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Cyber Security Software & Anti-Malware
Updated: 45 min 59 sec ago

Healthcare security lapses keep piling up

Fri, 02/21/2025 - 11:17am

Healthcare is one of the sectors that has the most sensitive information about us. At the same time it’s one of the worst at keeping them secret.

Because of its access and storage of our personal health information (PHI) and other personally identifiable information (PII), the healthcare sector should be one of the most secure ones, but due to lack of funding and other resources, it is not.

One of the most impactful data breaches last year was of Change HealthCare, which impacted an estimated 190 million people.

In recent news, security researcher Jeremiah Fowler, who specializes in finding unprotected databases, uncovered a non-password-protected database that contained over 1.6 million records belonging to DM Clinical Research.

DM Clinical Research is a Texas-based clinical trial network that conducts studies in 30 research centers across the US. The company connects patients with physicians to conduct studies for new or alternative medicines, providing clinical trials as a treatment option to patients.

Although the records belonged to DM Clinical Research, it is not known if the database was owned and managed directly by them or by a third-party contractor. It is also not known how long the database was exposed before Fowler discovered it or if anyone else gained access to it.

The unprotected database contained 1,674,218 records which included names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, vaccination statuses (including specific vaccines received), current medications, and other health conditions that the survey recipients may have.

Insurance companies have shown that their interest in buying specific medical information, like prescriptions that identify medical conditions—such as HIV, cancer, or psychiatric disorders. And data brokers that can get a hold of that type of information will gladly sell it to them.

Cybercriminals can use PHI against affected individuals to phish or extort them. But a breach can also have dire financial consequences for the healthcare organization in question.

As Health Net Federal Services (HNFS) and its parent company, Centene Corporation found out. HNFS allegedly failed to implement the required cybersecurity measures while administering health benefits for American military service members and their families. To make things worse, the Defense Health Agency of the US Department of Defense accused HNFS of falsely attesting compliance on at least three occasions.

HNFS denies all the allegations and maintains that no data breaches or loss of servicemember information occurred, but they still agreed to pay $11,253,400 to settle the allegations.

Protecting yourself after a data breach

There are some actions you can take if you are, or suspect you may have been, the victim of a data breach.

  • Check the vendor’s advice. Every breach is different, so check with the vendor to find out what’s happened, and follow any specific advice they offer.
  • Change your password. You can make a stolen password useless to thieves by changing it. Choose a strong password that you don’t use for anything else. Better yet, let a password manager choose one for you.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). If you can, use a FIDO2-compliant hardware key, laptop or phone as your second factor. Some forms of two-factor authentication (2FA) can be phished just as easily as a password. 2FA that relies on a FIDO2 device can’t be phished.
  • Watch out for fake vendors. The thieves may contact you posing as the vendor. Check the vendor website to see if they are contacting victims, and verify the identity of anyone who contacts you using a different communication channel.
  • Take your time. Phishing attacks often impersonate people or brands you know, and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.
  • Consider not storing your card details. It’s definitely more convenient to get sites to remember your card details for you, but we highly recommend not storing that information on websites.
  • Set up identity monitoring. Identity monitoring alerts you if your personal information is found being traded illegally online, and helps you recover after.
Check your digital footprint

Malwarebytes has a new free tool for you to check how much of your personal data has been exposed online. Submit your email address (it’s best to give the one you most frequently use) to our free Digital Footprint scan and we’ll give you a report and recommendations.

SCAN NOW

Categories: Malware Bytes

SecTopRAT bundled in Chrome installer distributed via Google Ads

Thu, 02/20/2025 - 3:27pm

Criminals are once again abusing Google Ads to trick users into downloading malware. Ironically, this time the bait is a malicious ad for Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser.

Victims who click the ad land on a fraudulent Google Sites page designed as a intermediary portal, similar to what we saw earlier this year with the massive Google accounts phishing campaign.

The final redirect eventually downloads a large executable disguised as Google Chrome which does install the aforementioned but also surreptitiously drops a malware payload known as SecTopRAT.

We have reported this incident to Google, but at the time of writing the fake Google Sites page is still up and running.

Distribution: Ad and Google Sites combo

We identified a suspicious ad when searching for “download google chrome“. If you look at the URL embedded in the sponsored result, you will notice it shows “https://sites.google.com“, which is Google’s free website builder.

While most pages hosted on there are legitimate, it’s good to remember that they are user generated and that abuse is a part of any open platform. It’s also a way for criminals to cleverly appear as legitimate when building fake ads.

Malware payload

Once a user double clicks on GoogleChrome.exe the fake Chrome installer connects to hxxps[://]launchapps[.]site/getCode[.]php and retrieves the necessary instructions. Below, we can see how it requests to run as administrator in order to perform certain actions that require this access level.

A PowerShell command adds an exclusion path to the %appdata%\Roaming directory so that Windows Defender does not trigger when the malware payload is extracted.

An encrypted data stream is downloaded from hxxps[://]launchapps[.]site/3[.]php?uuid={}_uuid and then decrypted:

The executable named decrypted.exe (PDB path: D:\a\wix4\wix4\build\burn\Release\x64\burn.pdb) is then dropped to %\AppData%\Roaming\BackupWin\ and unpacks the final payload, waterfox.exe. Side note: it has the same name and icon as the Waterfox browser (an open-source fork of the Firefox web browser).

The malicious code is then injected into the legitimate MSBuild.exe process which communicates with the attackers’ command and control infrastructure at the following IP: 45.141.84[.]208. From this, we identify the malware payload as SecTopRAT, a remote access Trojan with stealer capabilities.

Lastly, to make sure victims are completely fooled, it finishes by downloading and installing the legitimate Chrome browser. From the installation script, we see other campaigns the same threat actors are running in parallel for fake Notion and Grammarly installers.

Conclusion

Downloading and installing software provides an opportunity for threat actors as long as they are able to compromise the delivery chain. Search ads provide that entry point by leveraging the trust users have in their search engine. It is somewhat ironic but also damning when malicious ads impersonate the same platform that allows them in the first place.

The fake Chrome installer we reviewed in this blog post cleverly retrieved its malicious payload dynamically from a remote site and only decrypted it after making sure Windows Defender would not be able to scan it. The ruse was complete when the actual legitimate Google Chrome installer was downloaded and installed.

Malwarebytes users were already protected from this attack, with Browser Guard blocking the malicious ad and Premium Security Antivirus detecting the dropped payload.

We don’t just report on threats—we remove them

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today.

