The Origin Energy breach down here in Aus is all over the news this week, and as with many breaches, it's multi-faceted. You've got them leading with "don't worry, your credit card is fine", the hacker leading with "they didn't respond when I tried to report it", and now news that the two parties have "come to an agreement". Maybe money was paid, or maybe Origin made some promises to restrain the hounds if commitments about data deletion were made. But both outcomes, of course, provide no guarantee that data has been nuked, so now they get to spend perpetuity waiting for the data that maybe - just maybe - it leaks. And we all should be working on precisely that assumption, just like we did with Optus and Medibank and Latitude and Ticketek and Qantas...
This week in scams and cybersecurity news,
Chick-fil-A disclosed that hackers may have accessed customer loyalty accounts using stolen usernames and passwords leaked in previous breaches.
It’s a reminder that reusing passwords across websites can be dangerous and allow one breach to snowball into many others.
Here’s what happened and what customers need to know:
Chick-fil-A is notifying customers in 10 states after a cyberattack targeted a limited number of Chick-fil-A One loyalty accounts.
According to multiple reports, attackers used a technique known as credential stuffing, in which criminals take usernames and passwords stolen in previous data breaches and automatically test them across other websites and apps.
If someone has reused the same password, attackers may be able to access additional accounts without ever hacking the company directly.
Chick-fil-A said the attackers may have accessed customer information including:
The company says it has logged affected users out of their accounts, removed stored payment methods, restored impacted rewards balances, and is notifying customers who may have been affected.
| Credential stuffing: |
| A cyberattack where criminals use usernames and passwords stolen in previous data breaches to automatically sign in to other websites and apps. If you’ve reused the same password across multiple accounts, one breach can give attackers access to many of them. |
| How to Protect Yourself: Use a unique password for every account, enable multi-factor authentication, and use a password manager to securely create and store strong passwords. |
Personal Data Cleanup reduces your digital footprint by removing your personal information from many data broker sites, making it harder for scammers to find and target you.
Online Account Cleanup scans for accounts you no longer use and helps you delete them, along with your personal info.
Password Manager helps you create and securely store strong, unique passwords for every account, reducing the risk that one stolen password can unlock multiple accounts.
Identity Monitoring watches for your personal information, including email addresses, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, bank accounts, credit cards, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and more, across the dark web and known data leaks.
Plus, we alert users on average up to 10 months earlier than similar services, so you can act fast when your personal information appears where it shouldn’t.
Scam Detector identifies suspicious texts, emails, and links that often follow major breaches, while web protection blocks malicious websites designed to steal even more of your information.
Student loan scams are on the rise. Experts warn that changing federal student loan repayment rules are creating confusion that scammers are exploiting with fake debt relief offers, phishing emails, and identity theft schemes targeting borrowers. (PBS News)
AI agent reportedly carried out a cyberattack. AI platform Hugging Face says an autonomous AI agent executed a sophisticated attack against its internal systems from start to finish; an early example of AI taking on an active role in cyberattacks rather than simply assisting human hackers. (Axios)
Paidwork breach reportedly exposes 23 million users. Security researchers say data from the microtask platform may include names, addresses, phone numbers, bank account details, and password hashes, highlighting how even smaller online accounts can become valuable targets for cybercriminals. (Malwarebytes)
And we’ll be back next week with more news.
The post Chick-fil-A Data Breach Explained: What Customers Need to Know appeared first on McAfee Blog.
The home appliance giant LG Electronics USA said this week it plans to suspend any apps built for its smart TVs that turn one’s television into an always-on residential proxy node. The move comes less than a month after researchers found that more than 42 percent of games and other apps available for download on LG’s webOS store allow unknown third-parties to route their Internet traffic through a user’s TV.
Proxy SDK prevalence among smart TV apps for LG (webOS) and Samsung (Tizen OS) televisions. Image: Spur.us.
On July 2, we featured research by the security firm Spur that examined the prevalence of residential proxy software development kits (SDKs) in smart TV apps. Spur found more than 42 percent of apps available for download on LG smart TVs include SDKs that turn one’s television in a proxy node indefinitely, and that more than a quarter of the apps made for Samsung’s Tizen operating system had similar residential proxy components.
Responding to questions about Spur’s research, LG Senior Vice President John Taylor told KrebsOnSecurity the company was working with app developers to remove the residential proxy option from their apps on the webOS platform. Developers that fail to comply, he said, will find their apps suspended.
“A residential proxy network is not an intended use for LG smart TVs, and LG Electronics is working with developers to remove the residential proxy option from their apps on the webOS platform,” Taylor said. “If this option is not removed, these apps will be suspended.”
