Your Mac Is Not Virus Proof. It Never Has Been.

China-Linked Hackers Target Myanmar's Top Ministries with Backdoor Blitz

The China-based threat actor known as Mustang Panda is suspected to have targeted Myanmar's Ministry of Defence and Foreign Affairs as part of twin campaigns designed to deploy backdoors and remote access trojans. The findings come from CSIRT-CTI, which said the activities took place in November 2023 and January 2024 after artifacts in connection with the attacks were uploaded to the

Albabat, Kasseika, Kuiper: New Ransomware Gangs Rise with Rust and Golang

Cybersecurity researchers have detected in the wild yet another variant of the Phobos ransomware family known as Faust. Fortinet FortiGuard Labs, which detailed the latest iteration of the ransomware, said it's being propagated by means of an infection that delivers a Microsoft Excel document (.XLAM) containing a VBA script. "The attackers utilized the Gitea service to store several files

New CherryLoader Malware Mimics CherryTree to Deploy PrivEsc Exploits

A new Go-based malware loader called CherryLoader has been discovered by threat hunters in the wild to deliver additional payloads onto compromised hosts for follow-on exploitation. Arctic Wolf Labs, which discovered the new attack tool in two recent intrusions, said the loader's icon and name masquerades as the legitimate CherryTree note-taking application to dupe potential victims

New iShutdown Method Exposes Hidden Spyware Like Pegasus on Your iPhone

Cybersecurity researchers have identified a "lightweight method" called iShutdown for reliably identifying signs of spyware on Apple iOS devices, including notorious threats like NSO Group's Pegasus, QuaDream's Reign, and Intellexa's Predator.  Kaspersky, which analyzed a set of iPhones that were compromised with Pegasus, said the infections left traces in a file

NoaBot: Latest Mirai-Based Botnet Targeting SSH Servers for Crypto Mining

A new Mirai-based botnet called NoaBot is being used by threat actors as part of a crypto mining campaign since the beginning of 2023. “The capabilities of the new botnet, NoaBot, include a wormable self-spreader and an SSH key backdoor to download and execute additional binaries or spread itself to new victims,” Akamai security researcher Stiv Kupchik said in a report shared with The

Researchers Unveil GuLoader Malware's Latest Anti-Analysis Techniques

Threat hunters have unmasked the latest tricks adopted by a malware strain called GuLoader in an effort to make analysis more challenging. "While GuLoader's core functionality hasn't changed drastically over the past few years, these constant updates in their obfuscation techniques make analyzing GuLoader a time-consuming and resource-intensive process," Elastic Security Labs

Mac Users Beware: New Trojan-Proxy Malware Spreading via Pirated Software

Unauthorized websites distributing trojanized versions of cracked software have been found to infect Apple macOS users with a new Trojan-Proxy malware. "Attackers can use this type of malware to gain money by building a proxy server network or to perform criminal acts on behalf of the victim: to launch attacks on websites, companies and individuals, buy guns, drugs, and other illicit

Hackers Using MSIX App Packages to Infect Windows PCs with GHOSTPULSE Malware

A new cyber attack campaign has been observed using spurious MSIX Windows app package files for popular software such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Grammarly, and Cisco Webex to distribute a novel malware loader dubbed GHOSTPULSE. "MSIX is a Windows app package format that developers can leverage to package, distribute, and install their applications to Windows users," Elastic

Beware of MalDoc in PDF: A New Polyglot Attack Allowing Attackers to Evade Antivirus

Cybersecurity researchers have called attention to a new antivirus evasion technique that involves embedding a malicious Microsoft Word file into a PDF file. The sneaky method, dubbed MalDoc in PDF by JPCERT/CC, is said to have been employed in an in-the-wild attack in July 2023. "A file created with MalDoc in PDF can be opened in Word even though it has magic numbers and file structure of PDF,"

S3 Ep144: When threat hunting goes down a rabbit hole

Latest episode - check it out now!

Google Virus Total leaks list of spooky email addresses

Careful with that file, Eugene!

VirusTotal Data Leak Exposes Some Registered Customers' Details

Data associated with a subset of registered customers of VirusTotal, including their names and email addresses, were exposed after an employee inadvertently uploaded the information to the malware scanning platform. The security incident, which comprises a database of 5,600 names in a 313KB file, was first disclosed by Der Spiegel and Der Standard yesterday. Launched in 2004, VirusTotal is a

Researchers Discover New Sophisticated Toolkit Targeting Apple macOS Systems

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a set of malicious artifacts that they say is part of a sophisticated toolkit targeting Apple macOS systems. "As of now, these samples are still largely undetected and very little information is available about any of them," Bitdefender researchers Andrei Lapusneanu and Bogdan Botezatu said in a preliminary report published on Friday. The Romanian firm's

Critical RCE Vulnerability Discovered in ClamAV Open Source Antivirus Software

Cisco has rolled out security updates to address a critical flaw reported in the ClamAV open source antivirus engine that could lead to remote code execution on susceptible devices. Tracked as CVE-2023-20032 (CVSS score: 9.8), the issue relates to a case of remote code execution residing in the HFS+ file parser component. The flaw affects versions 1.0.0 and earlier, 0.105.1 and earlier, and

The Big Difference Between Online Protection Software and Antivirus

Authored by Dennis Pang 

Online protection software. Antivirus. The two words get used interchangeably often enough. But sure enough, they’re different. And yet directly related when you take a closer look. 

The term “antivirus” has been with us for decades now, dating back to the first software that was designed to prevent computers from getting malware—malicious code, like viruses, that would lock up computers, scramble data, or otherwise damage computers and the data on them. Prime examples of these early types of malware include 1999’s “Melissa” virus spreads by infected email attachments and the even more devastating “ILOVEYOU” virus that incurred billions in damages worldwide. 

There’s a good reason why people default to the word “antivirus” so easily. Viruses have been on our collective minds for some time. And computer purchases have often been accompanied by the question, “Do you have antivirus for your computer?” By and large, the notion of antivirus has become pretty much engrained. 

Yet look ahead to today and you can see how dramatically things have changed since those early days. We still need antivirus, that’s for sure. But it takes far more than that to live life safely online right now. And that’s where online protection software comes in. 

What is online protection software? 

Online protection software protects you. It includes antivirus, yet it further protects your identity and privacy in addition to your devices.  

The way we use our computers, tablets, and phones nowadays shows the reason why we need such broad protection. We conduct so much of our lives online. We bank, we shop, we plan our finance online. We also run portions of our homes with smart devices and smart speakers. Increasingly, we track our health and wellness with connected devices too—like workouts on our phone and biometrics with consumer-grade and even medical-grade devices.  

All of this creates data. Data about who we are, what we’re doing, when we’re doing it, how often, and where. That’s precious information. Private information. Personal information. And understandably, that needs to be protected.  

Put simply, today’s threats have evolved. While viruses and malware remain a problem, today’s bad actors are out for the bigger games. Like stealing personal and financial info for identity theft. Moreover, organizations large and small collect data from your devices and the things you do on them, personal data that many share and sell for profit. Some of this data collection gets quite exacting, compiled from a broad range of public sources that can include records like bankruptcies, real estate sales, and birth records—plus private sources that can further include your shopping habits, the people you chat with, and what your daily travels look like based on location information captured from your smartphone.  

If you find yourself surprised by this, you’re not alone. Tremendous volumes of data collection activity occur without people’s knowledge or consent. 

Now as to why anyone would want any of that kind of data about you, consider the multi-billion-dollar industry of online data brokers. They compile thousands of data points from millions of people and put these vats of data up for sale to anyone who’ll buy them. That could be advertisers, potential employers, private investigators, and background checkers. And it could be bad actors as well who could use your own data to spam, harass, impersonate, or otherwise harm you. 

Today’s online protection software protects you from today’s threats 

Once, so many of these intrusions on our privacy and identity were difficult to spot, let alone prevent. For example, your personal info gets caught up in a data breach and winds up posted for sale on the dark web. How are you to know that before it’s too late and thief racks up umpteen charges on your debit card? Also, with dozens and dozens of data brokers out there, how do you track down which ones have information posted about you and then request to have it taken down? And what if online identity theft happens to you and you’re faced with the time and dollar costs it involves to set things right? 

So just as online threats have evolved, so has online protection software. We go about so much of our day online, and online protection like our own McAfee+ helps you do it more privately and more safely. It’s quite comprehensive, and the various plans for McAfee+ include: 

• Personal Data Cleanup reveals which high-risk data brokers and people search sites are collecting and selling your personal information and requests the removal of the information, confirms completion, and conducts ongoing scans as data is always being collected.     
• Unlimited Secure VPN that automatically connects to public Wi-Fi to protect online privacy and safeguard personal data while online banking, shopping, or browsing.     
• $1M Identity Theft and Stolen Funds Coverage to reimburse lost funds or expenses in restoring the customer’s identity, including losses to 401(k) accounts.    
• Ransomware Coverage to reimburse up to $25,000 for losses and ransom fees.    
• Licensed Restoration Experts who can take necessary actions to repair identity and credit issues, including assistance to assist with the identity fraud of a deceased family member.     
• Credit Monitoring and Alerts keep an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action to tackle identity theft.  
• Credit Score and Report to help you stay on top of daily changes to your credit score and report, from a single location.    
• Credit Lock reduces the chance of becoming a victim of identity theft by allowing you to quickly lock and unlock your credit, which can help prevent unauthorized opening of accounts.     
• Security Freeze prevents unauthorized access to existing accounts or new ones being set up in your name with a credit, bank, or utility freeze.    
• Identity Monitoring for up to 60 unique pieces of personal information on the dark web with timely alerts up to 10 months sooner than competitive products.    

For certain, protections like these remain a primary focus of ours, because they protect you. And that’s who thieves and bad actors are really after—you, your information, your accounts, and even your identity. Expect us to continue to roll out more protections that look after you in this way and more. 

Antivirus, a part of your comprehensive online protection plan 

So, while antivirus and online protection software are different, they work together. Antivirus provides strong device security, which complements the additional privacy and identity features included with online protection. That reflects how times have changed. Once it was enough to protect our devices from viruses and malware. Now we have to protect ourselves as well. Antivirus alone won’t do it, but antivirus as part of online protection will. 

The post The Big Difference Between Online Protection Software and Antivirus appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Russian Turla Hackers Hijack Decade-Old Malware Infrastructure to Deploy New Backdoors

The Russian cyberespionage group known as Turla has been observed piggybacking on attack infrastructure used by a decade-old malware to deliver its own reconnaissance and backdoor tools to targets in Ukraine. Google-owned Mandiant, which is tracking the operation under the uncategorized cluster moniker UNC4210, said the hijacked servers correspond to a variant of a commodity malware called 

Researchers Demonstrate How EDR and Antivirus Can Be Weaponized Against Users

High-severity security vulnerabilities have been disclosed in different endpoint detection and response (EDR) and antivirus (AV) products that could be exploited to turn them into data wipers. "This wiper runs with the permissions of an unprivileged user yet has the ability to wipe almost any file on a system, including system files, and make a computer completely unbootable," SafeBreach Labs

The CHRISTMA EXEC network worm – 35 years and counting!

"Uh-oh, this viruses-and-worms scene could turn out quite troublesome." If only we'd been wrong...

What is Antivirus and What Does It Really Protect?

Authored by Dennis Pang

What is antivirus? That’s a good question. What does it really protect? That’s an even better question. 

Over the years, I’ve come to recognize that different people define antivirus differently. Some see it as way to keep hackers from crashing their computers. Others see it as a comprehensive set of protections. Neither definition is entirely on the money. 

With this blog, I hope to give everyone a clear definition of what antivirus does well, along with what it doesn’t do at all. The fact is that antivirus is just one form of online protection. There are other forms of protection as well, and understanding antivirus’ role in your overall mix of online protection is an important part of staying safer online. 

What is antivirus? 

Antivirus software protects your devices against malware and viruses through a combination of prevention, detection, and removal.  

For years, people have installed antivirus software on their computers. Today, it can also protect your smartphones and tablets as well. In fact, we recommend installing it on those devices as well because they’re connected, just like a computer—and any device that connects to the internet is a potential target for malware and viruses.  

In short, if it’s connected, it must get protected. 

One important distinction about antivirus is its name, a name that first came into use decades ago when viruses first appeared on the scene. (More on that in a bit.) However, antivirus protects you from more than viruses. It protects against malware too. 

Malware is an umbrella term that covers all types of malicious software regardless of its design, intent, or how its delivered. Viruses are a subset of malicious software that infects devices and then replicates itself so that it can infect yet more devices. 

So while we popularly refer to protection software as antivirus, it protects against far more than just viruses. It protects against malware overall. 

Now here’s where some confusion may come in. Some antivirus apps are standalone. They offer malware protection and that’s it. Other antivirus apps are part of comprehensive online protection software, which can include several additional far-reaching features that can protect your privacy and your identity.  

The reason why antivirus gets paired up with other apps for your privacy and identity is because antivirus alone doesn’t offer these kinds of protections. Yet when paired with things like a password manager, credit monitoring, identity theft coverage, and a VPN, to name a few, you can protect your devices—along with your privacy and identity. All the things you need to stay safer online. 

In short, antivirus doesn’t cut it alone. 

With that, let’s take a closer look at what malware and viruses really are—how they evolved, and what they look like today, along with how antivirus protects you against them. 

What was the first computer virus? 

Viruses have a long history. And depending on how you define what a virus is, the first one arguably took root in 1971—more than 50 years ago.  

It was known as Creeper, and rather than being malicious in nature, it was designed to show how a self-replicating program could identify other connected devices on a network, transfer itself to them, and find yet more devices to repeat the process. Later, the same programmer who created a follow-on version of Creeper developed Reaper, a program that could remove the Creeper program. In a way, Reaper could be considered the first piece of antivirus software. 

From there, it wasn’t until the 1980’s that malware started affecting the broader population, a time when computers became more commonplace in businesses and people’s homes.  

At first, malware typically spread by infected floppy disks, much like the “Brain” virus in 1986. While recognized today as the first large-scale computer virus, its authors say they never intended it to work that way. Rather they say they created Brain as an anti-piracy measure to protect their proprietary software from theft. However, Brain got loose. It went beyond their software and affected computers worldwide. Although not malicious or destructive in nature, Brain most certainly put the industry, businesses, and consumers on notice.  

