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Facebook vaguely responds to accusations of a major privacy breach associated with Cambridge Analytica

As you may have heard, Facebook has been in the midst of a security breach controversy associated with Cambridge Analytica and the U.S presidential campaign. Over the past week, the #detelefacebook has been trending all around the world. Furthermore, Facebook's shares have plummeted and continue to do so during this time. In fact, according to the CNBC report Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the company, has sold  1.14 million shares as part of regularly scheduled programs.

New York Times and Observer broke the story regarding the security breach on 17 and 18 March respectively. Reports stated that Facebook might have been aware of the fact that a company known as Cambridge Analytica exploited up to 50 million users on their platform. Further stamens from Facebook and the whistleblower Christopher Wylie shed light on how all of this might have happened. Read more »

Ev Ransomware

A new nasty infection Ev Ransomware has been detected by specialists working in the malware research department. According to them, this threat has been developed by an Indonesian group of malware developers, and it does not differ much from such prevalent threats as WannaCry Ransomware and Petya Ransomware. That is, it also has the one and only goal it seeks to achieve – to get easy money. Actually, there is one tiny feature that distinguishes it from the remaining ransomware infections that can be spotted in the wild – it is not a threat targeting the Windows OS. Instead, it primarily targets WordPress websites. When the ransomware infection is successfully uploaded by an attacker to the compromised website, the encryption of files starts immediately. Then, the message to pay 0.2 BTC (~ $959 at today’s price) is displayed. Specifically speaking, your website will open only a black window with a message if Ev Ransomware encrypts its files successfully. Ransomware is no longer a new type of malware, so malware researchers already have much knowledge about these infections. They say that there is one thing that unites them all – they want victims’ money and do not hesitate to tell them that. There is, most probably, no need to say that paying money to malicious software developers is the worst they can do. Even if you pay, your website will, most likely, not be fixed because the decryption mechanism of Ev Ransomware does not work properly. Of course, a fixed version of this threat might be uploaded to your website too, but this does not change anything. Read more »

Developer Mode Extensions

Developer Mode Extensions

In this report, we would like to talk about Google Chrome’s Developer Mode feature and the so-called Developer Mode Extensions. It is quite obvious the mentioned feature was created for add-ons’ developers rather than their users. While it may seem like a useful tool for testing designed applications, the research shows this feature might be abused by unreliable programs to bypass the browser’s security. Therefore, if your default browser is Google Chrome and you have not yet heard about such settings, we would advise you to read this article carefully so you would know how to identify potential threats and protect the system from Developer Mode Extensions that could put your computer in danger. Those who encounter such applications could get rid of them manually as it is shown in the instructions located at the end of the article. Read more »

Windows 10 Creators Update

It is possible that your Windows OS has not yet prompted you about the most exciting Windows 10 Creators Update, so we are here to tell you more about it since this is probably the one you have been waiting for. Due to the number of users with Windows 10, it is possible that you will have to wait a couple of months until your system can be updated. But this should not worry you too much because you can manually initiate it. Nonetheless, before you rush to do so, let us tell you more about this great update that concerns general virtual security, graphic design (3D), music, gaming, and e-book readings. This serious upgrade is all about creativity and entertainment. If you have had enough of the old ways of 2D graphics and design, sluggish gaming performance, slow browsing experience, this Windows 10 Creators Update is definitely for you and those issues, a thing of the past. Please read on to learn more about this fantastic novelty. Read more »

Chrysaor: new surveillance malware spotted on Android devices

The development of potentially harmful applications for Android devices has reached a new peak. Hundreds of untrustworthy applications are released every day, but, as malware analysts have observed, not all of them have a goal to affect as many computers as possible. Threats targeting only a small number of devices exist too despite their developers’ efforts and time put into their development – this is called a targeted attack. Chrysaor is one of the newest potentially harmful applications engaged in the targeted attack on devices with the Android OS. Specialists generally refer to it as a potentially harmful application, but, as recent research has revealed, it is nothing more than spyware (software aiming to gather information about users). It is believed to be released by NSO Group Technologies and, according to researchers who have analyzed it, it seems to be a variant of Pegasus, which is yet another surveillance software first detected on devices running certain versions of iOS. Frankly speaking, there was not much known about Chrysaor until malware analysts gathered information from affected devices and carried out thorough research. Now they know everything about it. Read more »

Baidu.com Skype virus continues to terrorize users

A malicious campaign has never hit so close to home. Baidu.com Skype virus continues to spread and terrorize users, and recently even one of your team members got infected with it! What’s more, there is no silver lining to this situation: you will get infected with this annoying threat even if you do not click a random link you get from one of your Skype contacts! Of course, it is not possible to get infected if you do not use Skype in the first place, but there are quite a few users who suffer from this intruder, and in this article here we are going to discuss it in greater detail. Read more »

Ploutus

If you thought that only desktop computers and mobile devices could be infected by malicious viruses, better think again. Here comes Ploutus, a Trojan infection that affects ATMs! The point is, as long as any type of computer employs an operating system to run smoothly, that operating system can be compromised by a malicious infection. In this article, we will tell you more about the infection, and its main aims, as based on the research by FireEye. As you can probably tell, Ploutus cannot infect your computer, and perhaps that is for the best because the Trojan clearly aims to steal as much money as possible. Read more »

Beware of the Baidu.com link on Skype

Beware of the Baidu.com link on Skype

Skype users worldwide are being disturbed by Baidu.com links. Since getting the link is usually followed by other activities performed automatically without the user’s permission, some experts specializing in cyber security suspect that malicious software is responsible for sending links to users. Unfortunately, a malicious application (e.g. Trojan, spyware, backdoor etc.) causing this phenomenon has not been yet detected, and Skype has not made any official statements so far. Therefore, it is not surprising that a different opinion exists too. Another group of specialists, including Skype’s online support, says that this issue might be associated with the so-called password exploit. Generally speaking, hackers could have obtained users’ Skype login details. On the basis of the previous experience, people using the same password on several different websites are the first ones whose passwords cyber criminals crack. As a consequence, users who have already received the Baidu.com link should rush to update their Skype passwords. Read more »

Yahoo Has Been Hacked! Change Your Passwords ASAP!

In a recent message addressed to “Yahoo Users,” Yahoo has informed about a hack that happened two years ago, in late 2014. A massive data breach – which some classify as the biggest of its kind ever – was reported on 22nd of September, and, according to the information provided, around 500 million accounts were hit. Although not all hacks are discovered right away, it is surprising that it took two years for the company to detect this and inform its users. Needless to say, the damage has been done, and now is the time to take action. The company has not presented any information regarding the security problems that have emerged due to the hack, but it is possible that a lot of users have already suffered some consequences without even knowing it. Hopefully, there is time for everyone to evade big security issues. Read more »

New malware to look out for: ElGato Ransomware

Malware researchers are warning about the emergence of a new family of ransomware called ElGato Ransomware. This malware is targeting Android devices, and it can lead to the encryption of the files found on them. According to recent information, it seems that this malware offers an open source code for other cyber criminals to exploit and create their own versions of ransomware. At this moment, the ransomware is still in its development stages, and it has not started a widespread attack; however, it might be only a matter of time before Android users get hit. When they do, the ransomware might not only lock the files but also initiate other malicious activities. Continue reading to learn more. Read more »