Attachment to smart devices and biometric surveillance leaves Americans more vulnerable to police searches than ever. Left unchecked it will only get worse.

A family in Chicago has been terrified to leave their apartment. Agents could be anywhere.

Under a Homeland Security program, police departments around the US are signing up to assist in immigration enforcement. The cops of Carroll, New Hampshire, are going all in—and they’re likely not alone.

Watching OpenClaw do its thing must be like watching the first plane take flight. It's a bit rickety and stuck together with a lot of sticky tape, but squint and you can see the potential for agentic AI to change the world as we know it. And I don't think that's hyperbolic. A lot of what people claim to have done with it is hyperbolic, and as with all new tech, the challenge is to cut through the noise and find the value. Stay tuned for more on that, as I've already found some really useful applications for it to help me do my job better, which I think I should devote my next weekly vid to just that.

First heard as US and Israeli strikes on Iran began, the shortwave broadcast has since been traced to a US military base in Germany—but its purpose and its operator remain unclear.

A financially motivated data theft and extortion group is attempting to inject itself into the Iran war, unleashing a worm that spreads through poorly secured cloud services and wipes data on infected systems that use Iran’s time zone or have Farsi set as the default language.

Experts say the wiper campaign against Iran materialized this past weekend and came from a relatively new cybercrime group known as TeamPCP. In December 2025, the group began compromising corporate cloud environments using a self-propagating worm that went after exposed Docker APIs, Kubernetes clusters, Redis servers, and the React2Shell vulnerability. TeamPCP then attempted to move laterally through victim networks, siphoning authentication credentials and extorting victims over Telegram.

In a profile of TeamPCP published in January, the security firm Flare said the group weaponizes exposed control planes rather than exploiting endpoints, predominantly targeting cloud infrastructure over end-user devices, with Azure (61%) and AWS (36%) accounting for 97% of compromised servers.

“TeamPCP’s strength does not come from novel exploits or original malware, but from the large-scale automation and integration of well-known attack techniques,” Flare’s Assaf Morag wrote. “The group industrializes existing vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and recycled tooling into a cloud-native exploitation platform that turns exposed infrastructure into a self-propagating criminal ecosystem.”

On March 19, TeamPCP executed a supply chain attack against the vulnerability scanner Trivy from Aqua Security, injecting credential-stealing malware into official releases on GitHub actions. Aqua Security said it has since removed the harmful files, but the security firm Wiz notes the attackers were able to publish malicious versions that snarfed SSH keys, cloud credentials, Kubernetes tokens and cryptocurrency wallets from users.

Over the weekend, the same technical infrastructure TeamPCP used in the Trivy attack was leveraged to deploy a new malicious payload which executes a wiper attack if the user’s timezone and locale are determined to correspond to Iran, said Charlie Eriksen, a security researcher at Aikido. In a blog post published on Sunday, Eriksen said if the wiper component detects that the victim is in Iran and has access to a Kubernetes cluster, it will destroy data on every node in that cluster.

“If it doesn’t it will just wipe the local machine,” Eriksen told KrebsOnSecurity.

Aikido refers to TeamPCP’s infrastructure as “CanisterWorm” because the group orchestrates their campaigns using an Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) canister — a system of tamperproof, blockchain-based “smart contracts” that combine both code and data. ICP canisters can serve Web content directly to visitors, and their distributed architecture makes them resistant to takedown attempts. These canisters will remain reachable so long as their operators continue to pay virtual currency fees to keep them online.

Eriksen said the people behind TeamPCP are bragging about their exploits in a group on Telegram and claim to have used the worm to steal vast amounts of sensitive data from major companies, including a large multinational pharmaceutical firm.

“When they compromised Aqua a second time, they took a lot of GitHub accounts and started spamming these with junk messages,” Eriksen said. “It was almost like they were just showing off how much access they had. Clearly, they have an entire stash of these credentials, and what we’ve seen so far is probably a small sample of what they have.”

Security experts say the spammed GitHub messages could be a way for TeamPCP to ensure that any code packages tainted with their malware will remain prominent in GitHub searches. In a newsletter published today titled GitHub is Starting to Have a Real Malware Problem, Risky Business reporter Catalin Cimpanu writes that attackers often are seen pushing meaningless commits to their repos or using online services that sell GitHub stars and “likes” to keep malicious packages at the top of the GitHub search page.

This weekend’s outbreak is the second major supply chain attack involving Trivy in as many months. At the end of February, Trivy was hit as part of an automated threat called HackerBot-Claw, which mass exploited misconfigured workflows in GitHub Actions to steal authentication tokens.