Computer viruses became a thing. 

Another piece of malware that got passed along via floppy disks was the “PC Cyborg” attack that targeted the medical research community in and around 1989. There the malware would lie in wait until the user rebooted their computer for the 90th time. And on that 90th boot, the user was presented with a digital ransom note like the one here: 

Along with that note, PC Cyborg encrypted the computer’s files, which would only get unencrypted if the victim paid a fee—making PC Cyborg the first widely recognized form of ransomware. 

Shortly thereafter, the internet started connecting computers, which opened millions of doors for hackers as people went online. Among the most noteworthy was 1999’s “Melissa” virus, which spread by way of infected email attachments and overloaded hundreds of corporate and governmental email servers worldwide.  

It was quickly followed in 2000 by what’s considered the among the most damaging malware to date—ILOVEYOU, which also spread by way of an attachment, this one posing as a love letter. Specifically, it was a self-replicating worm that installed itself on the victim’s computer where it destroyed some information and stole other information, then spread to other computers. One estimate puts the global cost of ILOVEYOU at $10 billion and further speculated that it infected 10% of the world’s internet-connected computers at the time. 

Today’s malware and viruses—even more malicious today 

With the advent of the internet, malware quickly established itself as a sad fact of connected life. Today, McAfee registers an average of 1.1 million new malicious programs and potentially unwanted apps (PUA) each day, which contributes to the millions and millions of malicious programs already in existence.   

Apart from the sheer volume of malware out there today, another thing that distinguishes today’s malware from early malware attacks—they’re created largely for profit. 

We can think of it this way:  

• Consider all the banking, shopping, and personal business you conduct on your computer, tablet, and smartphone. If a bad actor can hack into your device with malware, it may give them access to your online banking accounts, credit cards, and other financial information. 
• Further, think of the important files you have stored on your devices. That may include tax returns, financial documentation, or payment information, which hackers can steal using malware—and then use it to commit identity theft or sell it to other bad actors on the dark web. 
• Finally, consider the digital valuables you have stored on your devices, like photos, personal letters, music, and even games. If a hacker locks them up with a ransomware attack, you might find yourself wondering if you should take the risk of paying the ransom, even though payment is no assurance that you’ll get them back. 

Today’s malware is far more than an annoyance or headache. It can lead to follow-on attacks that target your finances, your identity, your privacy, or a mix of all three. 

How does antivirus keep you safe?  

So with a million or so new threats coming online each day, and millions more out there already, how does antivirus protect you from malware? It blocks, detects, and removes malware. And it does so in a couple of ways: 

1. It protects you from existing threats based on an extensive list of known threats, which is updated regularly (a good reason to set your software to update automatically rather than manually). 
2. It protects you from entirely new threats with technologies that can accurately detect those threats. Not to get overly technical about it, this entails a blend of deep learning algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) that spots new threats identifying sketchy behavior, such as abnormal demands and instructions. In short, the best antivirus today is smart. 

However, as mentioned earlier, antivirus provides only one aspect of online protection today. While it protects your devices and the data that’s on them, your privacy and identity can come under attack as well. So while antivirus alone can protect you from malware, it can’t prevent other forms of online crime like identity theft, phishing attacks designed to steal personal information, or attacks on your accounts, to name a few of the many other types of threats out there. 

Yet comprehensive online protection can. 

Antivirus, an essential part of your overall security mix 

Comprehensive online protection software like ours offers antivirus, along with specific services and features that protect your privacy and identity online as well. It gives you dozens of other features like identity theft coverage & restoration, personal data cleanup, security freezes, and an online protection score that shows you just how safe you are, along with suggestions that can make you safer still.  

So while protecting your devices with antivirus is a great start, it’s only one part of staying safer online. Including privacy and identity protection rounds out your protection overall. 

The post What is Antivirus and What Does It Really Protect? appeared first on McAfee Blog.

“This Connection Is Not Private” – What it Means and How to Protect Your Privacy

Have you ever been browsing online and clicked a link or search result that took you to a site that triggers a “your connection is not private” or “your connection is not secure” error code? If you’re not too interested in that particular result, you may simply move on to another result option. But if you’re tempted to visit the site anyway, you should be sure you understand what the warning means, what the risks are, and how to bypass the error if you need to.   

What does “this connection is not private” mean?

A “your connection is not private” error means that your browser cannot determine with certainty that a website has safe encryption protocols in place to protect your device and data. You can bump into this error on any device connected to the internet — computer, smartphone, or tablet.  

So, what exactly is going on when you see the “this connection is not private” error?  

For starters, it’s important to know that seeing the error is just a warning, and it does not mean any of your private information is compromised. A “your connection is not private” error means the website you were trying to visit does not have an up-to-date SSL (secure sockets layer) security certificate. 

Website owners must maintain the licensing regularly to ensure the site encryption capabilities are up to date. If the website’s SSL certificate is outdated, it means the site owners have not kept their encryption licensing current, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are up to no good. Even major websites like LinkedIn have had momentary lapses that would throw the error. LinkedIn mistakenly let their subdomain SSL certificates lapse.  

In late 2021, a significant provider of SSL certificates, Let’s Encrypt, went out of business. When their root domain officially lapsed, it created issues for many domain names and SSL certificates owned by legitimate companies. The privacy error created problems for unwitting businesses, as many of their website visitors were rightfully concerned about site security.  

While it does not always mean a website is unsafe to browse, it should not be ignored. A secure internet connection is critical to protecting yourself online. Many nefarious websites are dangerous to visit, and this SSL certificate error will protect you from walking into them unaware.   

SSL certification standards have helped make the web a safer place to transact. It helps ensure online activities like paying bills online, ordering products, connecting to online banking, or keeping your private email accounts safe and secure. Online security continues to improve with a new Transport Layer Security (TLS) standard, which promises to be the successor protocol to SSL. 

So be careful whenever visiting sites that trigger the “connection is not private” error, as those sites can potentially make your personal data less secure and make your devices vulnerable to viruses and malware.  

Note: The “your connection is not private” error is Google Chrome‘s phrasing. Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox users will instead see a “your connection is not secure” error as the warning message.   

How to fix the “connection is not private” error

If you feel confident that a website or page is safe, despite the warning from your web browser, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the error.  

• Refresh the page. In some cases, the error is just a momentary glitch. Try reloading the page to rule out a temporary error.  
• Close browser and reopen. Closing and reopening your web browser might also help clear a temporary glitch.  
• If you’re on public WiFi, think twice. Hackers often exploit public WiFi because their routers are usually not as secure or well-maintained for security. Some public WiFi networks may not have an SSL connection, or they may limit your access to websites. You can safely browse more securely in public spaces if you have an antivirus software or virtual private network (VPN) solution. 
• Use “Incognito” mode. The most used browsers (Google Chrome browser, Mac‘s Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge) offer an “Incognito mode” that lets you browse without data collecting in your history or cache. Open the site in a new incognito window and see if the error still appears.  
• Clear the cache on your browser. While cookies make browsing the web more convenient and personalized, they also can hold on to sensitive information. Hackers will take advantage of cached data to try and get passwords, purchase information, and anything else they can exploit. Clear browsing data before going to a site with the “connection is not secure” error to help limit available data for hackers.  
• Check the computer’s date and time. If you frequently see the “connection is not private” error, you should check and ensure your computer has the accurate time and date. Your computer’s clock can sometimes have time and date stamp issues and get glitchy in multiple ways. If it’s incorrect, adjust the date and set the time to the correct settings.  
• Check your antivirus software. If your antivirus software is sensitive, you may have to disable it momentarily to bypass the error. Antivirus software protects you, so you should be careful to remember to turn the software back on again after you’ve bypassed the error.  
• Be sure your browsers and operating systems are up to date. You should always keep your critical software and the operating system fully updated. An outdated browser can start getting buggy and can increase the occurrence of this kind of error.  
• Research the website. Do a quick search for the company of the website you wish to visit and make sure they are a legitimate business. You can search for reviews, Better Business Bureau ratings, or check for forums to see if others are having the same issue. Be sure you are spelling the website address correctly and that you have the correct URL for the site. Hackers can take advantage of misspellings or alternative URLs to try and snare users looking for trusted brands. 
• If it’s not you, it’s them. If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting techniques above and you still see the error, the problem is likely coming from the site itself. If you’re willing to take your chances (after clearing your browser’s cache), you can click the option to “proceed to the domain,” though it is not recommended. You may have to choose “advanced settings” and click again to visit the site.   

Remember, you are taking your chances anytime you ignore an error. As we mentioned, you could leave yourself vulnerable to hackers after your passwords, personal information, and other risks.  

How to protect your privacy when browsing online

Your data and private information are valuable to hackers, so they will continue to find new ways to try and procure it. Here are some ways to protect yourself and your data when browsing online.  

• Antivirus solutions are, hands down, your best line of protection against hacking. Solutions like McAfee+ Ultimate offer all the tools you need to secure your data and devices.  
• Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication when available. 
• Delete unused browser extensions (or phone apps) to reduce access. 
• Always keep your operating system and browsers up-to-date. You can open system preferences and choose to update your system automatically. 
• Use a secure VPN solution to shield your data when browsing. 
• Use your favorite browser’s incognito mode to reduce the data connected to your devices. 
• Remove any 3rd party apps from your social media accounts — especially if you’ve recently taken a Facebook quiz or similar (also, don’t take Facebook quizzes). 
• Engage the highest privacy settings in each of your browsers. 
• Always check the address bar for HTTPS before sharing credit cards or other sensitive data on a website. 
• Share less personal and private information on social media.  

Discover how McAfee keeps you and your data safe from threats

As we continue to do more critical business online, we must also do our best to address the risks of the internet’s many conveniences.  

A comprehensive cybersecurity tool like McAfee+ Ultimate can help protect you from online scams, identity theft, and phishing attempts, and ensure you always have a secure connection. McAfee helps keep your sensitive information out of the hands of hackers and can help you keep your digital data footprints lighter with personal data cleanup.  

With McAfee’s experts on your side, you can enjoy everything the web offers with the confidence of total protection. 

The post “This Connection Is Not Private” – What it Means and How to Protect Your Privacy appeared first on McAfee Blog.

New Updates for ESET's Advanced Home Solutions

It's no secret that antivirus software is as essential to your computer as a power cord. However, the threats don't stop at your devices. For example, criminals trying to steal your data can attack your Wi-Fi router, and phishing attempts can target your email.  ESET's latest consumer product release takes a comprehensive approach to security to guard against a full range of threats. All are

7 Signs Your Phone Has a Virus and What You Can Do

Our phones store a lot of personal data, including contacts, social media account details, and bank account logins. We use our smartphones for everything under the sun, from work-related communication to online shopping. 

However, like computer viruses, our phones can be vulnerable to malware. Viruses are a type of malware that replicate themselves and spread throughout the entire system. They can affect your phone’s performance or, worse, compromise your sensitive information so that hackers can benefit monetarily. 

In this article, we give you a rundown of viruses that can infect your phone and how you can identify and eliminate them. We also provide some tips for protecting your phone from viruses in the first place. 

Can iPhone and Android devices get viruses?

iPhones and Android devices run on different operating systems. So, there are differences in the viruses that affect each type of mobile device and how resistant each operating system is to viruses.  

Viruses have a harder time penetrating iOS because of its design (although iOS hacks can still happen). By restricting interactions between apps, Apple’s operating system limits the movement of an iPhone virus across the device. However, if you jailbreak your iPhone or iPad to unlock tweaks or install third-party apps, then the security restrictions set by Apple’s OS won’t work. This exposes iPhone users to vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit.   

While Android phones are also designed with cybersecurity in mind, their reliance on open-source code makes them an easier target for hackers. Android devices allow users to access third-party apps not available in the Google Play Store.  

Main types of phone viruses

Cybercriminals today are sophisticated and can launch a variety of cyberattacks on your smartphone. Some viruses that can infect your phone include:  

• Malware: Malware encompasses programs that steal your information or take control of your device without your permission. 
• Adware: These are ads that can access information on your device if you click on them. 
• Ransomware: These prevent you from accessing your phone again unless you pay a ransom to the hacker. The hacker may use personal data like your pictures as blackmail. 
• Spyware: This tracks your browsing activity, then steals your data or affects your phone’s performance. 
• Trojan: Aptly named, this type of virus hides inside an app to take control of or affect your phone and data. 

How do phones get viruses?

Smartphones and computers get viruses in a similar way. The most common include: 

• Clicking on links or attachments from unverified sources. These are most commonly distributed as emails and SMS. 
• Clicking on seemingly innocent ads that take you to an unsecured webpage or download mobile malware to your device. 
• Visiting suspicious websites, often by ignoring security warnings. 
• Downloading malicious apps from an unverified source, usually outside the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 
• Connecting your phone to an unsecured internet connection like public Wi-Fi (McAfee offers a secure VPN that makes it safe to use unsecured Wi-Fi networks by encrypting your data.) 

7 signs your phone has a virus

Now that you know how your phone could be the target of a virus, look out for these seven signs to determine if your device has been infected with malicious software. 

You see random pop-up ads or new apps 

Most pop-up ads don’t carry viruses but are only used as marketing tools. However, if you find yourself shutting pop-up ads more often than usual, it might indicate a virus on your phone. 

Don’t open any apps in your library that you don’t remember installing. Instead, uninstall them immediately. These apps tend to carry malware that’s activated when the app is opened or used. 

Your device feels physically hot

Your phone isn’t built to support malware. When you accidentally download apps that contain malware, the device has to work harder to continue functioning. In this case, your phone might be overheating. 

Random messages are sent to your contacts

If your contacts receive unsolicited scam emails or messages on social media from your account, especially those containing suspicious links, a virus may have accessed your contact list. It’s best to let all the recipients know that your phone has been hacked so that they don’t download any malware themselves or forward those links to anybody else. 

The device responds slowly

An unusually slow-performing device is a hint of suspicious activity on your phone. The device may slow down because it needs to work harder to support the downloaded virus. Alternatively, unfamiliar apps might be taking up storage space and running background tasks, causing your phone to run slowly. 

You find fraudulent charges on your accounts

Be sure to follow up on charges on your credit card or transactions in your banking statements that you don’t recognize. It could be an unfamiliar app or malware making purchases through your account without your knowledge. 

The phone uses excess data

A sudden rise in your data usage or phone bill can be suspicious. A virus might be running background processes or using your internet connection to transfer data out of your device for malicious purposes. 

