rugmi. "This malware is a loader with three types of components: a downloader that downloads an

Behind the Scenes of Matveev's Ransomware Empire: Tactics and Team

Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on the inner workings of the ransomware operation led by Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, a Russian national who was indicted by the U.S. government earlier this year for his alleged role in launching thousands of attacks across the world. Matveev, who resides in Saint Petersburg and is known by the aliases Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin, Uhodiransomwar,

Double-Extortion Play Ransomware Strikes 300 Organizations Worldwide

The threat actors behind the Play ransomware are estimated to have impacted approximately 300 entities as of October 2023, according to a new joint cybersecurity advisory from Australia and the U.S. "Play ransomware actors employ a double-extortion model, encrypting systems after exfiltrating data and have impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure organizations in North

New MrAnon Stealer Malware Targeting German Users via Booking-Themed Scam

A phishing campaign has been observed delivering an information stealer malware called MrAnon Stealer to unsuspecting victims via seemingly benign booking-themed PDF lures. "This malware is a Python-based information stealer compressed with cx-Freeze to evade detection," Fortinet FortiGuard Labs researcher Cara Lin said. "MrAnon Stealer steals its victims' credentials, system

U.S. Treasury Sanctions Sinbad Cryptocurrency Mixer Used by North Korean Hackers

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions against Sinbad, a virtual currency mixer that has been put to use by the North Korea-linked Lazarus Group to launder ill-gotten proceeds. "Sinbad has processed millions of dollars' worth of virtual currency from Lazarus Group heists, including the Horizon Bridge and Axie Infinity heists," the department said. "Sinbad is

Go Beyond the Headlines for Deeper Dives into the Cybercriminal Underground

Discover stories about threat actors’ latest tactics, techniques, and procedures from Cybersixgill’s threat experts each month. Each story brings you details on emerging underground threats, the threat actors involved, and how you can take action to mitigate risks. Learn about the top vulnerabilities and review the latest ransomware and malware trends from the deep and dark web. Stolen ChatGPT

Interpol Seized $130 Million from Cybercriminals in Global "HAECHI-III" Crackdown Operation

Interpol on Thursday announced the seizure of $130 million worth of virtual assets in connection with a global crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crimes and money laundering. The international police operation, dubbed HAECHI-III, transpired between June 28 and November 23, 2022, resulting in the arrests of 975 individuals and the closure of more than 1,600 cases. This comprised two fugitives

How to Tell Whether a Website Is Safe or Unsafe

Something looks a little … sketchy. Is that website safe or unsafe?  

Nowadays, it can take a bit work to tell. 

And that’s by design. Increasingly, hackers and scammers go to great pains when they create their malicious websites. They take extra steps to make their sites look legit, when in fact they’re anything but. Certainly, plenty of other hackers and scammers slap together malicious sites that still look a bit roughshod, which makes them easier to spot. 

So whether it’s a clever knockoff or a slapdash effort, unsafe websites of all kinds have several telltale signs you can spot. We’ll show you, and let’s start things off with what makes an unsafe website unsafe in the first place. 

What’s an unsafe website? 

Unsafe websites typically harbor one of two primary forms of attack—yet sometimes both: 

Malware: Hackers will use their sites to install malware on your device, often by tricking you into clicking or tapping on a download. They might tempt you with an offer, a prize, a show to stream—just about anything you might want to otherwise download. (Recently, we saw hackers installing malware on sites that offered to stream dubbed versions of the “Barbie” movie.) 

Phishing: Another classic attack. Phishing involves scammers who try to hoodwink you into providing account or financial information. Common ruses include links in emails, texts, and DMs that appear to be urgent messages from streaming services, banks, social media, and other accounts. Of course, those messages are phony.  

As a result, unsafe websites can lead to some not-so-good things. 

What can happen if you visit an unsafe website? 

On the malware side, attackers can install spyware and similar apps that siphon financial and personal information from your device while you’re using it. Other malware might steal files outright or maliciously delete them altogether. Ransomware remains a major concern today as well, where attackers hold devices and data hostage. And even if victims end up paying the ransom, they have no guarantee that the attacker will free their device or data. 

Phishing attacks often lead to financial headaches, sometimes large ones at that. It depends on the information scammers get their hands on. In some cases, the damage might lead to identity fraud and a few illicit charges on a debit or credit card. If scammers gather enough information, they can take that a step further and commit identity theft. That can include opening new credit or loans in your name. It could also give a scammer the info they need to get driver’s licenses or employment in your name.  

Above and beyond committing fraud or theft on their own, scammers might also sell stolen information to others on the dark web. 

Again, all not-so-good. Yet quite preventable. 

