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Category — adware
Beware! Fireball Malware Infects Nearly 250 Million Computers Worldwide

Beware! Fireball Malware Infects Nearly 250 Million Computers Worldwide

Jun 01, 2017
Security researchers have discovered a massive malware campaign that has already infected more than 250 million computers across the world, including Windows and Mac OS. Dubbed Fireball , the malware is an adware package that takes complete control of victim's web browsers and turns them into zombies, potentially allowing attackers to spy on victim's web traffic and potentially steal their data. Check Point researchers, who discovered this massive malware campaign, linked the operation to Rafotech, a Chinese company which claims to offer digital marketing and game apps to 300 million customers. While the company is currently using Fireball for generating revenue by injecting advertisements onto the browsers, the malware can be quickly turned into a massive destroyer to cause a significant cyber security incident worldwide. Fireball comes bundled with other free software programs that you download off of the Internet. Once installed, the malware installs browser plug
Judy Android Malware Infects Over 36.5 Million Google Play Store Users

Judy Android Malware Infects Over 36.5 Million Google Play Store Users

May 29, 2017
Security researchers have claimed to have discovered possibly the largest malware campaign on Google Play Store that has already infected around 36.5 million Android devices with malicious ad-click software. The security firm Checkpoint on Thursday published a blog post revealing more than 41 Android applications from a Korean company on Google Play Store that make money for its creators by creating fake advertisement clicks from the infected devices. All the malicious apps, developed by Korea-based Kiniwini and published under the moniker ENISTUDIO Corp, contained an adware program, dubbed Judy, that is being used to generate fraudulent clicks to generate revenue from advertisements. Moreover, the researchers also uncovered a few more apps, published by other developers on Play Store, inexplicably containing the same the malware in them. The connection between the two campaigns remains unclear, though researchers believe it is possible that one developer borrowed code from
The Secret Weakness Execs Are Overlooking: Non-Human Identities

The Secret Weakness Execs Are Overlooking: Non-Human Identities

Oct 03, 2024Enterprise Security / Cloud Security
For years, securing a company's systems was synonymous with securing its "perimeter." There was what was safe "inside" and the unsafe outside world. We built sturdy firewalls and deployed sophisticated detection systems, confident that keeping the barbarians outside the walls kept our data and systems safe. The problem is that we no longer operate within the confines of physical on-prem installations and controlled networks. Data and applications now reside in distributed cloud environments and data centers, accessed by users and devices connecting from anywhere on the planet. The walls have crumbled, and the perimeter has dissolved, opening the door to a new battlefield: identity . Identity is at the center of what the industry has praised as the new gold standard of enterprise security: "zero trust." In this paradigm, explicit trust becomes mandatory for any interactions between systems, and no implicit trust shall subsist. Every access request, regardless of its origin,
Verizon to pre-install a 'Spyware' app on its Android phones to collect user data

Verizon to pre-install a 'Spyware' app on its Android phones to collect user data

Mar 30, 2017
If the death of online privacy rules wasn't enough for Internet Service Providers and advertisers to celebrate, Verizon has planned to pre-install spyware on customers' Android devices in order to collect their personal data. The telecom giant has partnered with Evie Launcher to bring a new application called ' AppFlash ' — a universal search bar that will come pre-installed on the home screens of all Verizon Android handsets for quickly finding apps and web content. AppFlash is simply a Google search bar replacement, but instead of collecting and sending telemetry data including what you search, handset, apps and other online activities to Google, it will send to Verizon. What's worse? Just like other pre-installed bloatware apps, Android users can't uninstall AppFlash quickly, unless they have rooted their phone. AppFlash allows you to search inside apps or browse through listings of nearby restaurants and entertainment. The built-in Google Search
cyber security

The State of SaaS Security 2024 Report

websiteAppOmniSaaS Security / Data Security
Learn the latest SaaS security trends and discover how to boost your cyber resilience. Get your free…
This Malware Can Delete and Replace Your Entire Chrome Browser with a lookalike

This Malware Can Delete and Replace Your Entire Chrome Browser with a lookalike

Oct 20, 2015
Security researchers have uncovered a new piece of Adware that replaces your entire browser with a dangerous copy of Google Chrome , in a way that you will not notice any difference while browsing. The new adware software, dubbed " eFast Browser ," works by installing and running itself in place of Google Chrome The adware does all kinds of malicious activities that we have seen quite often over the years: Generates pop-up, coupon, pop-under and other similar ads on your screen Placing other advertisements into your web pages Redirects you to malicious websites containing bogus contents Tracking your movements on the web to help nefarious marketers send more crap your way to generating revenue Therefore, having eFast Browser installed on your machine may lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. What's Nefariously Intriguing About this Adware? The thing that makes this Adware different from others is that instead of taking contr
Kemoge: Latest Android Malware that Can Root Your Smartphone