Your battery drains quickly

An unusually quick battery drain may also cause concern. Your phone will be trying to meet the energy requirements of the virus, so this problem is likely to persist for as long as the virus is on the device. 

How can I check if my phone has a virus?

You may have an inkling that a virus is housed inside your phone, but the only way to be sure is to check.  

An easy way to do this is by downloading a trustworthy antivirus app. The McAfee Mobile Security app scans for threats regularly and blocks them in real time. It prevents suspicious apps from attaching themselves to your phone and secures any public connections you might be using. 

How to remove a virus from Android and iPhone

If you detect a virus on your iPhone or Android device, there are several things you can do.  

• Download antivirus software like McAfee’s award-winning antivirus software or a mobile security app to help you locate existing viruses and malware. By identifying the exact problem, you know what to get rid of and how to protect your device in the future. 
• Do a thorough sweep of your app library to make sure that whatever apps are on your phone were downloaded by you. Delete any apps that aren’t familiar. 
• To protect your information, delete any sensitive text messages and clear history regularly from your mobile browsers. Empty the cache in your browsers and apps. 
• In some instances, you may need to reboot your smartphone to its original factory settings. This can lead to data loss, so be sure to back up important documents to the cloud. 
• Create strong passwords for all your accounts after cleaning up your phone. You can then protect your passwords using a password management system like McAfee True Key, which uses the most robust encryption algorithms available so only you have access to your information.  

7 tips to protect your phone from viruses

It’s never too late to start caring for your phone. Follow these tips to stay safe online and help reduce the risk of your phone getting a virus. 

• Only download an app from a trusted source, i.e., the app store or other verified stores. You should read app reviews and understand how the app intends to use your data. 
• Set up strong, unique passwords for your accounts instead of using the same or similar passwords. This prevents a domino effect in case one of the accounts is compromised. 
• Think twice before you click on a link. If you believe it looks suspicious, your gut is probably right! Avoid clicking on it until you have more information about its trustworthiness. These links can be found across messaging services and are often part of phishing scams. 
• Clear your cache periodically. Scan your browsing history to get rid of any links that seem suspicious. 
• Avoid saving login information on your browsers and log out when you’re not using a particular browser. Although this is a convenience trade-off, it’s harder for malware to access accounts you’re not logged into during the attack.  
• Update your operating system and apps frequently. Regular updates build upon previous security features. Sometimes, these updates contain security patches created in response to specific threats in prior versions. 
• Don’t give an app all the permissions it asks for. Instead, you can choose to give it access to certain data only when required. Minimizing an application’s access to your information keeps you safer. 

Discover how McAfee Mobile Security keeps your phone safe

McAfee Mobile Security is committed to keeping your mobile phone secure, whether it’s an iPhone or Android device. In addition to regularly scanning your phone to track suspicious activity, our technology responds to threats in real time. Our comprehensive tools also secure your internet connections and let you browse peacefully. Using our app makes sure that your phone and data are protected at all times.  

So, what are you waiting for? Download McAfee Mobile Security today!  

The post 7 Signs Your Phone Has a Virus and What You Can Do appeared first on McAfee Blog.

VirusTotal Reveals Most Impersonated Software in Malware Attacks

Threat actors are increasingly mimicking legitimate applications like Skype, Adobe Reader, and VLC Player as a means to abuse trust relationships and increase the likelihood of a successful social engineering attack. Other most impersonated legitimate apps by icon include 7-Zip, TeamViewer, CCleaner, Microsoft Edge, Steam, Zoom, and WhatsApp, an analysis from VirusTotal has revealed. "One of the

Does Windows 10 or 11 Need Antivirus Software?

If your PC runs on Windows 10, you’re in very good company. The Microsoft operating system is the most widely used OS in the world. Many Windows 10 users have also been upgraded to Windows 11 through a rollout that began in 2021. Microsoft plans to complete the Windows update by mid-2022.

Unfortunately, its success as a widely used operating system makes Windows attractive to hackers. And if malicious software like malware can make a home in Windows, there are a lot of targets. So, this might raise the question of how best to protect your Windows 10 or 11 device.  

 Should you just use Windows Defender — Microsoft’s free version of antivirus software — or buy additional protection?  

Read on to learn what Microsoft Defender covers and how additional virus protection can secure all of your connected devices. 

Does Windows 10 come with antivirus software?

For years, Microsoft has offered anti-malware protection, but the current version provides effective security against viruses. Windows Defender is a free antivirus tool that’s built into the Windows operating system.  

While it’s considered one of the best free antivirus software programs, it doesn’t have any extra features that might come with paid security software. If you’re just looking for good antivirus software, though, Windows Defender can get the job done.  

How to check if Windows Defender is on

If you’re not using third-party antivirus protection, you’ll want to make sure that your Windows Defender antivirus coverage is working on your computer. Here’s how to check: 

1. Go to the control panel and click System and Security. 
2. Click Windows Defender Firewall. 
3. A window will open showing if the firewall is on. 
4. If you need to turn on Windows Defender, use the menu. 
5. Close all browser windows and restart your computer. 

To make sure your Windows security is running, follow these steps: 

1. Click CTRL+Alt+Del and select Task Manager. 
2. Look at the tabs and click Services. 
3. Scroll down to Windows Defender and see if it is classified as “running.” 

Do you need additional antivirus software?

With built-in coverage, you may wonder if you should invest in paid antivirus software. The answer is, of course, yes! It can be a good idea to get another antivirus solution because blocking malware and viruses should just be one part of your threat protection.  

Today’s cybercriminals are using elaborate ruses to try to access your personal information, such as your bank and credit card numbers. And some of their scams might even target your devices with risky apps or links on social media.  

As they always say, it’s better to be safe than sorry! Having another antivirus program can make sure you have real-time protection and access to the latest security features. 

4 features you want in an antivirus software

There are a lot of antivirus protection programs out there, but they aren’t all created equal. When looking for the best antivirus software for your needs, here are some things to consider for your devices running on Windows 10 or 11. 

Compatibility across multiple operating systems

If you have a Windows PC, use an iPhone, and your tablet runs on Chrome, it helps to have an antivirus app that works across multiple operating systems. The good news is that McAfee Total Protection is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, so you can continue enjoying all of your different devices without losing protection. 

Protection against a variety of online threats

For greater cybersecurity, antivirus software should defend against a variety of online threats like viruses, spyware, and ransomware. And that’s exactly what you get with McAfee Total Protection. Our antivirus software can also help you avoid phishing attacks, which are fake messages to trick you into providing information or clicking a malicious link. The software will give you a warning when it recognizes a risky link, website, or file. 

Easy to use

Functionality is another thing you’ll want to consider when looking for antivirus software. If the program isn’t easy to use to begin with — especially if you want to easily manage multiple devices — what good will it do you?  

But you don’t have to worry with McAfee Total Protection, which allows you to connect and manage all of your computers and mobile devices from one single dashboard. 

Real-time and scheduled scanning

To keep your devices free from online threats like malware, good antivirus software will scan your files for threats. McAfee Total Protection provides 24/7 protection with real-time, on-demand, and scheduled scanning of files and applications.  

Additional features beyond antivirus software

McAfee Total Protection was developed with an understanding of how cybercriminals operate. Scammers may use a variety of tactics to try to steal your personal information, so our all-in-one protection also includes:  

1. VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) is one of the biggest benefits of using third-party antivirus protection. When you connect to public Wi-Fi, such as in a coffee shop, it’s possible for a hacker to see your data. A VPN encrypts your data to protect it from prying eyes. It also conceals your device’s IP address and geolocation. 
2. Identity monitoring: Get 24/7 monitoring of your email addresses and bank accounts with up to $1 million of ID theft coverage with McAfee Total Protection. With early detection, an easy setup, and extensive monitoring (keeping tabs on up to 60 unique types of personal information), you can continue to live your best life online.  
3. Protection score: We’ll look at the health of your online protection and give you a protection score. We’ll also recommend how to address weak spots and improve your security. 
4. PC optimization: There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to work on a computer that loads pages slowly or keeps freezing. To help speed up your online activities, McAfee  PC Optimizer automatically pauses auto-play on pop-up videos. This gives you more bandwidth and saves battery power. The software also disposes of temporary files and cookies to free disk space. 
5. Password manager: One good way to keep your data secure is to use strong passwords that are unique for each website. Our password manager generates complex passwords, stores them, and even lets you access shared passwords on your mobile devices. 

Personalized protection for your digital life

Using Microsoft’s built-in antivirus software can protect your Windows devices from viruses and malware. But to really keep your network and all of your devices secure, it’s good to rely on comprehensive protection like McAfee Total Protection. With services like identity monitoring, safe browsing, and a secure VPN, you can enjoy the internet without worry. 

The post Does Windows 10 or 11 Need Antivirus Software? appeared first on McAfee Blog.

How To Do A Virus Scan

Whether you think you might have a virus on your computer or devices, or just want to keep them running smoothly, it’s easy to do a virus scan. How to check for viruses depends on the software and device you have, so we’ll go through everything you need to know to run a scan effectively and keep your computers, phones and tablets in tip-top shape.

Do You Need a Virus Scan?

First, let’s cover a few of the telltale signs your device might have a virus. Is your computer or device acting sluggish or having a hard time booting up? Have you noticed missing files or a lack of storage space? Have you noticed emails or messages sent from your account that you did not write? Perhaps you’ve noticed changes to your browser homepage or settings? Or maybe, you’re seeing unexpected pop-up windows, or experiencing crashes and other program errors. These are all examples of signs that you may have a virus, but don’t get too worried yet, because many of these issues can be resolved with a virus scan.

What Does a Virus Scan Do?

Each antivirus program works a little differently, but in general the software will look for known malware that meets a specific set of characteristics. It may also look for variants of these known threats that have a similar code base. Some antivirus software even checks for suspicious behavior. If the software comes across a dangerous program or piece of code, it removes it. In some cases, a dangerous program can be replaced with a clean one from the manufacturer.

How to Check for Viruses

The process of checking for viruses depends on the device type and its operating system. Check out these tips to help you scan your computers, phones and tablets.

On a Windows computer

If you use Windows 10, go into “Settings” and look for the “Updates & Security” tab. From there you can locate a “Scan Now” button.

Of course, many people have invested in more robust antivirus software that has a high accuracy rate and causes less drain on their system resources, such as McAfee Total Protection. To learn how to run a virus scan using your particular antivirus software, search the software’s help menu or look online for instructions.

On a Mac computer

Mac computers don’t have a built-in antivirus program, so you will have to download security software to do a virus scan. There are some free antivirus applications available online, but we recommend investing in trusted software that can protect you from a variety of threats. Downloading free software and free online virus scans can be risky, since cybercriminals know that this is a good way to spread malware.

Whichever program you choose, follow their step-by-step instructions on how to perform a virus scan, either by searching under “help” or looking it up on their website.

On smartphones and tablets

Yes, you can get a virus on your phone or tablet, although they are less common than on computers. However, the wider category of mobile malware is on the rise and your device can get infected if you download a risky app, click on an attachment in a text message, visit a dangerous webpage, or connect to another device that has malware on it.

Fortunately, you can protect your devices with mobile security software. It doesn’t usually come installed, so you will have to download an application and follow the instructions.

Because the Android platform is an open operating system, there are a number of antivirus products for Android devices, that allows you to do a virus scan.

Apple devices are a little different because they have a closed operating system that doesn’t allow third parties to see their code. Although Apple has taken other security precautions to reduce malware risks, such as only allowing the installation of apps from Apple’s official app store, these measures aren’t the same as an antivirus program.

For more robust protection on your Apple devices, you can install mobile security software to protect the private data you have stored on your phone or tablet, such as contacts, photos and messages.

All-In-One Protection:

If safeguarding all your computers and devices individually sounds overwhelming, you can opt for a comprehensive security product that protects computers, smartphones and tablets from a central control center, making virus prevention a breeze.

Why are virus scans so important?

New online threats emerge every day, putting our personal information, money and devices at risk. In the first quarter of 2019 alone McAfee detected 504 new threats per minute, as cybercriminals employed new tactics. That’s why it is essential to stay ahead of these threats by using security software that is constantly monitoring and checking for new known threats, while safeguarding all of your sensitive information. Virus scans are an essential part of this process when it comes to identifying and removing dangerous code.

How often should you run a virus scan?

Most antivirus products are regularly scanning your computer or device in the background, so you will only need to start a manual scan if you notice something suspicious, like crashes or excessive pop-ups. You can also program regular scans on your schedule.

Preventing Viruses

Of course, the best protection is to avoid getting infected in the first place. Here are a few smart tips to sidestep viruses and other malware:

• Learn how to surf safely so you can avoid risky websites, links and messages. This will go a long way in keeping you virus-free.
• Never click on spammy emails or text messages. These include unsolicited advertisements and messages from people or companies you don’t know.
• Keep the software on your computers and devices up to date. This way you are protected from known threats, such as viruses and other types of malware.
• Invest in comprehensive security software that can protect all of your devices, such as McAfee LiveSafe.
• Stay informed on the latest threats, so you know what to look out for. The more you know about the latest scams, the easier they will be to spot and avoid.

The post How To Do A Virus Scan appeared first on McAfee Blog.

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Can Apple Macs get Viruses?

It’s a long-standing question. Can Apple Macs get viruses?

While Apple does go to great lengths to keep all its devices safe, this doesn’t mean your Mac is immune to all computer viruses. So what does Apple provide in terms of antivirus protection? Let’s take a look along with some signs that your Mac may be hacked and how you can protect yourself from further threats beyond viruses, like identity theft.

Signs that your Mac may be hacked

Whether hackers physically sneak it onto your device or by tricking you into installing it via a phony app, a sketchy website, or a phishing attack, viruses and malware can create problems for you in a few ways:

• Keylogging: In the hands of a hacker, keylogging works like a stalker by snooping information as you type.
• Trojans: Trojans are type of malware that can be disguised in your computer to extract important data, such as credit card account details or personal information.
• Cryptominers: Similar to trojans, this software hides on a device. From there, it harnesses the device’s computing power to “mine” cryptocurrencies. While cryptomining is not illegal, “cryptojacking” a device without the owner’s consent is most certainly illegal.

Some possible signs of hacking software on your Mac include:

Performance issues

Is your device operating more slowly, are web pages and apps harder to load, or does your battery never seem to keep a charge? These are all signs that you could have malware running in the background, zapping your device’s resources.