Eriksen said it appears TeamPCP used access gained in the first attack on Aqua Security to perpetrate this weekend’s mischief. But he said there is no reliable way to tell whether TeamPCP’s wiper actually succeeded in trashing any data from victim systems, and that the malicious payload was only active for a short time over the weekend.

“They’ve been taking [the malicious code] up and down, rapidly changing it adding new features,” Eriksen said, noting that when the malicious canister wasn’t serving up malware downloads it was pointing visitors to a Rick Roll video on YouTube.

“It’s a little all over the place, and there’s a chance this whole Iran thing is just their way of getting attention,” Eriksen said. “I feel like these people are really playing this Chaotic Evil role here.”

Cimpanu observed that supply chain attacks have increased in frequency of late as threat actors begin to grasp just how efficient they can be, and his post documents an alarming number of these incidents since 2024.

“While security firms appear to be doing a good job spotting this, we’re also gonna need GitHub’s security team to step up,” Cimpanu wrote. “Unfortunately, on a platform designed to copy (fork) a project and create new versions of it (clones), spotting malicious additions to clones of legitimate repos might be quite the engineering problem to fix.”

Update, 2:40 p.m. ET: Wiz is reporting that TeamPCP also pushed credential stealing malware to the KICS vulnerability scanner from Checkmarx, and that the scanner’s GitHub Action was compromised between 12:58 and 16:50 UTC today (March 23rd).

85% of enterprises are experimenting with AI agents—autonomous systems that lack judgment and disregardconsequences. Cisco announces Zero Trust for AgenticAI, integrating identity, access, and behavioral controlsto secure your adoption of AI.

Discover why 85% of organizations are exploring agentic AI, yet only 5% are in production. Learn how to bridge the agent trust gap with robust security.

In a place denied access to basic forensic technology—and where people disappear into Israeli detention—the fate of thousands remains unknown. One of them is an autistic teenager.

For families of the missing, systemic obstacles to identifying remains and locating people in Israeli detention has created a kind of social and legal purgatory.

Plus: The FBI admits it’s buying phone data to track Americans, Iranian hackers disrupt medical care at Maryland hospitals, and more.

Congressman Jim Himes claims a sweeping surveillance authority should stay intact because he hasn't seen abuses by Kash Patel's FBI, according to internal messaging obtained by WIRED.

What happens when a cyberattack hits and products aren't enough? Cisco has people for that. This is their story.

Part 2 to A Retrospective on VoidLink and the Emerging Workload Security Threat.

Meta blamed users for not opting into the privacy-protecting feature. Experts fear the move could be the first major domino to fall for end-to-end encryption tech worldwide.

What you do – and how fast – after an account is compromised often matters more than it may seem

The Aisuru, Kimwolf, JackSkid, and Mossad botnets had infected more than 3 million devices in total, many inside home networks, according to the US Justice Department.

Moxie Marlinspike says the technology powering his encrypted AI chatbot, Confer, will be integrated into Meta AI. The move could help protect the AI conversations of millions of people.

ESET researchers dive deeper into the EDR killer ecosystem, disclosing how attackers abuse vulnerable drivers

Today marks the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and with warmer weather setting in summer trips are vacation planning are starting to take shape.   

But before you respond to that message about your hotel booking or payment confirmation, it’s worth asking: is it actually legit? 

This week in scams, we’re breaking down a travel phishing scheme making the rounds through realistic booking messages, as well as new McAfee research on betting scams and AI-driven malware. 

We’ll walk through what happened, what to watch for, and how McAfee’s tools can help you stay safe. 

Scammers Who Know Your Exact Travel Reservation Details 

A new phishing campaign targeting travelers is exploiting hotel booking platforms like Booking.com, and it’s convincing enough to fool even cautious users. 

According to reporting from ITBrew and Cybernews, attackers are running a multi-stage scam: 

How The Booking Scam Works 

Scam Stage	How It Works	What You’ll Notice	How to Protect Yourself	Where McAfee Helps
Stage 1: Hotel account gets compromised	Attackers phish or hack hotel staff to access booking platforms and guest reservation data.	You won’t see this part — it happens behind the scenes.	Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on your own accounts to reduce risk of similar breaches.	Identity Monitoring can alert you if your personal information appears in suspicious places or data leaks.
Stage 2: You receive a realistic message	Scammers use stolen booking data to send messages via WhatsApp, email, or even booking platforms.	The message includes your real name, hotel, and travel dates, making it feel legitimate.	Be cautious of unexpected outreach, even if the details are correct. Don’t assume accuracy means authenticity.	Scam detection tools can help flag suspicious messages and identify potential phishing attempts.
Stage 3: Urgency is introduced	The message claims there’s an issue with your reservation and pushes you to act quickly.	Phrases like “confirm within 12 hours” or “risk cancellation” create pressure.	Pause before acting. Legitimate companies rarely require urgent payment changes without prior notice.	Scam detection can help identify high-risk messages designed to pressure you into quick decisions.
Stage 4: You’re sent to a fake payment page	A link leads to a convincing lookalike site designed to steal your payment details.	The page looks real but may have subtle URL differences or unusual formatting.	Always navigate directly to the official website or app instead of clicking links in messages.	Safe Browsing tools can help block risky or known malicious websites before you enter sensitive information.