Kemoge: Latest Android Malware that Can Root Your Smartphone

Oct 08, 2015
Google Android has been a primary concern of the attackers. Counting from a simple text message that could hack an Android phone remotely to the Stagefright bug making Billion users vulnerable. Now, the latest is the ' Kemoge Malware ' that has made its debut as an Adware on the Android mobile phones, allowing third-party app stores to fetch your device's information and take full control of it. Security researchers from FireEye Labs have discovered that Kemoge malicious adware family is spreading in 20 countries around the globe. Also, the origin of the Adware's attack is suspected from China. What is Kemoge? The name given to the malicious Adware family is because of its command and control (C2) domain: aps.kemoge.net. Kemoge is an Adware in the disguise of popular Apps; it has circulated in such numbers because it takes the name of popular apps and repackages them with the malicious code and make them available to the user. They even use
Google Removes 200 Ad-Injectors Chrome Extensions

Google Removes 200 Ad-Injectors Chrome Extensions

Apr 02, 2015
In the War against Ad injectors , Google has started removing ad-injecting extensions for its Chrome browser after it discovered as many as 200 Chrome extensions that exposed Millions of its users to malicious software and fraudulent activities. While working with a team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, the search engine giant found that over 5 percent of its users were infected with ' Ad Injectors ' — software that inserts ads or replace existing ads into the pages you visit while browsing the web. In last three months, Google received more than 100,000 complaints from its Chrome users about ad injection, which is far more than what the company receives for network errors, performance problems, or any other issue. Ad Injectors are sometimes more than just intrusive. A visitor to a website can be tricked into downloading an unwanted software and programs that could result in a major security risk, just what happened in the recent Sup
Lenovo Shipping PCs with Pre-Installed 'Superfish Malware' that Kills HTTPS

Lenovo Shipping PCs with Pre-Installed 'Superfish Malware' that Kills HTTPS

Feb 19, 2015
One of the most popular computer manufacturers Lenovo is being criticized for selling laptops pre-installed with invasive marketing software, or malware that, experts say, opens up a door for hackers and cyber crooks. The software, dubbed ' Superfish Malware ', analyzes users' Internet habits and injects third-party advertising into websites on browsers such as Google Chrome and Internet Explorer based on that activities without the user's permission. Security researchers recently discovered  Superfish Malware  presents onto new consumer-grade Lenovo computers sold before January of 2015. When taken out of the box for the first time, the adware gets activated and because it comes pre-installed, Lenovo customers might end up using it inadvertently. SUPERFISH CERTIFICATE PASSWORD CRACKED The  Superfish Malware  raised serious security concerns about the company's move for breaking fundamental web security protocols, carrying out " Man in the Middle " (MitM) at
Adware Android Apps Found in Google Play With Millions of Downloads

Adware Android Apps Found in Google Play With Millions of Downloads

Feb 04, 2015
With the rise in mobile market, last year we have seen sharp growth in malicious ' adware ' — the most prevalent mobile threat in the world. And now, security researchers have once again found Google Play Store offering malicious apps that are infecting millions of Android users with adware . It's not at all surprising that the Android operating system is surrounded by a number of unwanted intrusions that may gain users' attention to fall victim for one, but this issue might be even worse than we thought. WHAT IS ADWARE ? For those not familiar with adware, adware is a software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material like banners or pop-ups when a user is online. Doesn't sound dangerous, Right? But adware could result in a serious threat to users. Android Adware can pose a major threat to users' privacy, since some ad networks gather personal information like phone number, email address, and many more. Depending on where the ad netwo
DeviantArt Malwaretising Campaigns lead to Potentially Unwanted Apps

DeviantArt Malwaretising Campaigns lead to Potentially Unwanted Apps

Jun 16, 2014
Today, the estimated number of known computer threats like viruses, worms, backdoors, exploits, Trojans, spyware, password stealer, and other variants of potentially unwanted software range into millions. It has the capability to create several different forms of itself dynamically in order to thwart antimalware programs. Users of the biggest online artwork community, DevianART with Global Alexa Rank 148, are targeted by the potentially unwanted software programs -- delivered by the advertisements on the website, Stop Malvertising reported on Sunday. A Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) is a program that may not be intentionally malicious, but can negatively affect the performance and reliability of the system by distributing spyware or adware that can cause undesirable behavior on the computer. Some may simply display annoying advertisements, while others may run background processes that cause your computer to slow down. However, unlike malware, users themselves co
Don't Fall for Fake Instagram Desktop Applications Offering 'Image Viewer'

Don't Fall for Fake Instagram Desktop Applications Offering 'Image Viewer'