Taylor said LG is committed to keeping residential proxy networks out of its smart TV apps going forward, and that the company’s review of those apps is “well underway now.”
“As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance platform quality and the user experience, LG will continue to strengthen our evaluation process for developer-submitted apps, including those that incorporate residential proxy SDKs,” Taylor wrote in an emailed statement.
App makers looking for ways to monetize their creations can turn to residential proxy providers, which pay developers to include SDKs that turn the user’s device into a residential proxy node that is rented to paying customers. In the case of LG and Samsung smart TVs, Spur found residential proxy SDKs bundled with everything from simple games like Pac-Man to screensavers and file utilities.
A Pac-Man smart TV app from Bright Data offers users the choice between viewing ads in the game or agreeing to allow their TV to serve as a residential proxy node. Image: Spur.us.
Spur’s report found the residential proxy network Bright Data accounted for a majority of proxy SDKs across both Samsung and LG smart TVs. In a statement shared with KrebsOnSecurity, Bright Data said its network is built on consent and responsibility and operates by LG and Samsung terms.
“Every peer opts in through a dedicated screen and receives value in return; every customer is vetted, and our practices have now undergone a second independent audit by PwC,” the statement reads. “We remain committed to an open, transparent internet where legitimate businesses, researchers, and institutions can responsibly access data that lives in the public domain.”
Bright Data and other proxy providers named in Spur’s report all say they follow rigorous know-your-customer processes to validate legitimate uses of their services, which is often heavily tied to content-scraping activities by said customers. The proxy companies also say they incorporate technological countermeasures to prevent proxy service customers from being able to interact with and control other devices on the proxy user’s local network.
Spur argues the problem is not that residential proxy networks exist, but rather that they are being embedded at scale in devices that most consumers do not think of as computers and are not equipped to audit.
“A one-time consent prompt buried in a TV app is not a substitute for meaningful transparency, ongoing control, and platform oversight,” Spur’s Trevor Sutter wrote. “The risk is amplified when consent comes from individuals within the household who use the device but shouldn’t give consent, such as minors.”
LG’s announcement that it is culling residential proxy SDKs from its app store is welcome news, but the company recently came under fire for another questionable partnership: Pimping McAfee security products via software drivers included in its high-end LCD monitors.
Earlier this week, the Youtube channel Gamers Nexus showed that certain LG LCD monitors will automatically install an app that promotes paid McAfee antivirus subscriptions, and that the app arrives through Windows Update without an approval prompt.
Update, July 22, 1:06 p.m. ET: Added statement from Bright Data.
I reckon this week's video on how Claude is tying together info from UniFi, Home Assistant and the Pi-Hole is an absolute ripper. Or at least the concept is - if ever there was an actual value proposition for AI it's taking lots of noise and converting it into a useful signal. Or, sometimes, it's just helping you see the woods through the trees, and that's exactly what Claude helped me do last night when every Sonos unit in the house refused to connect to any music service. It only took Claude a moment to work out: "you know your Pi-Hole is dead, right?" Uh... I do now! Give it a go, it's pretty awesome (and the Pi-Hole came good with a power cycle on the PoE port).
Scam messages are getting smarter and faster.
According to McAfee’s 2026 State of the Scamiverse report, Americans now spend 114 hours a year trying to figure out what’s real and what’s fake online. That’s nearly three full workweeks lost to second-guessing messages, alerts, and links.
And when scams do succeed, they move quickly. The typical scam unfolds in about 38 minutes, leaving little room for hesitation.
That creates a gap: People want to check before they act, but the tools haven’t always met them in that moment.
Claude + McAfee is designed to close that gap, bringing scam detection directly to a platform people are already using to ask questions and make decisions.
And it’s available to anyone. You don’t have to be a McAfee subscriber.
This isn’t just detection. It’s guidance in the exact moment you’re deciding what to do.
Instead of guessing, you can paste a message or drop in a screenshot and get a clear explanation of what’s risky, and what to do next, powered by McAfee’s threat intelligence.
With this integration, checking something suspicious becomes as simple as asking a question.
Paste a message. Drop in a link. Upload a screenshot. And just make sure to @McAfee when you’re asking a question.
McAfee analyzes it and explains what’s going on clearly and in context.
