Security News

The dark web: Where coronavirus fraud, profiteering, malware, and scams are discussed
2020-03-30 19:00

Just as law-abiding people have been discussing COVID-19, so too have criminals on the dark web. In a report published last week, Sixgill discussed the specific topics that the coronavirus has been generating on the dark web.

How to stay on top of coronavirus scams – and all the others too
2020-03-30 15:57

Don't login to company websites via emails or texts. If a company wants or needs you to login to your account, you should already know how to access your account from the company's own site or app.

How hackers are using COVID-19 fears to push new scams and malware
2020-03-26 14:08

Cybersecurity firm Forcepoint reports that it has found a number of new phishing and malware scams circulating around the internet with a common theme: They all aim to capitalize on coronavirus and COVID-19 fears. The tactics being used in this current wave of COVID-19 phishing and malware are nothing new: Phishing attempts are seeking to steal email passwords, fake ads are selling scam products, and traditional malware droppers are being found in infected word documents.

Social isolation is a risk factor for scam loss
2020-03-24 05:30

Research from the Better Business Bureau, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, and the Stanford Center on Longevity found that people are more likely to lose money to a scam when they are socially or physically isolated from others, if they are actively engaging online, and if they are financially vulnerable. "According to our research, social isolation is a key risk factor for susceptibility to scams, as is financial vulnerability," said Melissa Lanning Trumpower, executive director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, BBB's foundation that conducted the research.

Who’s Behind the ‘Web Listings’ Mail Scam?
2020-03-23 20:17

The story concluded that this dubious service had been scamming people and companies for more than a decade, and promised a Part II to explore who was behind Web Listings. Since at least 2007, Web Listings Inc. has been sending snail mail letters to domain registrants around the world.

Online face mask sales scams, 400% uptick of coronavirus phishing reports: Brit cops' workload shifts online along with the nation's
2020-03-20 19:02

British police are saying coronavirus-related fraud reports have spiked by 400 per cent over the past six weeks as the COVID-19 illness continues its inexorable march through humanity. Although absolute numbers of reports are low, perhaps kept that way because the public now knows Action Fraud is largely useless, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau said there were a total of 200 reports of coronavirus scams made to them since 1 February.

Two Dozen Arrested for Laundering Funds From BEC, Other Scams
2020-03-17 14:35

Twenty-four individuals were arrested for laundering funds illegally obtained via business email compromise, romance, and retirement account scams targeting victims across the United States. The large-scale fraud operation facilitated by the arrested individuals has caused losses of more than $30 million, the Department of Justice has revealed.

Week in review: Trojanized hacking tools, coronavirus scams, (IN)SECURE Magazine special issue
2020-03-15 10:00

Hackers are getting hacked via trojanized hacking toolsSomeone has been trojanizing a wide variety of hacking tools to compromise the machines of hackers who want to use the tools for free, Cybereason researcher Amit Serper has revealed. SECURE Magazine: RSAC 2020 special issue releasedRSA Conference, the world's leading information security conference and exposition, concluded its 29th annual event in San Francisco.

IRS scams during tax season target unsuspecting consumers
2020-03-11 05:30

Scam robocalls and phishing emails disguised as banks continue to trick consumers to put their personal information at risk, and tax season is no exception. These tactics are particularly effective due to tax payers concerns of misfiling their taxes or accidentally running into trouble with groups like the IRS. McAfee researchers recently uncovered an example of an illegitimate IRS site created to scam unsuspecting consumers.

Watch out for Office 365 and G Suite scams, FBI warns businesses
2020-03-10 12:52

The menace of Business Email Compromise is often overshadowed by ransomware but it's something small and medium-sized businesses shouldn't lose sight of. Bang on cue, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center has alerted US businesses to ongoing attacks targeting organisations using Microsoft Office 365 and Google G Suite.