Your computer feels like it’s running hot

Like the performance issues above, malware or mining apps running in the background can burn extra computing power (and data). Aside from sapping performance, malware and mining apps can cause your computer to run hot or even overheat.

Mystery apps or data

If you find apps you haven’t downloaded, along with messages and emails that you didn’t send, that’s a red flag. A hacker may have hijacked your computer to send messages or to spread malware to your contacts. Similarly, if you see spikes in your data usage, that could be a sign of a hack as well.

Pop-ups or changes to your screen

Malware can also be behind spammy pop-ups, changes to your home screen, or bookmarks to suspicious websites. In fact, if you see any configuration changes you didn’t personally make, this is another big clue that your computer may have been hacked.

What kind of antivirus do Macs have?

Macs contain several built-in features that help protect them from viruses:

• XProtect and Automatic Quarantine: XProtect is Apple’s proprietary antivirus software that’s been included on all Macs since 2009. Functionally, it works the same as any other antivirus, where it scans files and apps for malware by referencing a database of known threats that Apple maintains and updates regularly. From there, suspicious files are quarantined by limiting their access to the Mac’s operating system and other key functions. However, .
• Malware Removal Tool: To further keep Apple users protected, the Malware Removal Tool (MRT) scans Macs to spot and catch any malware that may have slipped past XProtect. Similar to XProtect, it relies on a set of constantly updated definitions that help identify potential malware. According to Apple, MRT removes malware upon receiving updated information, and it continues to check for infections on restart and login.
• Notarization, Gatekeeper, and the App Review Process: Another way Apple keeps its users safe across MacOS and iOS devices is its Notarization Apps built to run on Apple devices go through an initial review before they can be distributed and sold outside of Apple’s App Store. When this review turns up no instances of malware, Apple issues a Notarization ticket. That ticket is recognized in another part of the MacOS, Gatekeeper, which verifies the ticket and allows the app to launch. Additionally, if a previously approved app is later to found to be malicious, Apple can revoke its Notarization and prevent it from running.

Similarly, all apps that wish to be sold on the Apple App Store must go through Apple’s App Review. While not strictly a review for malware, security matters are considered in the process. Per Apple, “We review all apps and app updates submitted to the App Store in an effort to determine whether they are reliable, perform as expected, respect user privacy, and are free of objectionable content.”

• Further features: In addition to the above, Apple includes technologies that prevent malware from doing more harm, such as preventing damage to critical system files.

Do I need to purchase antivirus for my Mac?

There are a couple reasons why Mac users may want to consider additional protection in addition to the antivirus protection that Mac provides out of the box:

1. Apple’s antivirus may not recognize the latest threats. A component of strong antivirus protection is a current and comprehensive database of virus definitions. As noted above, , leaving Mac owners who solely rely on XProtect and other features susceptible to attack.
2. Apple’s built-in security measures for Macs largely focus on viruses and malware alone. While protecting yourself from viruses and malware is of utmost importance (and always will be), the reality is that antivirus is not enough. Enjoying the life online today means knowing your privacy and identity are protected as well.

In all, Macs are like any other connected device. They’re susceptible to threats and vulnerabilities as well. Looking more broadly, there’s the wider world of threats on the internet, such as phishing attacks, malicious links and downloads, prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, data breaches, identity theft, and so on. It’s for this reason Mac users may think about bolstering their defenses further with online protection software.

 Further protecting your Mac from viruses and attacks

Staying safer online follows a simple recipe:

• Being aware of the threats that are out there.
• Understanding where your gaps in protection are.
• Taking steps to protecting yourself from those threats and closing any gaps as they arise.

Reading between the lines, that recipe can take a bit of work. However, comprehensive online protection can take care of it for you. In particular, McAfee Total Protection includes an exclusive Protection Score, which checks to see how safe you are online, identifies gaps, and then offers personalized guidance, and helping you know exactly how safe you are.

An important part of this score is privacy and security, which is backed by a VPN that turns on automatically when you’re on an unsecure network and personal information monitoring to help protect you from identity theft—good examples that illustrate how staying safe online requires more than just antivirus.

Consider your security options for your Mac

So, Macs can get viruses and are subject to threats just like any other computer. While Macs have strong protections built into them, they may not offer the full breadth of protection you want, particularly in terms of online identity theft and the ability to protect you from the latest malware threats. Consider the threats you want to keep clear of and then take a look at your options that’ll help keep you safe.

The post Can Apple Macs get Viruses? appeared first on McAfee Blog.

5 Online Gaming Tips to Stay Safe From Hackers

For some, vanquishing aliens, building virtual amusement parks, and online battles royale are an excellent stress reliever. As we all know, over the past year there’s been plenty of stress to relieve and more spare time on our hands in which to revel in our hobbies. There was a 30% jump in online gaming traffic from the first to the second quarter of 2020. 

Hackers are taking advantage of highly trafficked online gaming portals to make a profit on the dark web. The next time you log on to your virtual world of choice, consider these recent video game breaches and up your gamer security, which could include an antivirus for gaming.  

Recent Game Hacks

Between 2019 and 2020, web attacks on gaming companies rocketed up 340%, according to Akamai. Hackers have targeted several high-profile gaming companies recently with various motives. First, game source code was stolen from Electronic Arts to sell on the dark web. Developers shopping the dark web use stolen source codes to reverse-engineer popular games or copy the code into their own game. Capcom and CD Projekt Red were hit by ransomware attacks only a few months apart from each other, one attack focused on company financial information and the other on source code. 

“Titan Fall” and “Apex Legends” have both been hacked to the point where the former is unplayable, according to many gamers. To protest “Titanfall’s” developers’ inaction, gamers took to “Apex Legends,” altering in-game messages. The apparent ease with which hackers can walk into online gaming portals requires that game developers and gamers themselves pay more attention to their security. 

Online PC gaming allows players to use real-world money to purchase valuable upgrades to their characters. These characters receive admiration from some fellow players. Others feel greed. Advanced characters can fetch a lot of money on the dark web, so some cybercriminals practice credential stuffing to force their way into player accounts and steal ownership. Credential stuffing is a type of brute force attack where hackers take informed guesses at username and password combinations. A strong password or passphrase is essential to keeping your account and investment safe from a dark web fate. 

Why Are Video Games Hacked?

Based on the above recent hacks, it is clear that gaming companies host a trove of valuable information. Gamers trust these platforms with their payment information and with the safety of their gaming characters on which they spend thousands of hours and hundreds of dollars upgrading, making gaming a lucrative target for hackers. 

Another way cybercriminals target gamers is through malware disguised as an advantage. Cheat software for online games is common as players strive to be the best out of thousands. Advantage seekers for “Call of Duty: Warzone” were targeted by a malware scam. The malware creators advertised the “cheat software” on YouTube with instructions on how to download it. The video received thousands of views and hundreds of comments, which made it look legitimate. 

One of the steps in installing the “cheat software” was that users had to disable antivirus programs and firewalls. Users let the cybercriminals walk right into their device! From there, the device was infected by an aggressive type of fileless malware called a dropper. A dropper doesn’t download a malicious file onto the device; rather, it creates a direct pathway to deliver an additional payload, such as credential-stealing malware. 

Gamer Security Tips

Competitive gaming is, well, competitive. So, if you invest a lot of real money into your characters, be especially vigilant and follow these five important tips to protect your online accounts. 

1. Do not reveal personal information 

It’s common for gamers to use variations of their real names and birthdates in their public-facing usernames. Don’t use your real name or birthdate in your username. Consider using a nickname or a combination of random numbers instead. Along this same vein, don’t reveal personal details about yourself (phone number, birthday, places you visit regularly) on chats or streams. Lurking cybercriminals can gather these personal details to impersonate you. 

2. Edit your privacy settings  

On some online PC games, you can join campaigns with gamers from all over the world. While the interconnectivity is great, carefully vet who you allow to follow your online profile. If a stranger sends a friend request out of the blue, be on alert. They could have nefarious motives, such as phishing for valuable personal data. It’s best to customize your privacy settings to make your profile invisible to strangers.  

3. Don’t pirate games or download cheat software

Developers spend a lot of time creating amazing games, so make sure you purchase games legally and play them as they are intended. Be especially wary of free downloads or pirated versions and cheat software, as they’re likely too good to be true. Instead, go for a challenge and have fun with the game as it’s written.  

4. Log in with a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) scrambles your online data traffic, making it impossible for hackers to access your IP address and spy on your online browsing. 

5. Sign up for gaming antivirus software 

Gaming antivirus software not only makes your online gaming experience more secure, but it can boost your rig’s performance! McAfee Gamer Security detects threats through the cloud and optimizes resources to minimize frame drops. 

The post 5 Online Gaming Tips to Stay Safe From Hackers appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

Less Is More: Why One Antivirus Software Is All You Need

Personal devices and the information they carry are incredibly valuable to their owners. It is only natural to want to protect your device like a royal family fortifying a medieval castle. Unlike medieval castles that depended upon layers and layers of protection (moats, drawbridges, spiky gates, etc.), personal devices thrive on just one defense: a devoted guard called antivirus software.  

Increasing your personal device’s security detail with more than one guard, or antivirus software is actually less effective than using a single, comprehensive option. Microsoft operating systems recognize the detriment of running two antivirus software programs simultaneously for real-time protection. Microsoft Windows automatically unregisters additional programs so they do not compete against each other. In theory, if you have a Microsoft device, you could run on-demand or scheduled scans from two different antivirus products without the operating system disabling one of them. But why invest in multiple software where one will do?  

If you do not have a Microsoft device, here is what could happen to your device if you run more than one antivirus program at a time, and why you should consider investing in only one top-notch product.  

Fight over potential viruses  

Antivirus programs want to impress you. Each wants to be the one to catch a virus and present you with the culprit, like a cat with a mouse. When antivirus software captures a virus, it locks it in a secure place to neutralize it. If you have two programs running simultaneously, they could engage in a tussle over who gets to scan, report, and remove the virus. This added activity could cause your computer to crash or use up your device’s memory.  

Report each other as suspicious  

Antivirus software quietly monitors and collects information about how your system runs, which is similar to how viruses operate. One software could mark the other as suspicious because real-time protection software is lurking in the background. So, while one antivirus program is busy blowing the whistle on the other, malicious code could quietly slip by.  

Additionally, users could be buried under a barrage of red flag notifications about each software reporting the other as suspicious. Some users become so distracted by the onslaught of notifications that they deactivate both programs or ignore notifications altogether, leaving the device vulnerable to real threats.  

Drain your battery and slow down your device  

Running one antivirus software does not drain your battery, and it can actually make your device faster. However, two antivirus programs will not double your operating speed. In fact, it will make it run much slower and drain your battery in the process. With two programs running real-time protection constantly in the background, device performance is extremely compromised.  

Antivirus software best practices 

There is no reason to invest in two antivirus programs when one solid software will more than do the trick to protect your device. Here are some best practices to get the most out of your antivirus software:  

1. Back up files regularly  

One habit you should adopt is backing up your files regularly. You never know when malware could hit and corrupt your data. Add it to your weekly routine to sync with the cloud and back up your most important files to an external hard drive.   

2. Keep your software up to date  

Whenever your software prompts you to install an update, do it! New cyber threats are evolving every day, and the best way to protect against them is to allow your software to stay as up-to-date as possible.  

3. Read the results reports    

Always read your antivirus results reports. These reports let you know the suspicious suspects your software was busy rounding up. It will give you a good idea of the threats your devices face and perhaps the schemes that you unknowingly fell into, such as clicking on a link in a phishing email. This information can also help you improve your online safety habits.  

Go with the single strongest antivirus, and more  

Everyone needs strong antivirus. Yet antivirus alone isn’t enough to beat back today’s threats. Hackers, scammers, and thieves rely on far more tricks than viruses and malware to wage their attacks, and data breaches slip billions of personal and financial records into the hands of bad actors. You’ll want to pair antivirus with further protection that covers your privacy and identity as well. 

For example the antivirus included with McAfee+ Ultimate can secure an unlimited number of household devices. Yet it offers far more than antivirus alone with our most comprehensive protection for your privacy, identity, and devices. The full list of features is long, yet you’ll get credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, removal of personal information from risky data broker sites, along with identity theft protection and restoration from a licensed expert if the unexpected happens. In all, it offers a single solution for antivirus, and far more that can protect you from the broad range of threats out there today. 

The post Less Is More: Why One Antivirus Software Is All You Need appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Myth-busting Antivirus Software Assumptions

The number of new viruses grows every day. In fact, McAfee registers an average of 1.1 million new malicious programs and potentially unwanted apps (PUA) each day, which contributes to the millions and millions already in existence. While there is no way to know when or how cyberattacks will occur, it’s clear that antivirus software is one of the best ways to ensure you, and your devices, are safe. 

Despite its proven strengths, some long-standing myths question the effectiveness of antivirus. To set the record straight, we’ve debunked five of the most common antivirus software myths, so you can rest assured that you are safely navigating the evolving cyber landscape. 

Myth 1: Antivirus software slows down your device 

We expect a lot from our devices—faster performance every time the latest model is released. As a result, many are reluctant to install apps or software that may jeopardize device performance, including antivirus software. 

Many believe that antivirus software will slow down your devices. However, contrary to popular belief, quality antivirus software can improve device performance by using advanced optimizations. It’s this simple: antivirus software conducts regular system-wide scans to identify and prevent viruses and improve performance without compromising efficacy. 

To run these scans, antivirus software requires system resources, which is where this myth originates. If you download or operate more than one antivirus program or download the wrong version for your system, then yes, your device will slow to a crawl. That is why it is essential to install one high-quality antivirus software that meets all your devices’ system requirements. Additionally, best-in-class antivirus software can be set to run during specific hours to avoid delays during the busiest times of your day. 

Myth 2: Antivirus software only protects against a few viruses 

The number of malware strains and potentially unwanted applications (PUA) increases every year. It is understandable why people might think that antivirus software cannot protect against them all. 

However, antivirus software can provide extensive protection against the majority of malicious programs. It does so in two ways: 

1. It protects you from existing threats based on an extensive list of known threats, which is updated regularly (a good reason to set your software to update automatically rather than manually). 
2. It protects you from entirely new threats with behavioral detection and machine learning to detect, isolate, and eliminate zero-day digital threats (brand new threats that haven’t been seen before). This approach integrates deep learning algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to emulate human-like reasoning and accurately detect threats. In addition, behavioral heuristic-based detection finds new viruses by assessing known malicious behavior, such as abnormal application demands and instructions.  

