Passkeys Make Passwords a Thing of the Past

Tired of creating and remembering passwords? Aren't we all? Well, now there’s an easier option to do away with all those pesky passwords. They’re called “passkeys”, and the best part is, they’re easier to use and more secure (you can now jump for joy). Passkeys are a type of authentication technology doing away with the risks of traditional logins. Unfortunately, not all websites use them yet, but more are appearing every day. While it's a hip hip hooray for us, finding ways around them is also a big challenge for hackers. READ FULL STORY

Holiday or Not, These Scams Ignore Holiday Spirit

As the holiday season ramps up, so do scams—but make no mistake, these schemes run year-round. Cybercriminals simply turn up the volume when people are shopping more, traveling, and feeling generous. Four scams in particular continue to trap victims every month of the year, with a noticeable spike during holidays and major shopping seasons. And for good reason. We’re out and about, likely shopping more than normal, and in the giving spirit.  READ FULL STORY

Financial Sector Faces New Targeted Phishing Attacks

Banks and other financial institutions are grappling with a new form of phishing attack that leverages the popular business networking website LinkedIn to reach potential victims. The two-stage attack is notable for its sophistication, but with a smidge of awareness and vigilance, the multi-stage threat can be managed. The recent targeted phishing attacks on the financial sector highlight the importance of ongoing vigilance and careful scrutiny of online communications. READ FULL STORY

Shimming Right Along To Skim Your Payment Card Number

By now, most of us have at least one or two EMV (Europay, MasterCard, Visa) cards. These are the payment cards that were touted as far more secure than the ones with the magnetic strips on the backs. And indeed, if you ask Visa these cards have resulted in a 75% decrease in fraud in the three years since they were introduced. Cybercriminals are of course finding ways to take advantage of the EMV cards too. Now, there are reports of a new way to skim. READ FULL STORY

Text Scams Impersonating Financial Institutions

Jim Stickley gives a quick warning about malicious text messages that appear to come from your financial institution. READ FULL STORY

Hackers Flush Out Users’ Google Credentials

Hackers have begun employing a new annoyance technique to steal Google account passwords. This tactic, called credential flushing, relies on getting malware onto a device that locks the system into “kiosk mode.” In this mode, users are prevented from doing anything else without providing their account credentials. Once the victim provides them, hackers can log into the victim’s Google account and steal personal information or further compromise their online security. READ FULL STORY

AI Becomes Criminals' New Ally with the Emergence of FraudGPT

The digital landscape is facing a fresh threat: FraudGPT. This nefarious AI tool, hanging around at the backdoor of WormGPT, first popped up on July 22, 2023. Numerous underground websites and private Telegram channels were the first to notice its presence. What sets FraudGPT apart from other cyber threats is its versatility—it's a multi-purpose tool designed for an array of illicit activities. And once inside your computer, this software can wreak significant havoc. READ FULL STORY

Your Email Address and Password Have Been Stolen, As Have Nearly 1 Billion Others

Your email and password might already be in the hands of cybercriminals. Security expert Troy Hunt, who operates Have I Been Pwned, recently received 2 billion unique email addresses found across multiple malicious lists and internet sources, including 1.3 billion unique passwords, according to reports from TechRepublic. This isn’t just another data breach—it’s a massive aggregation of stolen credentials that could put your accounts at serious risk. READ FULL STORY

Microsoft Teams Users Targeted In Impersonation Sophisticated Fraud Scheme

Cybersecurity researchers at Check Point Research have uncovered multiple critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft Teams that allow hackers to impersonate executives, edit messages without detection, and manipulate notifications, putting millions of users at risk of financial fraud and data theft. The flaws enable threat actors to change user names, spoof notifications from trusted colleagues, and alter previously sent messages without triggering the “Edited” label. READ FULL STORY

Avoiding Insurance Fraud And Fraudsters

Insurance fraud is a problem everywhere and it makes things more expensive for those of us playing by the rules. With this fraud in particular, whether it’s for our health, car, or home, fraudsters are scamming like never before. Suspecting a sketchy seller and policy in an open marketplace can help prevent a potential nightmare. Knowing tell-tale signs of insurance fraud when we see it is smart shopping, and the information below will help. READ FULL STORY

New Clickjack Attacks: Where You Double-Click Matters

Call them sneaky, devious, underhanded, cunning, and conniving. Clickjack attacks are all that and more. And now there’s a new twist on this highly successful cybercrime. All it takes is one wrong double-click that puts this crime into motion, leaving countless victims unaware they’ve been duped. That is, until it’s too late. Here’s what you need to know now about this new type of attack on your clicks. This new double-click version gets past clickjacking protections put on the single click attacks. READ FULL STORY

QR Code Phishing Scams Spike 587%

It’s the latest form of email phishing to hit the headlines. Researchers at Check Point find QR code phishing scams, called “Quishing” were up a whopping 587% in just two months. Quishing is a phishing attack using emails to send a malicious QR code. And now this credential-stealing scam has grown into epic proportions. In our growing desire for instant information, QR codes and Quishing present a uniquely tempting challenge. Here’s what you need to know to help avoid Quishing. READ FULL STORY