March Madness Brackets, Bets, and Bad Actors 

March Madness brings brackets, bets, and a flood of bad actors. 

New McAfee research found that 1 in 3 Americans (32%) say they’ve experienced a betting or gambling scam, and nearly a quarter (24%) say they’ve lost money to one. On average, victims reported losing $547. 

That’s not surprising when you look at the environment around the tournament. More than half of Americans are watching, more than half are participating in some form of betting, and 82% say they’ve seen betting promotions in the past year. 

Some of the most common setups this season include: 

• “Guaranteed win” or “can’t lose” betting tips that require payment upfront 
• Fake sportsbook promotions offering bonus bets or free credits 
• Messages claiming you have winnings, but need to pay a fee to unlock them 
• Impersonation scams posing as sportsbook support or betting platforms 
• Invitations to private “VIP betting groups” on WhatsApp or Telegram 

The takeaway:
If a betting offer promises guaranteed results, demands the use of bizarre apps and sites, asks for money upfront, or pushes you to act quickly, it’s not an edge. It’s a scam. 

“AI-Written” Malware Is Hiding in Everyday Downloads 

Not all scams start with a message. Some start with a search. 

McAfee Labs uncovered a large-scale malware campaign hiding inside hundreds of fake downloads, including game mods, AI tools, drivers, and trading utilities. 

In January alone, researchers identified: 

• 443 malicious ZIP files disguised as legitimate software 
• 1,700+ file names used to make those downloads look credible 
• 48 variants of a malicious DLL file used to infect devices 

These weren’t hosted on obscure corners of the internet either. The files were distributed through platforms people recognize, including Discord, SourceForge, and file-sharing sites. 

Here’s how the attack typically works: 

• You search for a tool. 
• You download what looks like the right file. 
• It opens normally at first. 

Then, behind the scenes, malware loads quietly and begins pulling in additional code. In some cases, victims are shown fake error messages while the real infection happens in the background. 

From there, attackers can: 

• Turn your device into a cryptocurrency mining machine 
• Install additional malware like infostealers or remote access tools 
• Slow down your system while running hidden processes 

What makes this campaign stand out is that some of the code appears to have been generated with help from AI tools. 

That doesn’t mean AI is running the attack on its own. But it does suggest attackers are using AI to: 

• Generate code faster 
• Create more variations of malware 
• Scale campaigns more efficiently 

In other words, the barrier to building malware is getting lower. 

The takeaway:
If a download is unofficial, hard to find, or feels like a shortcut, it’s worth slowing down. The file may look right, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. 

How McAfee+ Advanced Works in These Scam Moments 

Whether it’s a message about your booking, a betting offer that looks legitimate, or a download that appears to be exactly what you were searching for, these scams all rely on the same thing: they blend into everyday moments. 

That’s where having backup like McAfee+ Advanced comes in. It includes: 

• McAfee’s Scam Detector, which helps flag suspicious links in texts and messages like the ones used in these booking and betting scams, so you can spot something risky before you engage

• Web protection and real-time device security, helping protect against risky links, malicious sites, and evolving threats if you do click, including fake betting platforms or malware hidden in downloads

• Personal Data Cleanup, which helps remove your information from sites that sell it, making it harder for scammers to access the personal details that make messages and scams feel legitimate

• Secure VPN, which helps keep your personal info safe and private anywhere you use public Wi-Fi, like hotels, airports, and cafés while traveling

• Identity Monitoring and alerts, with 24/7 scans of the dark web to help ensure your personal and financial information isn’t being exposed or reused

• Credit and transaction monitoring, so you can get alerts about suspicious financial activity if your information is ever compromised 

• Identity restoration support and up to $2 million in identity theft coverage, giving you access to US-based experts and added peace of mind if something does go wrong 

Stay skeptical, verify before you click, and we’ll see you next week with more. 

The post This Week in Scams: Why That “Booking Confirmation” Message Might Be Fake appeared first on McAfee Blog.