For example, I got this suspicious “job offer” message over the weekend:
So I uploaded it in Claude and asked @McAfee, which caught it right away. You can even see I’m using the free plan.
| Feature | What it does | How it protects you |
| Link safety check | Paste a suspicious URL and get a reputational analysis based on McAfee threat intelligence | Scam links are often designed to look legitimate. A quick check helps avoid phishing and malware |
| Message analysis | Submit texts, emails, or social messages for evaluation | Many scams now rely on urgency and tone. Analysis helps surface subtle red flags |
| Screenshot uploads | Upload screenshots of messages or emails for review | Scams don’t always come as clean text. This makes it easier to check what you’re seeing |
| Clear explanations | Get a breakdown of why something is flagged as risky or safe | Not just a warning—an explanation that helps you recognize patterns next time |
| Guided next steps | Receive recommendations on what to do next | Helps prevent escalation, especially in moments of uncertainty |
It’s a quick, accessible way to get answers in the moment. But it’s just one part of a broader system designed to protect you more comprehensively.
Add the Connector to your Claude account here.
And make sure to go into “manage connections” to give McAfee permissions to review the texts, emails, and URLs you upload to Claude.
Need help getting the extension installed? Check out our step-by-step guide.
Behind the scenes, Claude + McAfee is powered by the same intelligence that fuels McAfee’s broader scam protection ecosystem.
When you submit something for review:
The goal isn’t just to flag risk. It’s to help you understand it.
Scams aren’t slowing down. If anything, they’re becoming more convincing, more personalized, and harder to detect.
That’s where Claude + McAfee comes in. But this is only one part of a much bigger system designed to protect you before, during, and after a scam attempt.
With McAfee+ Advanced, multiple layers work together so you’re not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
McAfee+ Advanced makes sure you’re protected across everything else.
The post How to Use Claude with McAfee to Check “Is This a Scam?” appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Scammers don’t always need sophisticated malware to steal your money. Increasingly, they’re relying on something much simpler: your trust.
This week, fraudsters were reported using FaceTime to watch victims log into their online banking accounts in real time, while Arizona authorities warned about fake QR codes exploiting the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.
Here’s what happened, and how to protect yourself.
A growing scam is turning one of Apple’s most familiar apps into a tool for financial fraud.
According to CBS News, scammers first contact victims by text or phone while pretending to represent their bank or credit card company. They claim there’s suspicious activity on the account and that additional verification is needed.
Instead of keeping the conversation on a regular phone call, they switch to FaceTime.
Victims are then convinced to share their screens while logging into online banking. As they do, scammers can watch account numbers, passwords, and even one-time security codes appear in real time.
How the scam works
Remember: Your bank should never ask you to share your screen or reveal one-time authentication codes. If you receive an unexpected call, hang up and contact your bank using the number on the back of your card or through its official app.
Authorities in Arizona are warning the public about another scam—this time involving the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie.
According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, scammers have been circulating social media posts containing QR codes requesting donations connected to the investigation.
The department says it will never ask the public for money related to this case or any investigation and urged people not to scan QR codes requesting payment.
The warning comes as investigators continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, whose disappearance remains under investigation.
Scammers know that people want to help during emergencies. Unfortunately, they also know that urgency and emotion can cause people to act before verifying where their money is going.
Even scam reporters can be targeted. A CBS News correspondent shared how he nearly withdrew money from his own bank after falling for a sophisticated imposter scam before realizing something didn’t add up. (Yahoo Finance)
India investigates reported nuclear plant-related data breach. Reuters reported that ransomware group World Leaks published files allegedly connected to contractors working on India’s Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Officials say no nuclear security systems were exposed. (Reuters/Al Jazeera)
Cyberattack disrupts KFC Japan supply chain. A cyberattack on food logistics provider Nichirei Co. disrupted frozen food deliveries to KFC Japan, leading the company to warn of possible menu restrictions, shorter hours, and temporary pauses to online ordering. Nichirei said it has found no evidence that customer or personal information was exposed. (TechRadar)
Before you trust a call, text, or QR code:
Never share your screen with someone claiming to be your bank.
Don’t scan QR codes requesting money unless you’ve verified the source.
Contact organizations directly using their official website or phone number—not the contact information provided in a text or social media post.
Slow down when someone creates urgency. Whether it’s a missing person case or a frozen bank account, scammers rely on emotional reactions.
Scammers often begin with a text, phone call, or malicious link designed to earn your trust before stealing your information.
Before a breach: Personal Data Cleanup helps reduce your digital footprint by removing your personal information from many data broker sites, limiting what scammers can easily find about you.
During a breach: Identity Monitoring alerts you if your personal information appears on the dark web or in known data leaks, helping you respond faster if your information is exposed.
After a breach: Scam Detector helps identify suspicious texts, emails, and links that often follow major breaches, while Web Protection helps block malicious websites designed to steal additional information or credentials.
And we’ll be back next week with more news and safety tips.
The post The FaceTime Bank Scam That Can Expose Your Passwords in Real Time: This Week in Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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