Taken together, a known list of threats paired with the unique capabilities of machine learning, data science, and AI for advanced threat detection enable antivirus software to protect against a wide range of existing and evolving threats. 

Myth 3: Independent third-party test results are useless 

Can you imagine grading your own driving test? You could omit the dreaded three-point turn and pass with flying colors, but the result wouldn’t be as accurate as that of an unbiased evaluator. This same concept applies to evaluating the efficacy of computer security.  

It’s easy for a company to set up a test environment where they highlight all the excellent capabilities of their antivirus software and gloss over its shortcomings. It’s equally as easy for a company to commission a third-party to conduct a custom test painting the company in a good light. However, the results will not be as comprehensive or accurate as those from an independent third-party. Additionally, they also will not provide a comparative analysis with other company offerings to help users draw their own conclusions. 

Independent third-party test results offer a more thorough evaluation of antivirus software. They also do a better job at evaluating security features. Furthermore, ISO-certified independent third parties lend transparency and credibility to the techniques used and ensure that evaluations align with industry standards. 

Myth 4: Apple products can’t get viruses 

There is a common belief that Apple products are protected against viruses because cybercriminals often target Windows and Android operating systems. However, Apple devices are just as vulnerable to viruses as any other computer or smartphone. Regardless of your device or operating system—macOS, iOS, Windows, or Android—if it connects to a network, it’s susceptible to viruses. 

Windows and Android have long been the dominant operating systems for computers and smartphones. That’s why macOS and iOS have, up until recently, been the lesser focus for cybercriminals. The problem is that cybercriminals want to spread their viruses to the platforms with the largest customer base which just so happens to be Windows and Android. As Apple products continue to grow in popularity, cybercriminals will continue coming out with more viruses specifically targeting Macs, iPhones, and other iOS devices. 

Myth 5: You are 100% protected if you have antivirus software 

Antivirus software is not a guarantee of protection against all viruses. Some malware can and will slip through. This is where antivirus software’s ability to detect and remove malware comes in. Ours comes with a Virus Protection Pledge, which provides a 100% guarantee we’ll remove viruses on your devices, or we’ll give you your money back, all as part of your automatically renewable subscription. 

However, viruses and malware are just one form of attack that hackers and bad actors will wage on their victims. They’ll also make attempts at identity theft or likewise try to invade your privacy—with the intent of stealing passwords, account information, and personal information, which could drain your debit cards, damage your credit, or otherwise impersonate you for their financial gain. 

In this way, antivirus is just one form of protection. To truly stay safe as possible online, you need online protection software that looks after your identity and privacy as well. McAfee+ Ultimate offers our most comprehensive coverage, with  

Fact vs. Fiction: Know what antivirus software can do for you 

It is necessary to bust common myths about antivirus software to protect yourself and your family from cyberthreats. By educating yourself and selecting a best-in-class antivirus software that’s further bolstered by identity and privacy protection, you will be well on your way to implementing an effective protection strategy. 

The post Myth-busting Antivirus Software Assumptions appeared first on McAfee Blog.

True Security Requires a Holistic Approach

In the eyes of hackers, scammers, and thieves, your online privacy and identity look like a giant jigsaw puzzle. One that they don’t need every piece to solve. They only need a few bits to do their dirty work, which means protecting every piece you put out there—a sort of holistic view on your personal security. One that protects you, not just your devices.

Here’s what’s at stake: we create and share loads of personal information simply by going about our day online, where each bit of information makes up a piece of that giant jigsaw puzzle. Some pieces directly identify us, like our tax returns, bank account information, or driver’s licenses. Other pieces of information indirectly identify us, like the IP addresses assigned to our computers, tablets, and phones—or device ID numbers, location information, and browsing history. And bad actors only need a few key pieces to do you harm, such as committing identity crime in your name or selling your personal information on sketchy websites or the dark web. 

While people show great concern about their personal information, who has it and what’s done with it, our research shows that 70% of people feel like they have little or no control over the data that’s collected about them. However, you have plenty of ways that you can indeed take control—ways that can prevent, detect, and correct attacks on your privacy and identity. That’s where holistic protection comes in. 

What do we mean by holistic protection? 

You can think of holistic protection as layers of shields that protect you and the devices you use. It gives you three layers in all—a Prevention Layer, Detection Layer, and a Correction Layer. 

A holistic and comprehensive security solution like McAfee+ combines those three layers in a way that protects your personal information and keep your identity private, showing you how it does it along the way, so you can see exactly how safe you are. Let’s take a quick look of some of the protections you’ll find in each layer … 

In the Prevention Layer, you’ll see:  

• A virtual private network (VPN), allowing you to connect securely on a public Wi-Fi network by encrypting, or scrambling, your data while in transit so no one else sees it. It’ll also make your activity far more private, making it harder for advertisers and data collectors to track. 
• Safe browsing that warns you if a website is risky before you enter your information and can steer you clear of risky links, while a download scanner can prevent downloads of malware or malicious email attachments. 
• An integrated password manager that can create and store strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. This way if one of your accounts is hacked, your other accounts won’t be at risk. 
• A security freeze service that can prevent hackers and thieves from opening of new credit, bank, and utility accounts in your name.​ 
• Real-time antivirus that protects your data and devices. 

In the Detection Layer, you have … 

• Identity monitoring that keeps tabs on everything from email addresses to IDs and phone numbers for signs of breaches so you can take action to secure your accounts before they’re used for identity theft. 
• McAfee’s industry-first Protection Score that monitors the health of your online protection and shows you ways you can improve your security and stay safe online. 

In the Correction Layer, several other protections have your back … 

• Identity theft protection & restoration that aids with many of the costs associated with restoring one’s identity through up to $1 million in coverage—along with the services of a licensed recovery pro to help restore your identity.​ 
• Personal data cleanup that scans some of the riskiest data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info so that you can remove it on your own or with our help, depending on your plan. 

These are just a few examples of the protections in each layer. And you’ll find our most comprehensive holistic protection in McAfee+ Ultimate, covering your privacy, identity, and devices. 

A Unified Solution for your Privacy, Identity, and Devices 

While your online privacy and identity may look a jigsaw puzzle, protecting it shouldn’t be as complicated. With a holistic security solution for your personal protection, you can minimize your exposure with layers of security that do much of the work for you. 

Antivirus on your PC is not enough. It has not been enough for many decades now. And this becomes more evident as we continue to spend more time online, with the average person spending 6 hours and 54 minutes online each day, leaving clouds of personal information in their wake. 

While standalone apps like a password manager, a VPN app, and an identity solution from different vendors can be piecemealed together with your device security, these are difficult to keep track of and burdensome to maintain. 

We have combined the important tools you need into a seamless and comprehensive experience because good security software is something that you use daily to feel safer online. This is why we are working on your behalf to redefine security, so you can enjoy your connected life with confidence. 

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Trick or Treat: Avoid These Spooky Threats This Halloween

Trick or Treat: Avoid These Spooky Threats This Halloween

Spooky season is among us, and ghosts and goblins aren’t the only things hiding in the shadows. Online threats are also lurking in the darkness, preparing to haunt devices and cause some hocus pocus for unsuspecting users. This Halloween season, researchers have found virtual zombies and witches among us – a new trojan that rises from the dead no matter how many times it’s deleted and malicious code that casts an evil spell to steal users’ credit card data.

Let’s unlock the mystery of these threats so you can avoid cyber-scares and continue to live your online life free from worry.

Zombie Malware Hides in the Shadows

Just like zombies, malware can be a challenge to destroy. Oftentimes, it requires a user to completely wipe their device by backing up files, reinstalling the operating system, and starting from scratch. But what if this isn’t enough to stop the digital walking dead from wreaking havoc on your device?

Recently, a new type of Trojan has risen from the dead to haunt users no matter how many times it’s deleted. This zombie-like malware attaches itself to a user’s Windows 10 startup system, making it immune to system wipes since the malware can’t be found on the device’s hard drive. This stealthy malware hides on the device’s motherboard and creates a Trojan file that reinstalls the malware if the user tries to remove it. Once it sets itself up in the darkness, the malware scans for users’ private documents and sends them to an unknown host, leaving the user’s device in a ghoulish state.

Cybercriminals Leave Credit Card Users Spellbound

A malware misfortune isn’t the only thing that users should beware of this Halloween. Cybercriminals have also managed to inject malicious code into a wireless provider’s web platform, casting an evil spell to steal users’ credit card data. The witches and warlocks allegedly responsible for casting this evil spell are part of a Magecart spin-off group that’s known for its phishing prowess.  To pull off this attack, they plated a credit card skimmer onto the wireless provider’s checkout page. This allowed the hackers to exfiltrate users’ credit card data whenever they made a purchase – a spell that’s difficult to break.

Why These Cyberspooks Are Emerging

While these threats might seem like just another Halloween trick, there are other forces at play. According to McAfee’s Quarterly Threats Report from July 2020, threats like malware phishing and trojans have proven opportunistic for cybercriminals as users spend more and more time online – whether it be working from home, distance learning, or connecting with friends and loved ones. In fact, McAfee Labs observed 375 threats per minute in Q1 2020 alone.

So, as hackers continue to adapt their techniques to take advantage of users spending more time online, it’s important that people educate themselves on emerging threats so they can take necessary precautions and live their digital lives free from worry.

How to Stay Protected

Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent these threats from haunting your digital life. Follow these tips to keep cybersecurity tricks at bay this spooky season:

Beware of emails from unknown senders

Zombie malware is easily spread by phishing, which is when scammers try to trick you out of your private information or money. If you receive an email from an unknown user, it’s best to proceed with caution. Don’t click on any links or open any attachments in the email and delete the message altogether.

Review your accounts

Look over your credit card accounts and bank statements often to check whether someone is fraudulently using your financial data – you can even sign up for transaction alerts that your bank or credit card company may provide. If you see any charges that you did not make, report it to the authorities immediately.

Use a comprehensive security solution

Add an extra layer of protection with a security solution like McAfee® Total Protection to help safeguard your digital life from malware and other threats. McAfee Total Protection also includes McAfee® WebAdvisor – web protection that enables users to sidestep attacks before they happen with clear warnings of risky websites, links, and files.

Stay updated

To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home  on Twitter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

 

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Evolving Security Products for the new Realities of Living Life From Home

Announcing McAfee’s Enhanced Consumer Security for New Consumer Realities

With millions of people continuing to work and study remotely, scammers have followed them home—generating an average of 375 new threats per minute so far this year. In response, our enhanced consumer portfolio directly addresses the new needs and new threats people face.

McAfee Labs found that these new threats via malicious apps, phishing campaigns malware, and more, according to its McAfee COVID-19 Threat Report: July 2020, which amounted to an estimated $130 million in total losses in the U.S. alone.

To help people stay safer and combat these threats, today we announced our latest consumer security portfolio. Our enriched products come with better user experiences such as a native Virtual Private Network (VPN), along with new features, including integrated Social Media and Tech Scam Protection—all of which are pressing security essentials today.

Specifically, our product lineup has been updated to include:

Boosts to security and privacy

Scams involving tech support and product activation have continued to sneak into people’s inboxes and search results, which require a critical eye to spot. Here are some tips on how to identify these scams. We’re making it easier for people to stay safer with new features such as:

• Tech Scam Protection: McAfee® WebAdvisor now provides a warning when visiting websites that can be used by cybercriminals to gain remote access to your PC, helping combat the  $55 million total fraud loss in the U.S. due to tech scams.
• Advanced Malware Detection: McAfee enhanced its machine learning capabilities to improve overall time to detect emerging threats across devices as well as added protection against file-less threats.

Improvements make it easier for you to stay safer

With jobs and things that simply need to get done “right now,” security can be an afterthought. Sometimes that desire for convenience has consequences, leading to situations where people’s devices, data, and personal information get compromised. In response, we’re doing our part to make security more intuitive so that people can get things done quickly and safely:

• A Better User Experience: An improved PC and app experience with easier navigation and readable alerts, and clear calls to action for faster understanding of potential issues.
• Native VPN: Easier access to VPN and anti-malware device protection via one central place and log-in.
• Updated Password Protection: Access iOS applications even faster with automatically filled in user account information and passwords in both apps and browsers on iOS devices.

Further security enhancements for today’s needs and tomorrow’s threats

With people’s newfound reliance on the internet, we’ve made new advances that help them live their increasingly connected lives—looking after security and privacy even more comprehensively than before on security and the apps they use:

• Optimized Product Alerts: Redesigned product alerts, so consumers are better informed about possible security risks, with a single-click call to action for immediate protection.
• Social Media Protection: To help prevent users from accidentally visiting malicious websites, McAfee now annotates social media feeds across six major platforms – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, and LinkedIn.
• Enhanced App Privacy Check: Consumers can now easily see when mobile apps request personal information, with app privacy now integrated into the main scan of Android devices.

McAfee is on a journey to ensure security allows users to be as carefree as possible online, now that more time is spent on devices as consumers navigate a new normal of life from home. For more information on our consumer product lineup, visit https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/antivirus/mcafee-total-protection.html

Stay Updated 

To stay updated on all things McAfee and for more resources on staying secure from home, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

 

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Phishing Email Examples: How to Recognize a Phishing Email

Phishing Email Examples: How to Recognize a Phishing Email

You get an email from bank0famerica@acc0unt.com claiming that they have found suspicious activity on your credit card statement and are requesting that you verify your financial information. What do you do? While you may be tempted to click on a link to immediately resolve the issue, this is likely the work of a cybercriminal. Phishing is a scam that tricks you into voluntarily providing important personal information. Protect yourself from phishing by reviewing some examples of phishing emails and learning more about this common online scam.

What is phishing?

 Phishing is a cybercrime that aims to steal your sensitive information. Scammers disguise themselves as major corporations or other trustworthy entities to trick you into willingly providing information like website login credentials or, even worse, your credit card number.

What is a phishing email/text message?

A phishing email or text (also known as SMiShing) is a fraudulent message made to look legitimate, and typically asks you to provide sensitive personal information in various ways. If you don’t look carefully at the emails or texts, however, you might not be able to tell the difference between a regular message and a phishing message. Scammers work hard to make phishing messages closely resemble emails and texts sent by trusted companies, which is why you need to be cautious when you open these messages and click the links they contain.