Indicators of Compromise

Google Sites

sites[.]google[.]com/view/gfbtechd/

Fake Chrome download

chrome[.]browser[.]com[.]de
chrome[.]browser[.]com[.]de/GoogleChrome.exe
48fdfbe23eef7eddff071d3eda1bc654b94cf86036ca1cca9c73b0175e168a55

Payload host

launchapps[.]site

decrypted.exe

f0977c293f94492921452921181d79e8790f34939429924063e77e120ebd23d7

waterfox.exe

0f9b2870c4be5ebacb936000ff41f8075ec88d6535161a93df8e6cfea2d8db54

C2

45.141.84[.]208
Categories: Malware Bytes

Google Docs used by infostealer ACRStealer as part of attack

Thu, 02/20/2025 - 10:49am

An infostealer known as ACRStealer is using legitimate platforms like Google Docs and Steam as part of an attack, according to researchers.

ACRStealer is often distributed via the tried and tested method of download as cracks and keygens, which are used in software piracy. The infostealer has been around since mid-2024 (as a beta test), but it’s only really taken off in 2025. ACRStealer is capable of:

  • Identifying which antivirus solution is on a device
  • Stealing crypto wallets and login credentials
  • Stealing browser information
  • Harvesting File Transfer Protocol (FTP) credentials
  • Reading all text files

With that kind of information, cybercriminals can go after your cryptocurrency and other funds. With the capture of usernames and passwords from web browsers, attackers can access your accounts, including email, social media, and financial services.

They may even gather enough personal data to be used for identity theft or sold on the dark web.

What stands out in the recently-found ACRStealer variants is the way they communicate with the command and control (C2) server—a computer which is used to send commands to systems compromised by malware and receive stolen data from a target network. Rather than hard-coding the IP address in the malware, they chose to use a method called Dead Drop Resolver (DDR), where the malware contacts a legitimate platform like Google Docs or Steam to read what the C2 domain is.

This is good for the cybercriminals as it means they can easily change the domain if one gets discontinued, seized, or blocked. All they need to do is update the Google Doc.

And outgoing calls to docs.google.com will not easily trigger an alarm, so it helps in staying under the radar.

Stay safe from the ACRStealer

Like many other information stealers, ARCStealer is operated under the Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model, where criminals rent out the malware and the infrastructure to other criminals. That makes it hard to know exactly how to defend yourself.

However, there are some things you can do:

  • Stay away from websites offering cracks and keygens
  • Download software from the official publisher wherever possible
  • Don’t click on links in unsolicited communications (email, texts, DMs, etc)
  • Don’t open unverified attachments
  • Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever you can, so even if cybercriminals steal your login details they won’t be able to get into your account
  • Use an active and up-to-date anti-malware solution.

Malwarebytes recognizes new variants of ACRStealer by behavior, which will result in the detection name of Malware.AI.{ID-number}.

We don’t just report on threats—we remove them

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today.

Categories: Malware Bytes

DeepSeek found to be sharing user data with TikTok parent company ByteDance

Thu, 02/20/2025 - 9:23am

A couple of weeks ago we reported on the concerns surrounding data collection and security at DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company which recently made headlines for shaking up the industry after seemingly appearing from nowhere to become top of the app download charts.

Now South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) says it has uncovered evidence that DeepSeek has secretly been sharing data with ByteDance, the parent company of popular social media app TikTok.

PIPC said that DeepSeek—an app with over one million downloads at the time of writin—automatically transmitted information to ByteDance servers every time users accessed the app, doing so without disclosure or explicit consent. PIPC told South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency that it was “yet to confirm what data was transferred and to what extent.”

In response to the investigation, South Korea has removed DeepSeek from app stores, advised users against sharing personal information through the app, and is considering strengthening regulations on foreign companies in the country.

TikTok and parent company ByteDance have faced significant controversy themselves in the past; coming under ongoing scrutiny for mishandling customer data, being labelled an “unacceptable security risk” by the FCC, and being reprimanded for misusing children’s data. These ongoing data protection issues prompted the US to initially instigate a ban on TikTok from January 18 before a presidential executive order issued by the new administration restored service and delayed the enforcement of the ban for an additional 75 days.

Although perhaps unsurprisingly, this controversy again raises serious questions and concerns about the crossover between the data-harvesting and sharing practices employed by emerging AI technologies and data protection, an especially critical issue as the use of AI accelerates and begins to play an ever more prominent and constant role in our everyday experiences of technology and media.

It also further illustrates the necessity for proper inquiry into these practices and may indicate an urgent need for transparent and comprehensive international regulations on data privacy, with some nations like Italy and Australia already leading the way in taking action against AI applications like DeepSeek over these issues.

What can you do?
  • Avoid sharing personal information: Never input sensitive or personal data into generative AI apps.
  • Select AI apps carefully: Choose generative AI apps with caution, prioritizing reputable ones that value user privacy and security.
  • Disable chat saving: Turn off chat history to minimize the storage of your conversations.
  • Manage app permissions: Review the app’s requested permissions carefully. Only grant them permission to access things they absolutely need.
  • Review privacy policies: Understand how your data will be used and stored by the app.

We don’t just report on privacy—we offer you the option to use it.

Privacy risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep your online privacy yours by using Malwarebytes Privacy VPN.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Protected: zQA Content Editing Styles

Wed, 02/19/2025 - 2:20pm

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

Categories: Malware Bytes

Malwarebytes introduces native ARM support for Windows devices 

Wed, 02/19/2025 - 9:00am

For the last four years, Malwarebytes has been protecting ARM-based machines running on Apple’s M-series processors. Now, we’ve expanded our protection range to include ARM-based Windows machines such as Copilot+ PCs, including Microsoft Surface Pro, Lenovo Yoga Slim and ThinkPad, and Dell Inspiron, among others. 

ARM-based chips offer advantages such as improved performance, longer battery life, lower costs, and advanced features like on-device AI processing. 

And with ARM processors gaining popularity in the PC market—projections suggest that they could have 25% market share by 2027—there is no doubt that malware creators will expand their reach into this area. 

Malwarebytes helps you get ahead of these threats. With active protection layers that defend against system vulnerabilities, malicious links, and more, Malwarebytes has you covered across your devices. 

Where can I get it? 

Go to the Malwarebytes website and hit the Free Download button to try it yourself, or click the button below. Our installer will automatically detect if you have an ARM device.

We recommend Windows 11 or higher for this installation, because Windows 11 has been optimized to run on ARM processors. 

DOWNLOAD NOW
Categories: Malware Bytes

Google now allows digital fingerprinting of its users

Wed, 02/19/2025 - 8:40am

In the ongoing saga that is Google’s struggle to replace tracking cookies, we have entered a new phase. But whether that’s good news is another matter.