How to tell if a website is safe or unsafe. 

For some sites, it only takes one sign. For other sites, it takes a few signs—a series of red flags that warn you a site is unsafe. When you’re online, keep a sharp eye out for the following: 

The site uses HTTP rather than HTTPS. 

The “s” stands for “secure.” Specifically, it means that the website uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser. SSL helps prevent others from intercepting and reading your sensitive information as it’s transmitted, which is particularly important when you shop or bank online. Likewise, you can also look for a little lock symbol in the address bar of your web browser. That’s one more way you can spot a site that uses SSL. 

The site has a combination of typos and poor design. 

From spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, to stretched out logos and cheap photography, some unsafe websites are designed poorly. Legitimate businesses pride themselves on error-free and professional-looking sites. If a website looks like it got cobbled together in a hurry or doesn’t seem to be well-designed, that’s usually a red flag. The site might be unsafe, created by attackers who don’t have a strong attention to detail—or the creative capabilities to create a good-looking website in the first place. 

The web address looks altered or off. 

Plenty of unsafe sites are imposter sites. They’ll try to pass themselves off as a legitimate company, like the streaming services, banks, and so forth that we mentioned earlier—all to get a hold of your account information. With all these imposter sites in play, look at the site’s address. Scammers will gin up web addresses that are close to but different from legitimate sites, so close that you might miss it. If you’re uncertain about the address, leave the page. Also note that many companies have web pages that provide lists of the official addresses that they use. Amazon provides on example, and we do the same here at McAfee. Reviewing these lists can help you spot an imposter site. 

The site says you have a security issue. 

A window or graphic pops up on your screen. The site you’re on says that it’s identified a security issue with your device. Or maybe it says that your system isn’t current. Either way, there’s a file the site wants you to download. “You can correct the issue with a click!” Don’t. It’s a classic trick. Instead of fixing your non-existent problem, the download will create one. Scammers use the security alert trick to install malware on the devices of unsuspecting victims. 

The site floods you with pop-ups or links to click. 

A screen full of links insisting you to click ranks among the top signs of an unsafe site. So much so, it’s often the subject of sitcom bits. Needless to say, the attackers behind these sites want you to click for one of several reasons. It might be to get you to download malware. It might be to generate ad revenue with clicks. Or it might be to get you to click a link that redirects you to another malicious site. In all, if you encounter a site like this, close your browser. And then run a system scan with your online protection software. 

The site offers hard-to-get items at an outrageous discount. 

These unsafe sites sprout up around the holidays and gift-giving seasons. When stores run low on particularly popular or hot items, scammers will quickly launch sites that claim these items are in stock and ready to ship. Similarly, they might promote popular items at a deep discount. Of course, shopping at these sites will likely lead to one thing—a credit card charge and no item on your doorstep. Be wary when you see ads for stores in your social media feed, in search, and elsewhere. Stick with known, trusted retailers. (And for more on shopping safely online, give this article a quick read.) 

The site promises access to hot shows, movies, and sporting events. 

These sites bear similarities to malicious online shopping sites. When popular movies hit the big screen or major sporting events come around, so do scam sites that promise to stream them for free or at a low cost. Avoid them. Trusted streamers will only carry shows and events that they have the rights to. If you find an offer to stream something that’s heavily discounted, free, or not available on known media outlets, it’s likely a scam. At the very least, it might serve up pirated content, which could carry malware threats along with it. 

The site promotes prizes, coupons, or a quiz. 

Not every site that promotes some kind of giveaway or deal is a scam. Yet the ones that ask for personal or financial information likely are. Scammers prey on people’s love for saving money or even winning a buck or two. Enter the prize, coupon, and quiz sites. Malicious prize and coupon sites will often ask for credit or debit card information, often under the guise of a payout or a discount. Malicious quiz sites will likewise ask for all kinds of personal information, typically questions about the name of your pet, the first car you owned, or where you went to school. The questions share much in common with the security questions used by banks and credit card companies. Handing this information over could lead to a breached account. Give these sites a pass. 

Be extra confident—let online protection determine if that site is safe for you. 

Comprehensive online protection software like ours includes web protection that can spot malicious sites for you. It has further features that can prevent downloading malware by accident, not to mention strong antivirus protection if a hacker makes their way through to you. In all, it gives you extra confidence that wherever your travels take you online, you’re protected from sketchy and unsafe sites. 

However, another part of your best defense against unsafe websites is you. Knowing what the red flags are and the kinds of information hackers want to steal can help you avoid their attacks from the start.   

The post How to Tell Whether a Website Is Safe or Unsafe appeared first on McAfee Blog.