How do you spot a phishing message?

 Phishing scammers often undo their own plans by making simple mistakes that are easy to spot once you know how to recognize them. Check for the following signs of phishing every time you open an email or text:

It’s poorly written

 Even the biggest companies sometimes make minor errors in their communications. Phishing messages often contain grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and other blatant errors that major corporations wouldn’t make. If you see multiple, glaring grammatical errors in an email or text that asks for your personal information, you might be a target of a phishing scam.

The logo doesn’t look right

To enhance their edibility, phishing scammers often steal the logos of who they’re impersonating. In many cases, however, they don’t steal corporate logos correctly. The logo in a phishing email or text might have the wrong aspect ratio or low-resolution. If you have to squint to make out the logo in a message, the chances are that it’s phishing.

The URL doesn’t match

Phishing always centers around links that you’re supposed to click. Here are a few ways to check whether a link someone sent you is legitimate:

• Hover over the link in the email to display its URL. Oftentimes, phishing URLs contain misspellings, which is a common sign of phishing. Hovering over the link will allow you to see a link preview. If the URL looks suspicious, don’t interact with it and delete the message altogether.
• Right-click the link, copy it, and paste the URL into a word processor. This will allow you to examine the link thoroughly for grammatical or spelling errors without being directed to the potentially malicious webpage.
• Check the URL of a link on mobile devices by pressing and holding it with your finger.

 

If the URL you discover doesn’t match up with the entity that supposedly sent you the message, you probably received a phishing email.

Types of phishing emails and texts

Phishing messages come in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few types of phishing emails and texts that are more common than others. Let’s review some examples of the most frequently sent phishing scams:

Account suspended scam

Some phishing emails appear to notify you that your bank temporarily suspended your account due to unusual activity. If you receive an account suspension email from a bank that you haven’t opened an account with, delete it immediately, and don’t look back. Suspended account phishing emails from banks you do business with, however, are harder to spot. Use the methods we listed above to check the email’s integrity, and if all else fails, contact your bank directly instead of opening any links within the email you received.

Two-factor authentication scam

Two-factor authentication (2FA) has become common, so you’re probably used to receiving emails that ask you to confirm your login information with six-digit numerical codes. Phishing scammers also know how standard 2FA has become, and they could take advantage of this service that’s supposed to protect your identity. If you receive an email asking you to log in to an account to confirm your identity, use the criteria we listed above to verify the message’s authenticity. Be especially wary if someone asks you to provide 2FA for an account you haven’t accessed for a while.

Tax refund scam

We all know how important tax season is. That’s what phishing scammers are counting on when they send you phony IRS refund emails. Be careful when an email informs you that you’ve received a windfall of cash and be especially dubious of emails that the IRS supposedly sent since this government agency only contacts taxpayers via snail mail. Tax refund phishing scams can do serious harm since they usually ask for your social security number as well as your bank account information.

Order confirmation scam

Sometimes, cybercriminals will try to tick you by sending emails with fake order confirmations. These messages often contain “receipts” attached to the email or links claiming to contain more information on your order. However, criminals often use these attachments and links to spread malware to the victim’s device.

Phishing at work

You need to be wary of phishing when you’re using your work email as well. One popular phishing scam involves emails designed to look like someone in the C-suite of your company sent them. They ask workers to wire funds to supposed clients, but this cash actually goes to scammers. Use the tips we listed above to spot these phony emails.

When phishing flies under the radar

Often, hackers look for ways to update old schemes so that they go undetected by users already aware of certain cyberthreats. Such is the case with the latest phishing evasion technique, which detects virtual machines to fly under the radar. Cybersecurity firms often use headless devices or virtual machines (a computer file that behaves like an actual computer) to determine if a website is actually a phishing page. But now, some phishing kits contain JavaScript — a programming language that allows you to implement complex features on web pages — that checks whether a virtual machine is analyzing the page. If it detects any analysis attempts, the phishing kit will show a blank page instead of the phishing page, allowing the scam to evade detection. To help ensure that you don’t fall for the latest phishing scams, stay updated on the most recent phishing techniques so you can stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.

What happens if you click a link in a phishing email?

Never click links in suspicious emails. If you click a link you suspect a phishing scammer sent, the link will take you to a web page with a form where you can enter sensitive data such as your Social Security number, credit card information, or login credentials. Do not enter any data on this page.

What do you do if you suspect you’ve been phished?

If you accidentally enter data in a webpage linked to a suspicious email, perform a full malware scan on your device. Once the scan is complete, backup all of your files and change your passwords. Even if you only provided a phishing scammer with the data from one account, you may have also opened the door to other personal data, so it’s important to change all the passwords you use online in the wake of a suspected phishing attack.

How to recognize a phishing email: simple tips

Let’s wrap things up with some summarized tips on how to avoid phishing emails:

• When in doubt, directly contact the organization that supposedly emailed you instead of opening links included in suspicious emails.
• Examine suspicious emails carefully to check for telltale signs of phishing, such as poor grammar, grainy logos, or bogus links.
• If you accidentally click a phishing link, don’t enter any data, and close the page.
• If you think phishing scammers are targeting you, run a virus scan, backup your files, and change all your passwords.

 Stay protected

 Phishing emails only work on the unaware. Now that you know how to spot phishing emails and what to do if you suspect scammers are targeting you, you’re far less likely to fall for these schemes. Remember to be careful with your personal information when you use the internet and err on the side of caution whenever anybody asks you to divulge sensitive details about your identity, finances, or login information.

To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home  on Twitter, subscribe to our email, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

 

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Ransom from Home – How to close the cyber front door to remote working ransomware attacks

Coronavirus has caused a major shift to our working patterns. In many cases these will long outlast the pandemic. But working from home has its own risks. One is that you may invite ransomware attacks from a new breed of cyber-criminal who has previously confined his efforts to directly targeting the corporate network. Why? Because as a remote worker, you’re increasingly viewed as a soft target—the open doorway to extorting money from your employer.

So how does ransomware land up on your front doorstep? And what can a home worker do to shut that door?

The new ransomware trends

Last year, Trend Micro detected over 61 million ransomware-related threats, a 10% increase from 2018 figures. But things have only gotten worse from there. There has been a 20% spike in ransomware detections globally in the first half of 2020, rising to 109% in the US. And why is that?

At a basic level, ransomware searches for and encrypts most of the files on a targeted computer, so as to make them unusable. Victims are then asked to pay a ransom within a set time frame in order to receive the decryption key they need to unlock their data. If they don’t, and they haven’t backed-up this data, it could be lost forever.

The trend of late, however, has been to focus on public and private sector organizations whose staff are working from home (WFH). The rationale is that remote workers are less likely to be able to defend themselves from ransomware attacks, while they also provide a useful stepping-stone into high-value corporate networks. Moreover, cybercriminals are increasingly looking to steal sensitive data before they encrypt it, even as they’re more likely to fetch a higher ransom for their efforts than they do from a typical consumer, especially if the remote employee’s data is covered by cyber-insurance.

Home workers are also being more targeted for a number of reasons:

They may be more distracted than those in the office. Home network and endpoint security may not be up to company levels. Home systems (routers, smart home devices, PCs, etc.,) may not be up-to-date and therefore are more easily exposed to exploits. Remote workers are more likely to visit insecure sites, download risky apps, or share machines/networks with those who do. Corporate IT security teams may be overwhelmed with other tasks and unable to provide prompt support to a remote worker. Security awareness programs may have been lacking in the past, perpetuating bad practice for workers at home.

What’s the attack profile of the remote working threat?

In short, the bad guys are now looking to gain entry to the corporate network you may be accessing from home via a VPN, or to the cloud-hosted systems you use for work or sharing files, in order to first steal and then encrypt company data with ransomware as far and wide as possible into your organization. But the methods are familiar. They’ll

Try to trick you into dangerous behavior through email phishing—the usual strategy of getting you to click links that redirect you to bad websites that house malware, or getting you to download a bad file, to start the infection process. Steal or guess your log-ins to work email accounts, remote desktop tools (i.e., Microsoft Remote Desktop or RDP), and cloud-based storage/networks, etc., before they deliver the full ransomware payload. This may happen via a phishing email spoofed to appear as if sent from a legitimate source, or they may scan for your use of specific tools and then try to guess the password (known as brute forcing). One new Mac ransomware, called EvilQuest, has a keylogger built into it, which could capture your company passwords as you type them in. It’s a one-two punch: steal the data first, then encrypt it. Target malware at your VPN or remote desktop software, if it’s vulnerable. Phishing is again a popular way to do this, or they may hide it in software on torrent sites or in app stores. This gives them a foothold into your employer’s systems and network. Target smart home devices/routers via vulnerabilities or their easy-to-guess/crack passwords, in order to use home networks as a stepping-stone into your corporate network.

How can I prevent ransomware when working from home?

The good news is that you, the remote worker, can take some relatively straightforward steps up front to help mitigate the cascading risks to your company posed by the new ransomware. Try the following:

Be cautious of phishing emails. Take advantage of company training and awareness courses if offered. Keep your home router firmware, PCs, Macs, mobile devices, software, browsers and operating systems up to date on the latest versions – including remote access tools and VPNs (your IT department may do some of this remotely). Ensure your home network, PCs, and mobile devices are protected with up-to-date with network and endpoint AV from a reputable vendor. (The solutions should include anti-intrusion, anti-web threat, anti-spam, anti-phishing, and of course, anti-ransomware features.) Ensure remote access tools and user accounts are protected with multi-factor authentication (MFA) if used and disable remote access to your home router. Disable Microsoft macros where possible. They’re a typical attack vector. Back-up important files regularly, according to 3-2-1 rule.

How Trend Micro can help

In short, to close the cyber front door to ransomware, you need to protect your home network and all your endpoints (laptops, PCs, mobile devices) to be safe. Trend Micro can help via

The Home Network: Home Network Security (HNS) connects to your router to protect any devices connected to the home network — including IoT gadgets, smartphones and laptops — from ransomware and other threats. Desktop endpoints: Trend Micro Security (TMS) offers advanced protection from ransomware-related threats. It includes Folder Shield to safeguard valuable files from ransomware encryption, which may be stored locally or synched to cloud services like Dropbox®, Google Drive® and Microsoft® OneDrive/OneDrive for Business. Mobile endpoints: Trend Micro Mobile Security (also included in TMS) protects Android and iOS devices from ransomware. Secure passwords: Trend Micro Password Manager enables users to securely store and recall strong, unique passwords for all their apps, websites and online accounts, across multiple devices. VPN Protection at home and on-the-go: Trend Micro’s VPN Proxy One (Mac | iOS) solution will help ensure your data privacy on Apple devices when working from home, while its cross-platform WiFi Protection solution will do the same across PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices when working from home or when connecting to public/unsecured WiFi hotspots, as you venture out and about as the coronavirus lockdown eases in your area.

With these tools, you, the remote worker, can help shut the front door to ransomware, protecting your work, devices, and company from data theft and encryption for ransom.

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Top Tips For Home Cybersecurity And Privacy In A Coronavirus-Impacted World (Part 1)

Welcome to the new normal. We’re all now living in a post-COVID-19 world characterized by uncertainty, mass home working and remote learning. The lines demarcating normal life have shifted abruptly – perhaps never to return. That’s not the worst that can happen, as we all know, but it does mean we all need to get used to new ways of living, working and studying from home. This has major implications for the online safety, security and privacy of our families.

To help you adapt to these new conditions while protecting what matters most, Trend Micro has developed a two-part blog series on “The New Normal.” Part 1 identifies the scope and specific cyber-threats of the new normal. Part 2 provides security tips and products to help address those threats.

What’s going on?

In April, nearly 300 million Americans were estimated to be in government-mandated lockdown. Even as some businesses, municipalities and states begin to relax these rules, experts have warned of subsequent waves of the virus, which could result in new localized lockdowns. In short, a lot of people will continue to work from home, while their children, also at home, attempt to study remotely from their mobile devices.

This has considerable implications for how we spend our time. Without that morning commute to work or school, more of it than ever will involve sitting in front of a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone screen. Even the smart TV is enlisted. Dangers include

Use of potentially insecure video conferencing applications. The number of daily meeting participants on Zoom surged from 10 million in December 2019 to roughly 200 million in March. Visits to P2P/torrent sites or platforms for adult content. In search of entertainment, bored kids or teens in your household may have more time and inclination to do this. Downloads of potentially malicious applications disguised as legitimate entertainment or gaming content. More online shopping and banking. June alone generated $73.2 billion in online spend, up 76.2% year-on-year. Whenever you shop or bank online, financial data is potentially exposed. Use of potentially insecure remote learning platforms. Educational mobile app downloads increased by a massive 1087% between March 2 and 16. The trend continues. Logging on to corporate cloud-based services. This includes Office 365, to do your job remotely, or using a VPN to connect directly into the office. For recreation, streaming and browsing on your smart TV. But even your smart TV is vulnerable to threats, as the FBI has warned.

Risky behavior

Unfortunately, the increase in working from home (WFH), especially for those not used to it, may lead to an increase in risky behavior, such as: using non-approved apps for work; visiting non work-related sites on work devices; and using personal devices to access work resources. Recent global Trend Micro research found that:

	80% have used their work laptop for personal browsing, with only 36% fully restricting the sites they visit. 56% of employees have used a non-work app on a corporate device, and 66% have uploaded corporate data to it. 39% often or always access corporate data from a personal device. 8% admit to watching adult content on their work laptop, and 7% access the dark web.

This is not about restricting your freedom to visit the sites you want to visit while at home. It’s about reducing the risk of exposing corporate data and systems to possible malware.

What are the bad guys doing?

Unsurprisingly, there has also been a major uptick in the volume of cyber-threats targeting home users. With a captive audience to aim at, it’s a huge opportunity for cyber-criminals to steal your log-ins and personal data to sell to fraudsters, or even to steal corporate passwords and information for a potentially bigger pay-off. They are helped by the fact that many home workers may be more distracted than they usually would be at the office, especially if they have young children. Your kids may even share the same laptops or PCs as you, potentially visiting risky sites and/or downloading unapproved apps.