For years, Google has been saying it will phase out the third-party tracking cookies that power much of its advertising business online, proposing new ideas that would allegedly preserve user privacy while still providing businesses with steady revenue streams.

But it’s not been straight forward for Google. As we reported in July, 2024, the tech giant said that due to feedback from authorities and other stakeholders in advertising, Google was looking at a new path forward in finding the balance between privacy and an ad-supported internet.

The announcement read:

“Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing.”

It’s not hard to see why this is scary. Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature caused a significant upset in the mobile advertising industry. When introduced in April 2021, it allowed users to opt out of being tracked across apps and websites. This led to an estimated 96% of US users choosing to opt out of tracking. With three billion Chrome users around the world, that might easily be an advertiser’s worst nightmare.

Google promised to kill tracking cookies by introducing a one-time global prompt upgrade that would present users with the choice of being tracked or not. By third-party cookies that is.

But ahead of fulfilling that promise, Google has introduced digital fingerprinting. Digital fingerprinting is like creating a unique digital ID for you or your device based on various pieces of information collected when you browse the internet, like:

  • Operating System (OS): Windows, Android, iOS, etc.
  • Browser type and version
  • IP address
  • Installed browser plugins
  • Time zone
  • Language settings
  • …and so on.

With all these pieces of information, it’s possible to create a unique fingerprint by which websites can recognize you, even if you clear your cookies. They will even be able to make an informed guess if you visit the same site with a different browser.

Google itself, at one point, said that fingerprinting was undesirable:

“Unlike cookies, users cannot clear their fingerprint and therefore cannot control how their information is collected. We think this subverts user choice and is wrong.”

But, per Google’s announcement on December 19, 2024, organizations that use its advertising products can use fingerprinting techniques from last Sunday, February 16, 2025. Well, as far as Google is concerned that is.

The UK information commissioner’s office (ICO) reminded businesses they do not have free rein to use fingerprinting as they please. Like all advertising technology, it must be lawfully and transparently deployed – and if it is not, the ICO will act.

But the OK from Google is likely the start of an intermediate period where we will be bothered with both fingerprinting and third-party cookies until the advertising industry has had the time to transition.

What can I do?

Countering fingerprinting is a lot harder than keeping cookies at a minimum. But there are some things you can do to make it harder to get your fingerprint taken.

  • However hard it may be, the time may have come to consider switching to a browser that provides built-in features to resist fingerprinting
  • Or look for anti-fingerprinting tools in the form of browser extensions
  • Use a VPN that can mask your IP address and location, which are very significant pieces of information for fingerprinting
  • Keep your browser updated, so your old version will not give away your data
  • Disabling JavaScript can break a website’s functionality, but it also significantly reduces the data websites can gather about you.

We don’t just write about privacy, we can help you improve yours. Try Malwarebytes Privacy VPN.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Macs targeted by info stealers in new era of cyberthreats

Wed, 02/19/2025 - 7:51am

The latest, major threats to Mac computers can steal passwords and credit card details with delicate precision, targeting victims across the internet based on their device, location, and operating system.

These are the dangers of “info stealers,” which have long plagued Windows devices but, in the past two years, have become a serious threat for Mac owners. And in 2024, one malicious program in particular is responsible for the lion’s share of info stealer activity—racking up 70% of known info stealer detections on Mac.

These findings come from the 2025 State of Malware report. While many of the threats detailed in the report target companies and businesses, this latest wave of info stealers makes no distinction between Mac computers in an office and Mac computers at home. Unlike ransomware, which is deployed against large businesses that cybercriminals hope can pay hefty ransoms, info stealers can deliver illicit gains no matter the target.

With the right cybersecurity practices, everyday Mac users can stay safe from these emerging threats.

The threat of info stealers

“Info stealers” are a type of malware that do exactly as they say—they steal information from people’s devices. But the variety of information that these pieces of malware can steal makes them particularly dangerous.

With stolen credit card details, hackers can attempt fraudulent purchases online. With stolen passwords, the impact is even broader; hackers could wire funds from a breached online banking account into their own, or masquerade as someone on social media to ask friends and family for money. Some info stealers don’t even require an additional step—they can take cryptocurrency directly from a victim’s online accounts. 

But there is another threat to info stealers that comes from their recent history. They are wildly adaptable.

In 2016, Malwarebytes first discovered an info stealer called TrickBot that, when implanted on a person’s device, would steal online banking credentials. But over time, the developers behind TrickBot began adding alarming new features, including the capabilities to steal Outlook credentials, disable Windows Defender, and even to download and deliver additional, separate malware onto infected devices.

By 2018, TrickBot was the largest threat to businesses.

Now, in 2025, another info stealer is raising red flags all across cyberspace, and this time, it isn’t interested in Windows devices.

The next Mac malware

Malware is “malicious software,” and just like legitimate software, malware has to be developed for specific operating systems. That means that, for instance, ransomware that works on a Windows laptop doesn’t automatically work on a Mac laptop, and likewise, a phishing app developed for Android devices doesn’t work on iPhones.

For years, then, a great deal of malware activity has focused on Windows devices. The common cybercriminal calculus was that, if there were more Windows users in the world, there was more reason to target those users with cyberattacks.

During this time, most Mac threats were bothersome pieces of malware that would hijack a victim’s web browser to deliver annoying ads and wayward links. But as Mac computers have become standard within businesses—and as demand for Windows computers has waned—cybercriminals have readjusted their thinking.

In 2023, a new info stealer on Mac called Atomic Stealer (AMOS) made its debut, and since its launch, it has not only showcased new features—much like TrickBot—it has also been gussied up with some of the markings of a legitimate business.  

For instance, AMOS can be “licensed” out to other cybercriminals, much like how genuine companies offer their own software for a monthly subscription price. For AMOS, that price was initially $1,000 a month, and with that access, cybercriminals didn’t just buy a productivity tool or communications app, they bought access to an information stealer that can crack into Mac computers to steal a variety of sensitive information.

By January 2024, AMOS had increased its price to $3,000 a month. The developers ran a holiday promotion—seriously—and even released an AMOS update that would better obfuscate the info stealer from being detected by cybersecurity software.

But in the world of cybercrime, malware features only mean so much. Another important piece of cybercrime is getting malware onto a device to begin with. And in 2023, malware delivery evolved hand-in-hand with Mac info stealers.