May 08, 2014
Today, the estimated number of known computer threats like viruses, worms, backdoors, exploits, Trojans, spyware, password stealers, and other variants of potentially unwanted software range into millions. It has ability to create several different forms of itself dynamically in order to thwart antimalware programs. Instagram users are also targeted by the potentially unwanted software programs that claims to enable them to download their Instagram photos and videos using desktop machines or computers. But once downloaded and installed into system, it could expose the user to a number of security vulnerabilities, often overlap with adware , warned the security firm Malwarebytes. " In the case of Instagram, what we've seen out there could pose greater risk than, say, your average phishing site, " said Malwarebytes intelligence analyst Jovi Umawing in a blog post . Instagram is a social networking service use for online photo-sharing and video-sharing. It
Adware Companies buying popular Chrome extensions to inject Ads and Malware

Adware Companies buying popular Chrome extensions to inject Ads and Malware

Jan 20, 2014
Browser extensions are extra features and functionality that you can easily add to Google Chrome, Firefox and other popular Browsers, but they can be used to serve malicious adware , which automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author.  Hackers are now taking their business rather more seriously than we thought. Even a single instance of malicious adware on your PC can inject bad ads or malware to your browser. Ads are a legitimate way to monetize. However, creating and spreading a fresh add-on to get a large user base is always tough, but now adware companies found a new trick i.e. Buying trusted browser extensions with a large user-base and exploiting their auto-update status to push out adware. Recently, the developer of ' Add to Feedly ' Chrome extension with 30,000+ users, Amit Agarwal , was approached by some mysterious buyers. " It was a 4-figure offer for something that had taken an hour to create and I agreed to the deal ," he said . &quo
Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit successfully disrupted the ZeroAccess Botnet

Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit successfully disrupted the ZeroAccess Botnet

Dec 07, 2013
Microsoft today announced that its Digital Crimes Unit ( a center of excellence for advancing the global fight against cybercrime ) has successfully disrupted the ZeroAccess botnet, one of the world's largest and most rampant botnet .The Botnet is " disrupted ," not "fully destroyed" , Microsoft itself admits that " do not expect to fully eliminate the ZeroAccess botnet due to the complexity of the threat. " This is the Microsoft's 8th botnet takedown operation in the past three years. With the help of U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation  ( FBI ) and Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), Microsoft led to the seizure of servers that had been distributing malware which has infected nearly 2 million computers all over the world, and with that, ZeroAccess botnet's masters are earning more than $2.7 million every month. ZeroAccess was first identified in 2011 by Symanetc, being used for click fraud, the malware can also be used to illicitly mine the v
New Mac OS X adware Trojan spreading via browser plugin

New Mac OS X adware Trojan spreading via browser plugin

Mar 20, 2013
Russian anti-virus company Doctor Web reports that a new Mac OS X adware Trojan spreading itself via crafted movie trailer pages that prompt users to install a browser plugin. Basically, an adware is any software package which automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author. Dubbed as ' Trojan.Yontoo.1 ', Attackers have provided a number of alternative ways to spread the threat. The Trojan can also be downloaded as a media player, a video quality enhancement program or a download accelerator. When victim visits the site, the dialogue only imitates the traditional plate and specially designed by hackers to enter a potential victim of misleading. After pressing the « Install the plug-in » victim is redirected to the site to download malware. When launched, Trojan.Yontoo.1 displays a dialogue window that asks the user if they want to install Free Twit Tube. after the user presses ' Continue ', instead of the promised program, the
Chinese search engine Baidu launches free Antivirus Suite

Chinese search engine Baidu launches free Antivirus Suite

Mar 05, 2013
Chinese search engine Baidu has just launched a security product called Baidu Antivirus 2013 . Described as a ultra light weight, easy to use, extremely fast anti-virus program that promises to protect your system from malware, viruses, spyware, adware and other malicious programs. Most interesting thing is that Baidu Antivirus comes only in English. Back in January, Baidu launched Baidu PC Faster, a software suite designed to fix speed and performance issues. The program combines the Baidu Antivirus Engine and Baidu Cloud Security Engine with the Avira Antivirus engine to provide you with complete protection against all online threats. " Baidu Antivirus offers an easy to use interface with several advanced configuration options as well as quarantine of infected files. It also has an extremely small memory footprint, so you can actually do other things while it is running on your computer. Other features include automatic updates, Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS), scan r
Android Adware abusing permissions, Collecting more than they need

Android Adware abusing permissions, Collecting more than they need

Oct 29, 2012
So you just bought a new Android-based smartphone, what comes next? What else but the most exciting part downloading the right apps to boost its functionality. Android gives you the freedom to personalize your device, which has made it attractive to those who want their smartphones to be as unique as possible " Many apps will ask you to grant them network access so they can download updates. Others seek permission to read your phone's state and identity so calls won't disrupt them from doing what they're doing. Unfortunately, these permissions can be abused for criminal intentions. " Trendmicro  said in report. Before android applications was abusing permissions to access user's personal data, but now new generations of adware targeting Android smartphones are increasingly violating user privacy by grabbing personal information and using it without permission. Adware is software that is used to gather information about the users. This information
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