There’s also a chance that, unless you have a corporate machine at home, your personal computing equipment is less secure than the kit you had in the office. Add to that the fact that support from the IT department may be less forthcoming than usual, given that stretched teams are overwhelmed with requests, while themselves struggling to WFH. One recent report claimed that nearly half (47%) of IT security pros have been taken off some or all of their typical security tasks to support other IT-related jobs. In another, only 59% of respondents said they believe their cybersecurity team has the right tools and resources at home to perform their job effectively.

It’s time to step up and take security into your own hands. Stay on the lookout for the following threats.

Unsecured home routers and smart devices might be hijacked in more sophisticated attacks designed to steal data from corporate networks via the home worker. Phishing attacks spoofing well-known brands or using COVID-19 information/news as a lure. Google is blocking 18 million malicious pandemic-themed emails every day. The end goal may be to hijack your online consumer accounts (Netflix, banking, email, online shopping) or work accounts. Other phishing emails are designed to install data-stealing malware, ransomware and other threats. Attackers may target vulnerabilities in your home PCs and the apps you’re using (video conferencing etc) to gain remote access. Business Email Compromise (BEC) attackers may try to leverage the lack of internal communications between remote workers to impersonate senior execs via email, and trick finance team members into wiring corporate funds abroad. Kids exposing home networks and devices to malware on torrent sites, in mobile apps, on social media, and via phishing attacks potentially imitating remote learning/video conferencing platforms. Kids searching for adult/inappropriate content, and/or those that are bored and over-share on social media. Unicef has warned that millions of children are at increased of online harm as lockdown means they spend more of their days online. Mobile apps represent a potential source of malware, especially those found on unofficial app stores. There has also been a reported 51% rise in stalkerware – covert surveillance apps used by domestic abusers and stalkers to target victims. The pandemic has led to a surge in e-commerce fraud where consumers are tricked into buying non-existent products or counterfeit goods including medical items.

So what’s a remote worker/concerned parent to do to protect themselves and the family in the midst of the “new normal?”

Read Part 2 in this mini-series, which we’re publishing simultaneously with Part 1, where we share some best practice advice on how to keep your digital lives and work systems safe from online threats during lockdown—and where we provide tools to help you do just that.

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Top Tips For Home Cybersecurity And Privacy In A Coronavirus-Impacted World (Part 2)

The past few months have seen radical changes to our work and home life under the Coronavirus threat, upending norms and confining millions of American families within just four walls. In this context, it’s not surprising that more of us are spending an increasing portion of our lives online. But this brings with it some familiar cyber-risks. In Part 1 of this mini-series, we explained how cyber-criminals are looking to capitalize on these sweeping changes to society to further their own ends.

Now let’s take a look at what you can do to protect your family, your data, and access to your corporate accounts.

How you can stay safe online

The bad guys are laser-focused on stealing your personal data and log-ins and increasingly see the remote worker as an easy target for leapfrogging into corporate networks. That’s not to mention the potential internet safety risks inherent in bored kids spending more time in front of their screens. To respond, you’ll need to create an equally focused “home security plan” governed by sensible policies and best practices. Here are some of the key areas to consider.

Protect your smart home and router

Increasingly, unprotected smart home devices are being targeted by cyber-criminals to turn into botnets to attack others. They might also provide sophisticated attackers with a stepping-stone into your corporate systems, via the home network. The home router, with its known flaws, is (after the modem) the digital front door to the smart home and the basis for your networking, so it should be first in any security strategy. Consider the following when tackling home network security:

Regularly check for router firmware updates and apply as soon as they’re available. (If you’re using a home gateway (modem + router) firmware updates are done by your ISP, so you won’t have the option to do this.) Change factory default admin passwords and switch on two-factor authentication if available. Disable UPnP and any remote management features. Use WPA2 on your router for encrypted Wi-Fi. Pick passwords for access that aren’t easily guessed. Put the router in middle of house if possible, so the signal is not overly exposed to strangers outside. Likewise for extenders. Invest in security for the entire home network from a reputable provider like Trend Micro.

Secure your home office

Cyber-criminals are primed to take advantage of distracted home workers and potentially less secure PCs/devices. Secure this environment by doing the following:

Again, apply a home network security solution. This protects your work devices, while also protecting the devices you use for recreation. Apply any security updates to OS/software. Install/maintain endpoint security software on all machines/devices. Never use work laptops for personal use. Switch on 2FA for any work accounts. Use a VPN if applicable whenever connecting to the office. Stay alert to phishing/BEC attempts. Take advantage of any training courses to stay up-to-speed on the latest scams. Disable macros in Office files – these are often used by hackers to run malware.

Stay safe from phishing

Phishing is the number one tactic used by attackers to trick you into installing malware or handing over your log-ins. Emails, text messages, social media messages and more are spoofed to appear as if sent by a legitimate company or contact. In response:

Be cautious of any unsolicited emails/texts/messages even if they appear legitimate. Don’t click on any links/buttons in unsolicited messages, or download attachments. Check directly with the sender rather than clicking through links or buttons provided or entering any confidential details. Invest in cybersecurity tools from a trusted vendor like Trend Micro, to spot and block scam emails and malicious downloads/websites.

Use video conferencing safely

New videoconferencing platforms can introduce risk, especially if you’re not familiar with the default settings. Here’s how to stay safe when video conferencing:

Check first for end-to-end encryption. Only download videoconferencing apps from official iOS/Android stores and manufacturer websites. Get familiar with privacy settings. Switch off camera access if you don’t want to appear on-screen. Ensure you’re always on the latest software version. Never click on links/open attachments in messages from unknown contacts. Use a password manager to store long and strong log-ins, and switch on two-factor authentication (2FA) if available.

Stay safe shopping and banking

Next, protect your financial information and stay safe from e-commerce fraud by doing the following:

Install AV on all PCs and devices. Always use the latest browser versions and HTTPS sites. Never click through on sensational promos or ads on social media/in emails. Always visit the site directly. Always be cautious: if special offers seem too good to be true, they usually are. Use a secure browser, password manager, and 2FA in your online accounts. Use a VPN app on any device you use to shop or bank.

Think about online safety for kids

They may be under your roof for more hours of the day than usual, but your children are also likely to be spending more time online. That means you need to have a measured conversation with them about internet safety, backed up with parental controls. Consider the following:

Urge your kids to think before clicking, and before sharing on social media. Make sure you have installed anti-malware from a reputable vendor on all their devices. Look for security products that check/update their social media privacy settings. Discourage or block downloads from P2P sites. Set up parental controls to block inappropriate content and/or to regulate screen time and time on certain sites or with certain apps. Then set up admin protections, so they can’t change the settings. Share your concerns around sexting.

Mobile security best practices
Finally, sheltering at home has limits, particularly for restless kids. When they go to the store or out to the park, facemasks notwithstanding, they’re likely going to use their mobile devices, just as they’ll continue to do at home. Of course, you’re not exempt either from mobile threats. Ensure mobile security by

Sticking to the official Google Play and App Store marketplaces. Enforce this through smart settings on your children’s phones. Running anti-malware on your mobile device, from a reputable company like Trend Micro. Ensuring your family’s devices are using the latest OS version. Ensuring your family devices have remote lock and wipe feature switched on, in case they’re lost or stolen. Never brick or jailbreak the device, as this can expose it to security risks.

How Trend Micro can help

When it comes to protecting the home from security and privacy threats during lockdown, leave no stone unturned. Cyber-criminals will always look for the weak link in the chain and focus their efforts there. Network security is important, but it doesn’t replace the need for protection on each individual device. You’ll need to cover your router, network, smart devices, and all endpoints (PCs, laptops, mobiles and other devices). Here’s how Trend Micro can help:

Trend Micro Home Network Security

Trend Micro Home Network Security provides industry-leading protection against any threats to internet-connected devices in the home. The solution

Blocks dangerous file downloads during web browsing to stop ransomware, data theft, phishing, and other malware. Blocks remote access applications. Protects all smart devices, such as smart TVs, thermostats, security cameras, etc., that don’t have their own security solutions. Parental Controls and Guardian allow parents to track and restrict their children’s internet usage at home and on-the-go, which could free-up bandwidth for important conference calls.

Trend Micro Security (PC and Mac)

Trend Micro Security, available in various editions (led by Trend Micro Maximum Security), is Trend’s flagship endpoint security product for consumers. Available for both PCs and Macs, it features AI learning to stop advanced threats. Among a wide range of protections, it includes:

Web Threat Protection when browsing the internet, defending you against bad websites that can steal your data or download malicious files. Machine Learning, to protect you from new and unknown threats. Ransomware protection via Folder Shield, to stop unauthorized changes and back-up files encrypted by suspicious programs. Anti-phishing and anti-spam protection for Outlook clients, as well as Gmail and Outlook webmail on the PC, and Gmail webmail on the Mac. Privacy Scanner (for Facebook and Twitter), Social Networking Protection for protection against malicious links in social networks, Pay Guard for protecting your online banking and buying. Parental Controls to limit which software and websites you kids may use.

Trend Micro Mobile Security:

Trend Micro Mobile Security provides endpoint security for all your mobile devices, whether Android or iOS-based.

	Blocks dangerous websites and app downloads. Helps protects your privacy on Twitter and Facebook. Protects your kids’ devices. Guards against identity theft. Optimizes your device’s performance.

Additional Trend Micro Tools:

Network and endpoint security should be supplemented with tools that accomplish specific tasks, such as protecting your internet connections, your passwords, and your identity data. Trend Micro provides

Wi-Fi Protection/VPN Proxy One Mac | iOS. VPNs with an emphasis on web threat protection or privacy, respectively. The first is available on all four platforms; the second is targeted for Apple devices. Password Manager. Manages and encrypts your passwords, and automates your logins, while ensuring you use unique, strong passwords across all of your online accounts. ID Security. Tracks your credentials, particularly the ones you use for buying and banking, to see if breaches of any of your identity data have led to their sale on the Dark Web. Notifies you when it has, so you can take steps to protect it. Premium Services. Parents working from home are not expected to be IT or Security experts, so now’s the time to ensure professional help is around when you need it by signing up for one of Trend Micro’s premium service packages for help configuring, troubleshooting, optimizing, and disinfecting your devices if they get infected.

Maintaining your family’s security and privacy on all their devices during the coronavirus lockdown above all means changing your mindset, to take into account the mix of work and play in the household during the “new normal.” Use these tips and tools during lockdown and you’ll be well on your way to ensuring you and your family’s safety from malicious viruses—both digital and natural.

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How to Stay Safe as Online Coronavirus Scams Spread

Few national emergencies have the ability to strike panic into the populace quite like a virus pandemic. It’s fortunately something most of us have never had to experience, until now. At the time of writing, the number of global confirmed cases of Coronavirus infection, or COVID-19, has reached nearly 174,000 worldwide. Although the official US total currently remains a fraction of that (around 4,000), problems with testing mean many cases are likely to be going unreported here.

This is a difficult time for many Americans, as it is for citizens all over the world. But unfortunately it’s extraordinary global events like this that cyber-criminals look for in order to make their schemes more successful. True to form, they’re using mass awareness of the outbreak and a popular desire for more information on the virus, to trick users into giving away personal information and log-ins, or to unwittingly install malware on their devices.

As organizations enforce remote working to reduce the impact of the virus, many of you will be logging-on from home or your mobile computing devices, which may have fewer built-in protections from such threats. This makes it more important than ever to know how the bad guys are trying to cash in on COVID-19 and what you can do to stay safe.

Here’s a quick guide to the key online threats and security tips:

Phishing for trouble

Decades before COVID-19 burst onto the scene, a different kind of pandemic was spreading across the globe. Phishing messages have been one of the most popular tools in the hackers’ arsenal for years. In fact, Trend Micro blocked nearly 48 billion email-borne threats in 2019, 91% of the total we detected. Phishing is designed to trick the user into handing over their log-ins or personal and financial details, or persuading them to unwittingly download malware. Cyber-criminals typically achieve this by spoofing an email to make it appear as if sent from a legitimate and trustworthy source.

Once a user has been hooked, they are enticed into clicking on a malicious link or opening a malware-laden attachment. This could be anything from a banking trojan designed to steal online banking log-ins, to a piece of ransomware which will lock the user out of their PC until they pay a fee. It could even be cryptojacking malware which sits on the infected machine, quietly mining for Bitcoin while running up large energy bills and slowing down your PC.

The bad news is that phishing messages — whether sent by email, social media, text or messaging app — are getting harder to spot. Many now feature perfect English, and official logos and sender domains. They also often use current newsworthy events to trick the user into clicking. And they don’t get more high-profile than the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depending on how well protected your computing devices are, you may be more likely to receive one of these scam messages than be exposed to the virus itself. So, it pays to know what’s out there.

Watch out for these scams

The phishing landscape is evolving all the time. But here is a selection of some of the most common scams doing the rounds at the moment:

‘Official’ updates

Many of these emails purport to come from official organizations such as the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or the World Health Organization (WHO). They claim to contain key updates on the spread of the virus and must-read recommendations on how to avoid infection. Booby-trapped links and attachments carry malware and/or could redirect users to phishing sites.

Coronavirus map

Sometimes legitimate tools can be hijacked to spread malware. Researchers have spotted a version of the interactive Coronavirus dashboard created by Johns Hopkins University which was altered to contain information-stealing malware known as AZORult. If emails arrive with links to such sites, users should exercise extreme caution.

Corporate updates

Many big brands are proactively contacting their customer base to reassure them of the steps they are taking to keep staff and customers safe from the virus. But here too, the hackers are jumping in with spoof messages of their own purporting to come from the companies you may do business with. FedEx is one such global brand that has been spoofed in this way.

Donations

Another trick is to send phishing emails calling for donations to help fund research into the virus. One, claiming to come from the “Department of Health” has a subject line, “URGENT: Coronavirus, Can we count on your support today?” A key tactic in phishing emails is to create a sense of urgency like this to rush the reader into making hasty decisions.

Click here for a cure

One scam email claims to come from a medical professional and contains details about a vaccine for COVID-19 which has been “hushed up” by global governments. Of course, clicking through to find the non-existent ‘cure’ will bring the recipient nothing but trouble.

Tax refunds

In the UK, users have received emails spoofed to appear as if sent from the government, and promising a tax refund to help citizens cope with the financial shock of the pandemic. As governments in the US and elsewhere start to take more interventionist measures to prop up their economies, we can expect more of these types of phishing email.