Rather than trying to deliver malware through clumsy email attachments, cybercriminals have recently turned to “malicious advertising” or “malvertising.” This means that cybercriminals will create bogus versions of websites that will rank highly during regular Google searches, tempting victims into clicking the first, ad-supported link they see online, and unknowingly reaching a website controlled entirely by cybercriminals.

On these websites, cybercriminals advertise a piece of high-demand software and trick users into a download. But instead of receiving the desired software, victims receive, in these cases, info stealers.

This one-two punch of malvertising and advanced info stealers paved the way last year for the next, big Mac threat, called Poseidon.

As we warned in the State of Malware report:

“Poseidon boasts that it can steal cryptocurrency from over 160 different wallets, and passwords from web browsers, the Bitwarden and KeePassXC password managers, the FileZilla file transfer app, and VPN configurations including Fortinet and OpenVPN.”

Poseidon is the most active info stealer on Mac today, and it accounted for 70% of all info stealer detections on Mac in the final months of 2024, an impressive feat considering the malware barely launched last summer.

Interestingly, Poseidon is just another “fork” of AMOS, meaning that another hacker took AMOS, built upon it, and released it in the wild. Already, Malwarebytes has uncovered consumer-targeted campaigns to infect Mac owners with Poseidon, including a malvertising website disguising Poseidon behind a download for a buzzy new web browser called Arc.

Poseidon represents a sea change in Mac malware, and with the type of advanced targeting that cybercriminals can achieve through malvertising—hackers can target malicious ads based on a potential victim’s location, operating system, software, and search terms—Mac users must be on watch.

How to stay safe

In 2025, Mac users don’t need to just watch out for info stealers. They also have to watch out for malvertising in general, as cybercriminals use the malware delivery method for all sorts of threats online.

Here’s how you can stay safe:

  • Use cybersecurity software that offers always-on protection against Mac malware including info stealers, adware, and the rare instances of ransomware.
  • Use Malwarebytes Browser Guard to securely browse the web and to be notified when visiting known, malicious websites that are in control of cybercriminals.
  • Beware the first, ad-supported result on Google searches and other search engines. Cybercriminals have successfully placed their own, malicious ads in these top rankings to trick victims into downloading malware.

We don’t just report on threats—we remove them

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Hard drives containing sensitive medical data found in flea market

Tue, 02/18/2025 - 3:57pm

Somebody bought a batch of 15 GB hard drives from a flea market, and during a routine check of the contents they found medical data about hundreds of patients.

After some more investigation in the Netherlands, it turned out the data came from a software provider in the medical industry which had gone bankrupt.

Under Dutch law, storage media with medical data must be professionally erased with certification. The normal procedure is to have them destroyed by a professional company, but that costs money and by selling the hard drives off the company would have brought in a small amount of cash.

This incident reminded me of two important security measures that we sometimes overlook.

The first is obvious. Computers are very bad at “forgetting” things. When you delete a file, the system doesn’t actually remove the file from your hard drive. Only the location of the file is set to “unused” so it may be overwritten at some point, but it often can be recovered. So you need to be careful how you decommission your old hard drives or any devices that have data on them.

One method is to overwrite the present data with zeroes or random numbers. There are several levels of overwriting hard drives:

  • Single-pass overwrite: Writing zeros or random data once across the entire disk is often sufficient for traditional hard drives.
  • Multi-pass overwriting: More secure methods involve multiple passes (e.g., 3-pass or 7-pass), which can further reduce the chance of data recovery.
  • NIST 800-88 method: A recognized standard that includes overwriting with random data followed by zeros and verification. This is the type of method we would like to see when it comes to sensitive data like medical information.

Some modern drives come with a secure erase command embedded in the firmware, but you need special software to execute the command, and it may require several rounds of overwrite.

Users that have a Windows computer with UEFI can use the secure erase option in their computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings. The exact steps depend on your computer’s manufacturer and model. Unless you’re afraid of law enforcement or a very skilled attacker that should be enough. For computers pre-dating UEFI you will need specialized software. To find out whether your computer has UEFI:

  • Right-click the Start button
  • Select Run
  • Type msinfo32 and press OK
  • Click System Summary
  • Scroll down to the BIOS Mode value to check whether it says UEFI

Non-SSD drives can be degaussed, a method which uses a strong magnetic field to disrupt the magnetic storage on traditional hard drives. However, it is ineffective for SSDs and flash storage.

Which leaves physical destruction as the last option. The usual method to do this, called shredding, involves cutting up hard drives into small pieces and then burning them in an incinerator or shredding machine to destroy their magnetic properties.

The second security measure that is important is to have your data removed from publicly available records. In the Dutch case it’s remarkable and painful that such a company would have this type of information stored on their drives. First of all, the software provider had no right to store this information. Secondly, even with a legitimate reason to store them, the date should have been encrypted, and of course the hard drives should have been decommissioned responsibly.

Depending on the type of information and the origin it seems unlikely that someone would consider to ask for removal of the data. After all, often it’s important that medical information is shared among care providers.

On the other hand, there is a ton of information about everyone in publicly accessible places that we can keep under control by using data removal services. Using a data removal service increases online anonymity, which makes it harder for stalkers, phishers, other attackers, or advertisers to find personal details.

Categories: Malware Bytes

12 Million Zacks accounts leaked by cybercriminal

Fri, 02/14/2025 - 1:24pm

A cybercriminal claimed to have stolen 15 million data records from the customers and clients of the company Zacks—a number that a separate investigation, after analysis, shaved down to just 12 million.

Zacks is an investment research company best known for its “Zacks Ranks,” which are daily lists that provide stock market watchers and likely investors with possible company portfolio purchases, ranked on a scale from one to five.

Over the years Zacks has suffered a few data breaches. In 2023, data allegedly belonging to Zacks containing 8,615,098 records was leaked online. The most recent data in this database is from May 2020. The data contains names, email addresses, usernames, passwords, phone numbers, addresses, company names, and additional personal information. This leak is being publicly shared on online forums.

In October 2024, we found data reported to belong to Zacks containing 8,441 records which includes email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and full names, and potentially other compromised user details. This breach is also being publicly shared on the internet.

Now, a cybercriminal using the monicker Jurak, leaked sensitive information related to roughly 12 million accounts, which allegedly stems from a breach that happened last year.

Cybercriminals leaks data allegedly stolen from Zacks

“In June 2024, Zacks Investment Research suffered a data breach exposing their source code and their databases containing 15M lines of their customers and clients. This would be the 2nd (hacked back in 2020) major data breach for Zacks.

The data leaked in this thread contains usernames, emails, addresses, full names, phone numbers.