FBI-Wanted Leader of the Notorious Zeus Botnet Gang Arrested in Geneva

A Ukrainian national who has been wanted by the U.S for over a decade has been arrested by Swiss authorities for his role in a notorious cybercriminal ring that stole millions of dollars from victims' bank accounts using malware called Zeus. Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, who went by online pseu­do­nyms "tank" and "father," is alleged to have been involved in the day-to-day operations of the

How to Stay One Step Ahead of Hackers

Whether using the internet for play or work, you want to spend your time online enjoying the peace of mind that comes with having a secure network. 

You don’t want to contend with someone taking your personal data — whether it’s credit card information, passwords, or bank account details — via malware or a data breach on your Android, Windows, or Apple iOS device. 

Fortunately, with some sensible precautions and simple steps, you can use your connected devices productively without worrying about cybercriminals and malicious software. This article explains how to stop hackers from getting access to your sensitive data.  

8 ways to protect your identity from hackers

You can take steps to protect your different computing and mobile devices and operating systems. These steps can be divided into technological solutions and the right awareness and information to provide a comforting measure of self-protection. 

It’s like learning karate for self-defense, giving you confidence as you negotiate the wider world (and hoping that you never have to use it). 

Use identity protection software

When it comes to identity protection software, McAfee provides a proven solution with our identity protection and privacy services. The protection includes alerts if your sensitive information is found on the dark web (up to 10 months sooner than other providers), personal data cleanup from sites gathering and selling your information, and an unlimited virtual public network (VPN) service that protects your privacy as you use public Wi-Fi networks. 

You’ll also get up to $1 million in identity theft coverage and hands-on restoration support to help you reclaim your identity.  

Use complex passwords

Simple, obvious passwords and passcodes (like your street address, your birthday, your kids’ or pets’ names, or “1234” or “abcd”) are easy for cybercriminals to crack, giving them unwanted access to your private data. 

The stronger your password, the better your protection. Some best password practices include: 

• Use a different password for all your online accounts, including your email accounts, social media platforms, and bank accounts. 
• Create a password that’s at least eight characters long, combining lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. 
• Don’t use consecutive keystrokes, such as “qwerty.” 
• Don’t share your passwords with anyone. 
• Avoid entering your password on unsecured public Wi-Fi, such as at an airport or in a coffee shop. 

Regularly update passwords

It’s important not to be a standing target. Just as you should use different passwords for everything, you should regularly change your passwords. You should do this a few times a year (although some cyber experts say this might not be necessary if you have a long and very complicated password). 

If you have a number of passwords that you update often, it might be worth getting a password manager like McAfee True Key to keep track of them. Not only will you not be faced with remembering all your different passwords or writing them down (also a no-no), but it can also help you create and store unique passwords.  

The software uses the strongest encryption algorithms available to protect your passwords, scrambling them so no one else can access them. It’ll also suggest new passwords and automatically log you into your online accounts with just one master password. 

Use multi-factor authentication

Another important line of defense is multi-factor authentication (sometimes known as two-factor authentication). This system uses a password and a second piece of verification — often an SMS message sent to your Android device or iPhone — to authenticate your identity. 

This provides hard-to-beat protection even if a hacker has your password. Besides receiving SMS codes, there are also code-generating apps and physical security keys. 

Learn to spot potential scams

Thinking before you click on an email or text is a very important defense against phishing scams. Your bank won’t send you an email or text notifying you that there’s been suspicious activity on your account.  

Does getting a large refund from your phone company sound too good to be true? It is. Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) won’t text to tell you that you owe them money, and princes aren’t going to give you a fortune out of the blue. 

Internet users beware: If you’re not absolutely certain that the text message you received is from a legitimate and trusted source, delete it. You can always contact the business or person directly to confirm that the message is legit. 

Keep device software up to date

Any operating system or app you use is open to malicious cyberattacks. This is why you should keep all your software up to date with the latest versions. Software developers are continually fixing holes in their products and offering cybersecurity patches to make them as safe and hacker-proof as possible. 

Make sure your software, firmware, and security settings are up to date on your home’s Wi-Fi router, as well. You can often change your settings to allow for automatic updates. 

Be cautious when using public Wi-Fi

Sure, who doesn’t like to go to a cafe, library, or hotel lobby to use the free Wi-Fi? But security is often weak in these public networks. If you open your online banking account or access personal information, you may unwittingly be giving a personal invitation to eavesdropping cybercriminals.  

This is where the bank-grade level of protection of McAfee Secure VPN comes in, which automatically turns on when you need it and keeps you safe on public Wi-Fi networks. 