How to stay safe

The good news is that there’s plenty you can do to protect you and your family from phishing emails like these. A blend of the following technical and human fixes will go a long way to minimizing the threat:

Be cautious of any unsolicited emails/social media messages etc, even if they appear to come from a reputable organization or a known contact. Don’t click through on any links/buttons in unsolicited emails, or download attachments. If an email asks you for personal data, check directly with the sender rather than clicking through and entering those details. Invest in cybersecurity tools from a trusted vendor like Trend Micro, to spot and block scam emails and block malicious downloads and websites. Disable macros in Office files – these are often used by hackers to run malware.

How Trend Micro can help

Fortunately, Trend Micro Security can also help. Among its anti-phishing features are the following:

Antispam for Outlook: includes checks on email sender reputation, employs web threat protection to block malicious URLs in messages, and scans for threats in files attached to email messages.

Fraud Buster: uses leading-edge AI technology to detect fake emails in Gmail and Outlook webmail that don’t contain malicious URLs or attachments, but still pose a risk to the user.

To find out more about how Trend Micro can help keep your family safe from online threats and phishing, go to our Trend Micro Security homepage, or watch our video series: How to Prevent Phishing, Part 1 and Part 2.

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Tax Scams – Everything you need to know to keep your money and data safe

Tax season has always been a pretty nerve-wracking time for hard-working Americans. But over the years, technology advances have arrived to gradually make the process a bit easier. The bad news is that they can also introduce new cyber risks and even more stress.

There are two things that cybercriminals are always on the hunt for: people’s identity data from their accounts, and their money. And during the tax-filing season both can be unwittingly exposed. Over the years, cybercriminals have adapted multiple tools and techniques to part taxpayers with their personal information and funds.

Let’s take look at some of the main threats out there and what you can do to stay safe.

What do they want?

Cybercrime is a highly efficient money-making business. Some reports suggest this underground economy generates as much as $1.5 trillion each year. (See Into the Web of Profit, April 2018, McGuire, Bromium.) And tax-related scams are an increasingly popular way for the bad guys to drive-up profits. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims that “thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information” to such attacks.

The bottom line is that they’re after one of two things: to trick you into wiring funds to them, and/or to get hold of your personally identifiable information (PII), including bank account and Social Security Numbers (SSNs). This personal data can subsequently be used to defraud you or the IRS, or may be deployed in follow-on identity fraud schemes to capture illicit funds from you.

There are various ways cyber-criminals can achieve these goals. The most common is by using social engineering tactics to trick taxpayers into sending money or personal information. But they might also use malware, either delivered to you personally or targeted at your tax preparer. This means you not only have to look after your own cybersecurity but also demand that the third-party businesses you work with store and transmit your sensitive information securely.

Look out for these scams

Here’s a round-up of the most popular tactics used by tax scammers today:

Impersonation: The fraudster gets in touch pretending to be an IRS representative. This could be via email, phone, social media or even SMS. They usually claim you owe the IRS money in unpaid taxes or fines and demand a wire transfer, or funds from a prepaid debit card. Sometimes they may ask for personal and financial details—for example, by claiming you’re entitled to a large tax refund and they just need you to supply your bank account info.

These interactions are usually pushy. The scammer knows the best way of making you pay up is by creating a sense of urgency and, sometimes, shaming the individual into believing they’ve been withholding tax payments. Phishing emails may look highly convincing, right down to the logo and sender domain, while phone callers will use fake names and badge numbers. Sometimes the scammers use personal data they may have stolen previously or bought on the Dark Web to make their communications seem more convincing.

In some impersonation scams, the fraudsters may even pretend to work for charities and ask for personal details to help disaster victims with tax refund claims.

Spoofing, phishing, and malware: In some cases, a text, email or social media message spoofed to appear as if sent from the IRS or your tax preparer actually contains malware. The scammers use the same tactics as above but trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link or opening an attachment laden with malware. The covert download that follows could result in: theft of your personal information; your computer being completely hijacked by hackers via remote control software; or a ransomware download that locks your computer until you pay a fee.

Fake tax returns: Another trick the scammers employ is to use stolen SSNs and other personal information to file tax returns on your behalf. They can then try to claim a large payment in tax refunds from the IRS. The PII they use to file in your name may have been taken from a third-party source without your knowledge, and the first you might hear of it is when you go to file a legitimate tax return. It can take months to resolve the problem.

Attacks targeting tax preparers: Over half of Americans use third-party tax preparation companies to help them with their returns. However, this offers another opportunity for scammers to get hold of your sensitive information. In one recently discovered campaign, malware deployed on tax preparers’ websites was designed to download to the visitor’s computer as soon as they loaded the page. The IRS warns that businesses large and small are potentially at risk, as scammers are keen to get hold of tax information which enables them to file highly convincing fake returns in your name.

What to do

The good news is that by taking a few simple steps you can insulate yourself from the worst of these scams. Remember: the IRS does not contact taxpayers by email, text messages or social media to request personal/financial information— so if you receive communications that do, they are definitely a scam. It’s also important to remember that scams happen all year round, not just in the run-up to the tax filing deadline. That means, unfortunately, that you need to be on your guard all the time.

Here are a few other recommendations:

Install anti-malware from a reputable provider to block phishing emails and websites and prevent malware downloads. Be wary of any unsolicited messages purporting to come from your tax preparer or the IRS. Always contact them directly to check whether it’s a genuine communication or not. Don’t click on any links in unsolicited emails, or download attachments. Obtain an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS before filing your taxes. This will prevent fake returns being filed in your name. Alert phishing@irs.gov about any unsolicited emails from IRS scammers. Protect your log-ins with tax preparation companies. Switch on multi-factor authentication (MFA) if available, and/or use a password manager to make your logins hard to guess or crack.

It also pays to demand that your tax preparer take their own precautions to keep your data secure. They should not be sending sensitive data or documents unencrypted in emails and must take steps on their own to combat phishing emails that target employees, since these can cascade to you during your tax preparation process. Whether hosted in the cloud or running on-premises, the servers that hold your data should also have adequate protection—and you have a right (and a duty to yourself) to ask ahead of time what they’re doing to protect it.

According to the IRS tax preparers should put the following internal controls in place:

Install anti-malware on all web and storage servers and keep their software automatically updated. Encourage the use of unique, strong passwords via a password manager for each account, and deploy multi-factor authentication technology for clients. Encrypt all sensitive files and emails exchanged with strong password protections. Back-up sensitive data regularly to a secure off-site source. Wipe clean/destroy any old hard drives and printers containing sensitive data. Limit access to taxpayer data to staff who need to know.

How Trend Micro can help

Trend Micro offers a range of security tools to help taxpayers keep their personal and financial information safe from fraudsters.

Our flagship consumer solution Trend Micro Security (TMS) provides the following protections:

Protects against phishing links in emails that can take you to fraudulent sites. Its Fraud Buster feature for Gmail and Hotmail extends this to webmail. Blocks malicious website downloads and scans for malware hidden in attachments. Protects against ransomware and theft of sensitive data via Folder Shield. Protects and manages strong, unique passwords with Password Manager, which is bundled with Trend Micro Maximum Security.

To find out more, go to our Trend Micro Security website.

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The Everyday Cyber Threat Landscape: Trends from 2019 to 2020

The past 12 months have been another bumper year for cybercrime affecting everyday users of digital technology. Trend Micro blocked more than 26.8 billion of these threats in the first half of 2019 alone. The bad news is that there are many more out there waiting to steal your personal data for identity fraud, access your bank account, hold your computer to ransom, or extort you in other ways.

To help you stay safe over the coming year we’ve listed some of the biggest threats from 2019 and some trends to keep an eye on as we hit the new decade. As you’ll see, many of the most dangerous attacks will look a lot like the ones we warned about in 2019.

As we enter 2020 the same rules apply: stay alert, stay sceptical, and stay safe by staying protected.

Top five threats of 2019

Cybercrime is a chaotic, volatile world. So to make sense of the madness of the past 12 months, we’ve broken down the main type of threats consumers encountered into five key areas:

Home network threats: Our homes are increasingly powered by online technologies. Over two-thirds (69%) of US households now own at least one smart home device: everything from voice assistant-powered smart speakers to home security systems and connected baby monitors. But gaps in protection can expose them to hackers. As the gateway to our home networks, routers are particularly at risk. It’s a concern that 83% are vulnerable to attack. There were an estimated 105m smart home attacks in the first half of 2019 alone.

Endpoint threats: These are attacks aimed squarely at you the user, usually via the email channel. Trend Micro detected and blocked more than 26 billion such email threats in the first half of 2019, nearly 91% of the total number of cyber-threats. These included phishing attacks designed to trick you into clicking on a malicious link to steal your personal data and log-ins or begin a ransomware download. Or they could be designed to con you into handing over your personal details, by taking you to legit-looking but spoofed sites. Endpoint threats sometimes include social media phishing messages or even legitimate websites that have been booby-trapped with malware.

Mobile security threats: Hackers are also targeting our smartphones and tablets with greater gusto. Malware is often unwittingly downloaded by users, since it’s hidden in normal-looking Android apps, like the Agent Smith adware that infected over 25 million handsets globally this year. Users are also extra-exposed to social media attacks and those leveraging unsecured public Wi-Fi when using their devices. Once again, the end goal for the hackers is to make money: either by stealing your personal data and log-ins; flooding your screen with adverts; downloading ransomware; or forcing your device to contact expensive premium rate phone numbers that they own.

Online accounts under attack: Increasingly, hackers are after our log-ins: the virtual keys that unlock our digital lives. From Netflix to Uber, webmail to online banking, access to these accounts can be sold on the dark web or they can be raided for our personal identity data. Individual phishing attacks is one way to get these log-ins. But an increasingly popular method in 2019 was to use automated tools that try tens of thousands of previously breached log-ins to see if any of them work on your accounts. From November 2017 through the end of March 2019, over 55 billion such attacks were detected.

Breaches are everywhere: The raw materials needed to unlock your online accounts and help scammers commit identity fraud are stored by the organizations you interact with online. Unfortunately, these companies continued to be successfully targeted by data thieves in 2019. As of November 2019, there were over 1,200 recorded breaches in the US, exposing more than 163 million customer records. Even worse, hackers are now stealing card data direct from the websites you shop with as they are entered in, via “digital skimming” malware.

What to look out for in 2020

Smart homes under siege: As we invest more money in smart gadgets for our families, expect hackers to double down on network attacks. There’s a rich bounty for those that do: they can use an exposed smart endpoint as a means to sneak into your network and rifle through your personal data and online accounts. Or they could monitor your house via hacked security cameras to understand the best time to break in. Your hacked devices could even be recruited into botnets to help the bad guys attack others.

Social engineering online and by phone: Attacks that target user credulity are some of the most successful. Expect them to continue in 2020: both traditional phishing emails and a growing number of phone-based scams. Americans are bombarded by 200 million automated “robocalls” each day, 30% of which are potentially fraudulent. Sometimes phone fraud can shift quickly online; for example, tech support scams that convince the user there’s something wrong with their PC. Social engineering can also be used to extort money, such as in sextortion scams designed to persuade victims that the hacker has and is about to release a webcam image of them in a “compromising position.” Trend Micro detected a 319% increase in these attacks from 2H 2018 to the first half of 2019.

Threats on the move: Look out for more mobile threats in 2020. Many of these will come from unsecured public Wi-Fi which can let hackers eavesdrop on your web sessions and steal identity data and log-ins. Even public charging points can be loaded with malware, something LA County recently warned about. This comes on top of the escalating threat from malicious mobile apps.

All online accounts are fair game: Be warned that almost any online account you open and store personal data in today will be a target for hackers tomorrow. For 2020, this means of course you will need to be extra careful about online banking. But also watch out for attacks on gaming accounts.  Not only your personal identity data and log-ins but also lucrative in-game tokens will become highly sought after. Twelve billion of those recorded 55 billion credential stuffing attacks were directed at the gaming industry.

Worms make a comeback: Computer worms are dangerous because they self-replicate, allowing hackers to spread attacks without user interaction. This is what happened with the WannaCry ransomware attacks of 2017. A Microsoft flaw known as Bluekeep offers a new opportunity to cause havoc in 2020. There may be more out there.

How to stay safe

Given the sheer range of online threats facing computer users in 2020, you’ll need to cover all bases to keep your systems and data safe. That means:

Protecting the smart home with network monitoring solutions, regular checks for security updates on gadgets/router, changing the factory default logins to strong passwords, and putting all gadgets onto a guest network.

Tackling data-stealing malware, ransomware and other worm-style threats with strong AV from a reputable vendor, regular patching of your PC/mobile device, and strong password security (as given below).

Staying safe on the move by always using VPNs with public Wi-Fi, installing AV on your device, only frequenting official app stores, and ensuring you’re always on the latest device OS version. And steer clear of public USB charging points.

Keeping accounts secure by using a password manager for creating and storing strong passwords and/or switching on two-factor authentication where available. This will stop credential stuffing in its tracks and mitigate the impact of a third-party breach of your log-ins. Also, never log-in to webmail or other accounts on shared computers.

Taking on social engineering by never clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails, texts or social media messages and never giving out personal info over the phone.

How Trend Micro can help

Fortunately, Trend Micro fully understands the multiple sources for modern threats. It offers a comprehensive range of security products to protect all aspects of your digital life — from your smart home, home PCs, and mobile devices to online accounts including email and social networks, as well as when browsing the web itself.

Trend Micro Home Network Security: Provides protection against network intrusions, router hacks, web threats, dangerous file downloads and identity theft for every device connected to the home network.

Trend Micro Security: Protects your PCs and Macs against web threats, phishing, social network threats, data theft, online banking threats, digital skimmers, ransomware and other malware. Also guards against over-sharing on social media.

Trend Micro Mobile Security: Protects against malicious app downloads, ransomware, dangerous websites, and unsafe Wi-Fi networks.

Trend Micro Password Manager: Provides a secure place to store, manage and update your passwords. It remembers your log-ins, enabling you to create long, secure and unique credentials for each site/app you need to sign-in to.

Trend Micro WiFi Protection: Protects you on unsecured public WiFi by providing a virtual private network (VPN) that encrypts your traffic and ensures protection against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

Trend Micro ID Security (Android, iOS): Monitors underground cybercrime sites to securely check if your personal information is being traded by hackers on the Dark Web and sends you immediate alerts if so.

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