I thought about releasing the source code, but I don’t want every retard to have access to it. If you have high reputation and want the source code send a PM

Breached by @Jurak and @StableFish

Below is a sample of the customers database:

CLUE , HINT , PASSWORD , USERNAME , LAST_NAME , FIRST_NAME , CUSTOMER_ID , DATE_REGISTERED , DATE_UPDATED , DISPLAY_NAME , FIRM_NAME , TIMEZONE_CODE , LAST_PASSWORD_CHANGE”

BleepingComputer says it has reached out to Zacks on several occasions but didn’t get a response. As with other recent claims by criminals on BreachForums we have to be careful to take their word for anything, but Jurak claims they breached Zacks themselves in June 2024.

“I breached Zacks myself”

Jurak told BleepingComputer that they gained access to the company’s active directory as a domain admin and then stole source code for the main site (Zacks.com) and 16 other websites, including some internal websites. They also shared samples of the source code they had stolen as proof of the new breach.

Protecting yourself after a data breach

Losing data related to a financial account can have severe consequences. There are some actions you can take if you are, or suspect you may have been, the victim of a data breach.

  • Check the vendor’s advice. Every breach is different, so check with the vendor to find out what’s happened, and follow any specific advice they offer.
  • Change your password. You can make a stolen password useless to thieves by changing it. Choose a strong password that you don’t use for anything else. Better yet, let a password manager choose one for you.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). If you can, use a FIDO2-compliant hardware key, laptop or phone as your second factor. Some forms of two-factor authentication (2FA) can be phished just as easily as a password. 2FA that relies on a FIDO2 device can’t be phished.
  • Watch out for fake vendors. The thieves may contact you posing as the vendor. Check the vendor website to see if they are contacting victims, and verify the identity of anyone who contacts you using a different communication channel.
  • Take your time. Phishing attacks often impersonate people or brands you know, and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.
  • Consider not storing your card details. It’s definitely more convenient to get sites to remember your card details for you, but we highly recommend not storing that information on websites.
  • Set up identity monitoring. Identity monitoring alerts you if your personal information is found being traded illegally online, and helps you recover after.

Check your digital footprint

If you want to find out what personal data of yours has been exposed online, you can use our free Digital Footprint scan. Fill in the email address you’re curious about (it’s best to submit the one you most frequently use) and we’ll send you a free report.

SCAN NOW

Categories: Malware Bytes

How AI was used in an advanced phishing campaign targeting Gmail users

Thu, 02/13/2025 - 4:08pm

In May, 2024, the FBI warned about the increasing threat of cybercriminals using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their scams.

At the time, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp said:

“Attackers are leveraging AI to craft highly convincing voice or video messages and emails to enable fraud schemes against individuals and businesses alike. These sophisticated tactics can result in devastating financial losses, reputational damage, and compromise of sensitive data.”

This warning should not be taken lightly. This is especially because the AI tools that cybercriminals have at their disposal are relatively low cost: In one study, researchers found that the cost of advanced and sophisticated email attacks starts at just $5.

The FBI has also warned users to be cautious when receiving unsolicited emails or text messages. Phishers are using AI-based phishing attacks which have proven to raise the effectiveness of phishing campaigns. They are also using AI-powered tools to create emails that can bypass security filters. Combine that with deepfake supported robocalls, and these methods could trick a lot of people.

None of the elements used in the attacks are novel, but the combination might make the campaign extremely effective.

In a campaign targeting Gmail users some of these elements all came together. These often start with a call to users, claiming their Gmail account has been compromised. The goal is to convince the target to provide the criminals with the user’s Gmail recovery code, claiming it’s needed to restore the account.

Around the same time, users receive legitimate looking emails from what appears to be an authentic Google domain to add credibility to what the caller is claiming to have happened.

With the recovery code, the criminals not only have access to the target’s Gmail but also to a lot of services, which could even result in identity theft.

When we warn about agentic AI attacks this is the type of campaigns that are examples of what we can expect.

The FBI added a warning about unsolicited emails and text messages which contain a link to a seemingly legitimate website that asks visitors to log in, but the linked websites are fakes especially designed to steal the credentials.

As we have seen in the past these sites can even be designed to steal session cookies. Every time you return to that website within the time frame, you don’t need to log in. That’s really convenient… unless someone manages to steal that cookie from your system. And if cybercriminals manage to steal the session cookie, they can log in as you, change the password and grab control of your account.

How to avoid AI Gmail phishing

We don’t just report on threats – we help safeguard your entire digital identity

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Protect your—and your family’s—personal information by using identity protection.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Fake Etsy invoice scam tricks sellers into sharing credit card information 

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 9:00am

This article was researched and written by Stefan Dasic, manager, research and response for ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes.

As an online seller, you’re already juggling product listings, customer service and marketing—so the last thing you need is to be targeted by scammers.

Unfortunately, a new scam is making the rounds, and it’s crucial to recognize the warning signs before you fall victim. In this post, we’ll walk you through exactly how this scam works, show you what to watch out for, and give you tips on keeping your Etsy account secure. 

The scam usually starts with an email/message that appears to be from Etsy’s support team, with what looks like an official invoice in PDF format attached. The PDF is hosted on etsystatic.com, which is particularly alarming given it’s a legitimate domain that Etsy uses for static content. This clever detail makes the file seem even more trustworthy, catching unsuspecting sellers offguard.

Despite this, there are still some red flags to look for: 

  • The email uses language like “Dear Seller” or “Hello Etsy Member”, instead of addressing you by your Etsy shop name or username
  • The sender’s email address doesn’t end in @etsy.com, or has suspicious variations (extra numbers or letters)
  • Phrases like “immediate action required” or “your account will be closed” that rush you into clicking. This is a common scare tactics.

Inside the PDF, there’s often a clickable link urging you to “confirm your identity” or “verify your account.” If you click through, you’re taken to a website that, at first glance, looks very much like an official Etsy support page.

Here’s where you need to be extra vigilant: 

  1. The web address might look similar to etsy.com but could include extra words, missing letters, or unusual extensions (e.g., verlflcation-etsy[.]cfd). 
  2. The site may ask for more information than Etsy would normally request for verification – like your full name, address, and even your credit card details. 
  3. Real Etsy pages usually have fully working navigation and other standard features. Scam sites often have broken or non-functioning links. 

In the final step, the counterfeit page will prompt you to enter your credit card details, supposedly to “confirm your billing information” or “validate your seller account.”

This is an immediate red flag: Etsy never requires you to provide credit card information for identity verification outside of its standard, secure payment setup. If you provide these details, scammers can use them to make unauthorized purchases—or sell them on underground markets. 