Use encryption

Even if your device does get hacked, you can protect vital information on your Windows or macOS system with an encryption program like BitLocker or FileVault. You can protect any hard drive you use, including portable ones and USB keys. 

It’s also a good idea to only shop at encrypted websites marked with the prefix “HTTPS” in their URLs. 

Discover how McAfee keeps you secure online

One of the best ways to surf the web in comfort while keeping hackers at bay is with the comprehensive solutions provided by McAfee Total Protection. 

Your protection includes proactive measures (meaning we’ll guide you to the best choices for prevention), early detection, and expert identity theft support.  

This means you’ll get identity monitoring, up to $1 million in identity theft coverage, lost wallet protection, premium antivirus software, a secure VPN, and personal data removal. In particular, our Personal Data Cleanup service will help find and remove your personal information from data broker websites and people search sites.  

With McAfee, you don’t have to be afraid of hackers. Let us deal with them.  

The post How to Stay One Step Ahead of Hackers appeared first on McAfee Blog.

How the Cybercriminal Underground Has Changed in 5 Years

The cybercrime economy is one of the runaway success stories of the 21^st century — at least, for those who participate in it. Estimates claim it could be worth over $1 trillion annually, more than the GDP of many countries. Part of that success is due to its ability to evolve and shift as the threat landscape changes. Trend Micro has been profiling the underground cybercrime community for many years. Over the past five years, we’ve seen a major shift to new platforms, communications channels, products and services, as trust on the dark web erodes and new market demands emerge.

We also expect the current pandemic to create yet another evolution, as cyber-criminals look to take advantage of new ways of working and systemic vulnerabilities.

Shifts in the underground

Our latest report, Shifts in the Cybercriminal Underground Markets, charts the fascinating progress of cybercrime over the past five years, through detailed analysis of forums, marketplaces and dark web sites around the world. It notes that in many product areas, the cost of items has dropped as they become commoditised: so where in 2015 you expected to pay $1000 per months for crypting services, today they may be as little as $20.

In other areas, such as IoT botnets, cyber-propaganda and stolen gaming account credentials, prices are high as new products spark surging demand. Fortnite logins can sell for around $1,000 on average, for example.

The good news is that law enforcement action appears to be working. Trend Micro has long partnered with Interpol, Europol, national crime agencies and local police to provide assistance in investigations. So it’s good to see that these efforts are having an impact. Many dark web forums and marketplaces have been infiltrated and taken down over the past five years, and our researchers note that current users complain of DDoS-ing and log-in issues.

Cybercriminals have been forced to take extreme measures as trust erodes among the community, for example, by using gaming communications service Discord to arrange trades, and e-commerce platform Shoppy.gg to sell items. A new site called DarkNet Trust was even created to tackle this specific challenge: it aims to verify cybercrime vendors’ reputations by analysing their usernames and PGP fingerprints.

What does the future hold?

However, things rarely stay still on the cybercrime underground. Going forward, we expect to see a range of new tools and techniques flood dark web stores and forums. AI will be at the centre of these efforts. Just as it’s being used by Trend Micro and other companies to root out fraud, sophisticated malware and phishing, it could be deployed in bots designed to predict roll patterns on gambling sites. It could also be used in deepfake services developed to help buyers bypass photo ID systems, or launch sextortion campaigns against individuals.

Some emerging trends are less hi-tech but no less damaging. Log-ins for wearable devices could be stolen and used to request replacements under warranty, defrauding the customer and costing the manufacturers dear. In fact, access to devices, systems and accounts is so common today that we’re already seeing it spun out in “as-a-service” cybercrime offerings. Prices for access to Fortune 500 companies can hit as much as $10,000.

Post-pandemic threats

Then there’s COVID-19. We’re already seeing fraudsters targeted government stimulus money with fake applications, sometimes using phished information from legitimate businesses. And healthcare organisations are being targeted with ransomware as they battle to save lives.

Even as the pandemic recedes, remote working practices are likely to stay in many organisations. What does this mean for cybercrime? It means more targeting of VPN vulnerabilities with malware and DDoS services. And it means more opportunities to compromise corporate networks via connected home devices. Think of it like a kind of Reverse BYOD scenario – instead of bringing devices into work to connect, the corporate network is now merged with home networks.

Tackling such challenges will demand a multi-layered strategy predicated around that familiar trio: people, process and technology. It will require more training, better security for home workers, improved patch management and password security, and much more besides. But most of all it will demand continued insight into global cybercriminals and the platforms they inhabit, to anticipate where the next threats are coming from.

Fortunately, this is where Trend Micro’s expert team of researchers come in. We won’t let them out of our sight.

The post How the Cybercriminal Underground Has Changed in 5 Years appeared first on .