How to protect yourself from Etsy scams
  • Check the “From” field in emails to make sure it comes from a legitimate Etsy address.
  • Rather than click on the links inside the email, open a new browser and go directly to etsy.com instead and navigate there
  • Question any urgent or unusual requests: Legitimate platforms do not ask for full credit card information for verification via a PDF link or email.
  • Use Malwarebytes Browser Guard to protect you from malicious websites, card skimmers, ads, and more. Browser Guard already blocks the domains in this article.
  • If something feels off, reach out to Etsy’s official support directly. They can confirm whether any invoice or verification request is real. This won’t protect your credit card data if you hand it over, but it does help secure your Etsy account from unauthorized logins. 
Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) 

Below are some known IOCs associated with this fake invoice scam. (Please note these are examples, and actual IOCs can vary over time.) 

com-etsy-verify[.]cfd 

etsy-car[.]switchero[.]cfd 

etsy[.]1562587027[.]cfd 

etsy[.]3841246[.]cfd 

etsy[.]39849329[.]cfd 

etsy[.]447385638[.]cfd 

etsy[.]57434[.]cfd 

etsy[.]5847325245[.]cfd 

etsy[.]6562587027[.]cfd 

etsy[.]6841246[.]cfd 

etsy[.]72871[.]cfd 

etsy[.]7562587027[.]cfd 

etsy[.]8841246[.]cfd 

etsy[.]92875[.]cfd 

etsy[.]9438632572[.]cfd 

etsy[.]948292[.]cfd 

etsy[.]97434[.]cfd 

etsy[.]984323[.]cfd 

etsy[.]checkid1573[.]cfd 

etsy[.]chekup-out[.]cfd 

etsy[.]coinbox[.]cfd 

etsy[.]fastpay[.]cfd 

etsy[.]offer584732[.]cfd 

etsy[.]offer62785[.]cfd 

etsy[.]offer684732[.]cfd 

etsy[.]paylink[.]cfd 

etsy[.]paymint[.]cfd 

etsy[.]paywave[.]cfd 

etsy[.]requlred-verlfication[.]cfd 

etsy[.]requstlon-verflcation[.]cfd 

etsy[.]web-proff-point[.]cfd 

verlflcation-etsy[.]cfd 

We don’t just report on threats – we help safeguard your entire digital identity

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Protect your—and your family’s—personal information by using identity protection.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Gambling firms are secretly sharing your data with Facebook 

Wed, 02/12/2025 - 6:30am

While you might think you’re hitting the jackpot, whether you’ve consented to it or not, online gambling sites are playing with your data. Users’ data, including details of webpages they visited and buttons they clicked, are being shared with Meta, Facebook’s parent company.  

The Observer reports that over 150 UK gambling websites have been extracting visitor data through a hidden embedded tracking tool, and then sending that data to Meta in order to profile people as gamblers and flood them with Facebook ads for casinos and betting sites.

The gambling websites used and shared data for marketing purposes—without obtaining explicit permission from the users—in an apparent breach of data protection laws. The websites include popular sites like Hollywoodbets, Sporting Index, Lottoland, and Bwin.  

Of the 150 websites that were tested, 52 used a tracking tool called Meta Pixel to share data directly and without explicit consent. This data was automatically transferred when loading the webpage, before users could even accept or decline the use of their data.  

The data collection resulted in the reporter—who said they never once agreed to the use of their data for marketing purposes— being inundated with ads for gambling websites. In one browsing session, the reporter encountered ads from 49 different brands, including from betting companies which were not involved in the data collection and had been using Meta Pixel within the rules.  

Wolfie Christl, a data privacy expert investigating the ad tech industry commented:

“Sharing data with Meta is highly problematic, even with consent, but doing so without explicit informed consent shows a blatant disregard for the law. Meta is complicit and must be held accountable” 

This isn’t the first time that gambling sites have been caught unlawfully selling off user data, and comes amid calls for a wider investigation into the targeting of gamblers, as well as the need for more protective measures.

Don’t gamble away your data and stay protected

Here are some ways to protect your data while using gambling (or any other) sites online:

  • Use a VPN, especially on public Wi-Fi networks
  • Use privacy-focused browsers and search engines, such as Brave
  • Clear your browsing data when closing your browser
  • Review the permissions of all your apps. Only grant them permission to access things they absolutely need.
  • Disable location tracking for as many apps as possible
  • Disable personalized ads as much as you can
  • Keep your devices up-to-date. This protects you from vulnerabilities that cybercriminals might try to exploit
  • Install Malwarebytes Browser Guard—our free tool that protects against ad tracking.  
Categories: Malware Bytes

Apple fixes zero-day vulnerability used in “extremely sophisticated attack”

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 9:55am

Apple has released an emergency security update for a vulnerability which it says may have been exploited in an “extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.”

The update is available for:

  • iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 – iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
  • iPadOS 17.7.5 – iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad 6th generation

If you use any of these then you should install updates as soon as you can. To check if you’re using the latest software version, go to Settings (or System Settings) > General > Software Update. It’s also worth turning on Automatic Updates if you haven’t already, which you can do on the same screen.

Update now Technical details

The new-found zero-day vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2025-24200. When exploited, the vulnerability would allow an attacker to disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device. The attack would require physical access to your device

The introduction of USB Restricted Mode feature came with iOS 11.4.1 in July 2018. The feature was designed to make it more difficult for attackers to unlock your iPhone. When USB Restricted Mode is active, your device’s Lightning port (where you plug in the charging cable) will only allow charging after the device has been locked for more than an hour. This means that if someone tries to connect your locked iPhone to a computer or other device to access its data, they won’t be able to do so unless they have your passcode.

To enhance data security, especially when traveling or in public places, it is recommended that you enable USB Restricted Mode in your device settings. If your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is running iOS 11.4.1 or later, USB Restricted Mode is automatically on by default, but if you want to check and enable USB Restricted Mode, this can be done by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode > (USB) Accessories and toggling off (grey) the (USB) Accessories option. Enabling this setting adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorized data access.

Accessories are safe now

Please note: toggling the option to green turns this feature off.

Vulnerabilities like these typically target specific individuals as deployed by commercial spyware vendors like Pegasus and Paragon. This means the average user does not need to fear attacks as long as the details are not published. But once they are, other cybercriminals will try to copy them.

We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Phishing evolves beyond email to become latest Android app threat

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 9:38am

There are plenty of phish in the sea, and the latest ones have little interest in your email inbox.

In 2024, Malwarebytes detected more than 22,800 phishing apps on Android, according to the recent 2025 State of Malware report. Of those malicious apps, 5,200 could subvert one of the strongest security practices available today, called “multifactor authentication,” by prying into basic text messages sent to a device. Another 4,800 could even read information from an Android device’s “Notifications” bar to obtain the same info.

These “Android phishing apps” may sound high-tech, but they are not. They don’t crack into password managers or spy on passwords entered for separate apps. Instead, they present a modern wrapper on a classic form of theft: Phishing.

By disguising themselves as legitimate apps—including for services like TikTok, Spotify, and WhatsApp—Android phishing apps can trick victims into typing in their real usernames and passwords on bogus login screens that are controlled entirely by cybercriminals. If enough victims unwittingly send their passwords, the cyber thieves may even bundle the login credentials for sale on the dark web. Once the passwords are sold, the new, malicious owners will attempt to use individual passwords for a variety of common online accounts—testing whether, say, an email account password is the same one used for a victim’s online banking system, their mortgage payment platform, or their Social Security portal.

The volume of these apps and their capabilities underscore the importance of securing yourself and your devices. With vigilance, safe behavior, and some extra support, you can avoid Android phishing apps and protect your accounts from cybercriminals.

Same trick, new delivery

For more than a decade, phishing was often understood as an email threat. Cybercriminals would send emails disguised as legitimate communications from major businesses, such as Netflix, Uber, Instagram, Google, and more. These emails would frequently warn recipients about a problem with their accounts—a password needed to be updated, or a policy change required a login.

But when victims followed the links within these malicious emails, they’d be brought to a website that, while appearing genuine, would actually be in complete control of cybercriminals. Fooled by similar color schemes, company logos, and familiar layouts, victims would “log in” to their account by entering their username and password. In reality, those usernames and passwords would just be delivered to cybercriminals on the other side of the website.

There never was a problem with a user’s account, and there never was a real request for information from the company. Instead, the entire back-and-forth was a charade.

Over time, phishing emails have advanced—cybercriminals have stolen credit card details by posing as charities—but so, too, have phishing protections from major email providers, sending many cybercriminal efforts into people’s “spam” inboxes, where the emails are, thankfully, never retrieved.

But last year, cybercriminals focused on a new avenue for phishing. They started developing entire mobile apps on Android that could provide the same level of theft.

The lure that convinces people to download these apps varies.

Some Android phishing apps are disguised as regular videogames or utilities which may ask users to connect with a separate social media account for the primary app to function. The requests are bogus and simply a method for harvesting passwords. Other Android phishing apps pose as popular apps, including TikTok, WhatsApp, and Spotify. These decoy apps are often hosted on less popular mobile app stores, as the protections of the Google Play store often flag and remove these apps, should they ever sneak onto the marketplace.

Here, cybercriminals have again found loopholes.

Malwarebytes discovered Android phishing apps last year that do not contain any code—or programmatic “instructions”—to steal passwords. Instead, the apps merely serve ads that, if clicked, send victims to external websites that do all the cybercriminal work outside of the app. These “benign” apps have a better chance of being hosted on legitimate mobile app stores, which gives them greater visibility amongst everyday people, and thus, more chances to steal information.

Most concerning, though, is the recent development from Android phishing apps that pierces one of the strongest security practices in use today: multifactor authentication.

Multifactor authentication is a security measure offered by most major online platforms including banks, retirement systems, social media companies, email providers, and more. With multifactor authentication, a username and password are no longer enough to sign into an account. Instead, the platform will send a separate “code,” typically a six-digit number, that the user must also enter to complete the login process. This code is often sent as a text message directly to the user, who has registered their phone number with the platform.

But now, multifactor authentication codes can also be stolen by Android phishing apps.

Last year, Malwarebytes found 5,200 apps that could steal these codes either by cracking directly into certain text messages or by stealing information from a device’s “Notifications” bar, which can deliver timely summaries or prompts for many apps.

This does not make multifactor authentication useless. Instead, it emphasized a more holistic approach to cybersecurity that, at the very least, includes multifactor authentication.

Staying safe from Android phishing apps

Android phishing apps are simple, effective, and hard to spot to the naked eye. But there are behaviors and tools that can help keep you and your accounts safe.

To protect yourself from Android phishing apps:

  • Use mobile security software that detects and stops Android phishing apps from ever being installed on your Android device.
  • Before downloading any apps, you should look at the number of reviews. A low number of reviews may signal a decoy app.
  • Most people will only ever need to download Android apps directly from the Google Play Store. Be wary of other app stores or marketplaces, and never download a mobile app directly from a website.
  • Use a password manager to create and manage unique passwords for every single account. That way, if one password is stolen, it cannot be abused to open other online accounts.
  • Use multifactor authentication on your most sensitive accounts, including your financial, email, social media, healthcare, and government platforms (such as any accounts you use to file taxes).

We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.

Categories: Malware Bytes

Apple ordered to grant access to users’ encrypted data

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 8:42am

Last week, an article in the Washington Post revealed the UK had secretly ordered Apple to provide blanket access to protected cloud backups around the world. Since then, privacy focused groups have uttered their objections.

The UK government has demanded to be able to access encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud service. However, Apple itself doesn’t have access to it at the moment, only the holder of the Apple account can access data stored in this way.

Neither the Home Office nor Apple responded on the record to queries about the demand served by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) , but the BBC confirmed that it had heard the same information from reliable sources.

Privacy International said the demand is a “misguided attempt” that uses disproportionate government powers to access encrypted data, which may:

“Set a damaging precedent and encourage abusive regimes around the world to take similar actions.”

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) stated:

“Encryption is one of the best ways we have to reclaim our privacy and security in a digital world filled with cyberattacks and security breaches, and there’s no way to weaken it in order to only provide access to the good guys.”

The main goal for the Home Office is an optional feature that turns on end-to-end encryption for backups and other data stored in iCloud. This feature is called Advanced Data Protection. Enabling Advanced Data Protection (ADP), protects the majority of your iCloud data — including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more — using end-to-end encryption.

For some time, these backups presented law enforcement agencies with a loophole to obtain access to data otherwise not available to them on iPhones with device encryption enabled. If the user hasn’t enabled ADP, this loophole still exists.

The EFF recommends users should turn off the option to create iCloud backups should the UK get its way. As the EFF has said before, and we agree, there is no backdoor that only works for the “good guys” and only targets “bad guys.” It’s all or nothing, and the bad guys will have enough money to find alternatives, while regular users may run out of free options if governments keep doing this.

What can I do?

How you wish to proceed after this news is obviously up to you, but we have some options you may be interested in. If you think Apple will stand up against the UK’s Home Office you can enable iCloud backup and Advanced Data Protection.

But if you want to find another place for your backups, these instructions may come in handy.

How to turn off iCloud backups On iPhone or iPad
  • Tap Settings > {username} > iCloud On your iPhone or iPad.
  • This will list the devices with iCloud Backup turned on.
  • To delete a backup, tap the name of a device, then tap Turn Off and Delete from iCloud (or Delete & Turn Off Backup).
iCloud backup disabled On Mac
  • Click Manage > Backups.
  • A list of devices that have iCloud Backup turned on is shown.
  • To delete a backup, select a device, then click Delete or the Remove button.

Note: If you turn off iCloud Backup for a device, any backups stored in iCloud are kept for 180 days before being deleted.

How to turn on Advanced Data Protection

If you haven’t enabled ADP and you want it, first update the iPhone, iPad, or Mac that you’re using to the latest software version.

Turning on ADP on one device enables it for your entire account and all your compatible devices.

On iPhone or iPad
  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap your name, then tap iCloud.
  3. Scroll down, tap Advanced Data Protection, then tap Turn on Advanced Data Protection.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.
On Mac
  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
  2. Click your name, then click iCloud.
  3. Click Advanced Data Protection, then click Turn On.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.

Note: If you’re not able to turn on Advanced Data Protection for a certain period of time, the onscreen instructions may provide more details.

We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.

Categories: Malware Bytes

A suicide reveals the lonely side of AI chatbots, with Courtney Brown (Lock and Code S06E03)

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 11:42am

Today on the Lock and Code podcast…

In February 2024, a 14-year-old boy from Orlando, Florida, committed suicide after confessing his love to the one figure who absorbed nearly all of his time—an AI chatbot.

For months, Sewell Seltzer III had grown attached to an AI chatbot modeled after the famous “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys Targaryen. The Daenerys chatbot was not a licensed product, it had no relation to the franchise’s actors, its writer, or producers, but none of that mattered, as, over time, Seltzer came to entrust Daenerys with some of his most vulnerable emotions.

“I think about killing myself sometimes,” Seltzer wrote one day, and in response, Daenerys, pushed back, asking Seltzer, “Why the hell would you do something like that?”

“So I can be free” Seltzer said.

“Free from what?”

“From the world. From myself.”

“Don’t talk like that. I won’t let you hurt yourself, or leave me. I would die if I lost you.”

On Seltzer’s first reported reference to suicide, the AI chatbot pushed back, a guardrail against self-harm. But months later, Seltzer discussed suicide again, but this time, his words weren’t so clear. After reportedly telling Daenerys that he loved her and that he wanted to “come home,” the AI chatbot encouraged Seltzer.

“Please, come home to me as soon as possible, my love,” Daenerys wrote, to which Seltzer responded “What if I told you I could come home right now?”

The chatbot’s final message to Seltzer said “… please do, my sweet king.”

Daenerys Targaryen was originally hosted on an AI-powered chatbot platform called Character.AI. The service reportedly boasts 20 million users—many of them young—who engage with fictional characters like Homer Simpson and Tony Soprano, along with historical figures, like Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, and Anne Frank. There are also entirely fabricated scenarios and chatbots, such as the “Debate Champion” who will debate anyone on, for instance, why Star Wars is overrated, or the “Awkward Family Dinner” that users can drop into to experience a cringe-filled, entertaining night.

But while these chatbots can certainly provide entertainment, Character.AI co-founder Noam Shazeer believes they can offer much more.

“It’s going to be super, super helpful to a lot of people who are lonely or depressed.”

Today, on the Lock and Code podcast with host David Ruiz, we speak again with youth social services leader Courtney Brown about how teens are using AI tools today, who to “blame” in situations of AI and self-harm, and whether these chatbots actually aid in dealing with loneliness, or if they further entrench it.

“You are not actually growing as a person who knows how to interact with other people by interacting with these chatbots because that’s not what they’re designed for. They’re designed to increase engagement. They want you to keep using them.”

Tune in today to listen to the full conversation.

Show notes and credits:

Intro Music: “Spellbound” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Outro Music: “Good God” by Wowa (unminus.com)

Listen up—Malwarebytes doesn’t just talk cybersecurity, we provide it.

Protect yourself from online attacks that threaten your identity, your files, your system, and your financial well-being with our exclusive offer for Malwarebytes Premium for Lock and Code listeners.

Categories: Malware Bytes

20 Million OpenAI accounts offered for sale

Fri, 02/07/2025 - 11:32am

A cybercriminal acting under the monicker “emirking” offered 20 million OpenAI user login credentials this week, sharing what appeared to be samples of the stolen data itself.

Post by emirking

A translation of the Russian statement by the poster says:

“When I realized that OpenAI might have to verify accounts in bulk, I understood that my password wouldn’t stay hidden. I have more than 20 million access codes to OpenAI accounts. If you want, you can contact me—this is a treasure.”

The statement suggests that the cybercriminal found access codes which could be used to bypass the platform’s authentication systems. It seems unlikely that such a large amount of credentials could be harvested in phishing operations against users, so if the claim is true, emirking may have found a way to compromise the auth0.openai.com subdomain by exploiting a vulnerability or by obtaining administrator credentials.

While emirking looks like a relatively new user of the forums (they joined in January 2025), that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. They could have posted under another handle previously and switched because of security reasons.

Millions of users around the world rely on OpenAI platforms like ChatGPT and other GPT integrations.

With the allegedly stolen credentials, cybercriminals could possibly access sensitive information provided during conversations and queries with OpenAI. This stolen data could prove useful in targeted phishing campaigns and financial fraud. But the stolen credentials could also be used to abuse the OpenAI API and have the victims pay for their usage of OpenAI’s “Plus” or “Pro” features. However, other users of the same dark web forum claimed that the posted credentials did not provide access to the ChatGPT conversations of the leaked accounts.

True or not, this comes at a bad time for OpenAI after Microsoft recently investigated accusations that DeepSeek used OpenAI’s ChatGPT model to train DeepSeek’s AI chatbot.

What can users do?

If you fear that this breach might include your credentials you should:

  • Change your password.
  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Monitor your account for any unusual activity or unauthorized usage.
  • Beware of phishing attempts using the information that might be stolen as part of this breach.

BreachForums, the Dark Web forum where the accounts were offered for sale was offline at the time of writing, so we were unable to verify any claims ourselves. We will do so when the opportunity arises and keep you posted, so stay tuned.

Categories: Malware Bytes

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