Tag Archive for: knowing

Android malware subscribes you to premium services without you knowing


Microsoft’s 365 Defender Team says there’s a growing popularity of malware that can subscribe you to a premium service without your knowledge. The attack is quite elaborate, though, and there are quite a few steps that the malware has to execute.

For starters, the apps harboring the malware are usually classified as “toll frauds” and use “dynamic code loading” to carry out the attack. In short, the malware subscribes you to a premium service using your telecom monthly bill. You are then forced to pay.

Android malware subscribes you to premium services without you knowing

The malware only works by exploiting the so-called WAP (wireless application protocol) used by cellular networks. That’s why some forms of the malware disable your Wi-Fi or just wait for you to go outside of Wi-Fi coverage. This is where the aforementioned dynamic code loading comes into play. The malicious software then subscribes you to a service in the background, reads an OTP (one-time password) you may receive before subscribing, fills out the OTP field on your behalf and also hides the notification to cover its tracks.

The good news is that the malware is largely distributed outside of Google Play because Google restricts the use of dynamic code loading by apps. So be careful out there and avoid side-loading Android apps.

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IT security starts with knowing your assets: Asia-Pacific


A perfect example of remote-work security challenges occurred when an NTUC employee accidentally downloaded malware onto a laptop he was using to access corporate files by plugging in a personal USB drive. “We received a security alert right away, but the remediation was tough,” recalls Loe. “We actually had to send a cybersecurity staffer to the employee’s house on a motorbike to retrieve the computer for investigation. In the past, we could protect the network by simply cutting off the employee’s laptop access. But when an employee is working from home, we can’t take the chance of losing any data over the internet.”

Welcome to the new cybersecurity threat landscape, where 61% of organizations are increasing cybersecurity investment in the work-from-home pandemic era, according to a 2021 Gartner CIO Agenda survey. Remote workers rely on cloud computing services to do their jobs, whether it’s corresponding with co-workers, collaborating on projects, or joining video-conferencing calls with clients. And when information technology (IT) teams, now at a physical remove, are not responsive to their needs, remote workers can easily shop for their own online solutions to problems. But all that bypasses normal cybersecurity practices—and opens up a world of worry for IT.

Yet for many regions of the world, remote work is just one of many factors increasing an organization’s exposure to cybersecurity breaches. The Asia-Pacific region is no exception, where 51% of organizations surveyed by MIT Technology Review Insights and Palo Alto Networks report having experienced a cybersecurity attack originating from an unknown, unmanaged, or poorly managed digital asset.

Conducting a full inventory of internet-connected assets and rebooting cybersecurity policies for today’s modern remote work environment can mitigate risks. But organizations must also understand the cybersecurity trends and challenges that define their markets, many of which are unique to organizations operating in the Asia-Pacific.

To better understand the challenges facing today’s security teams in this region, and the strategies they must embrace, MIT Technology Review Insights and Palo Alto…

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Knowing Your Privacy Rights Before Signing Up for the Coronavirus Vaccine – NBC10 Philadelphia


Signing up for the COVID-19 Vaccine may mean sharing some of your personal information.

But who is seeing that info once you submit it?

According to the Internet Security Alliance, there is a way to know if a company plans to share your data. You can typically find that information right there on the registration form.

“That form could conceivably be providing consent for the provider to take your information and use it,” said Larry Clinton, the President of the Internet Security Alliance.

According to Clinton, whether you want your information shared is entirely up to you.

“Both federal law as well as Pennsylvania law say the consumer has the right to know what info is being shared and what is being taken and has the right to refuse to allow their information to be shared,” he said. 

He also said sharing data could be a positive thing. Especially in the age of the Coronavirus.

“One of the issues we have with COVID is tracking,” he said. “If I’ve been in close contact with you and I find out I have the virus, let’s say it’s a public interest to be able to find you so that you’re safe.”

If it’s sold, your personal data may also wind up in the hands of marketing companies that could send you targeted ads. Or worse.

On the downside, there are multiple issues with regard to health information,” Clinton said. “As I say, it’s very, very valuable on the black market. It can be used, sold on the black market so other people can get access to your insurance.”

Clinton urges consumers to read through all of the paperwork they’re presented with when getting the vaccine.

Deciding whether or not to share your data is a personal decision. If you decide to opt out, you have a few options:

Tell the company you don’t want to share your data, and see if they’ll let you advance without sharing it.

Report the company since federal law says you have the right to opt out.

Or, accept the terms and take the chance of having your data sold.

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ElectroRAT Malware Could Be Draining Your Cryptocurrency Wallet Without You Knowing


KEY POINTS

  • EletroRAT is a malware written from scratch, mainly targeting cryptocurrency holders
  • Cybercriminals have created different apps and launch marketing campaigns to lure victims
  • The malware operates on Windows, macOS and Linux

With cryptocurrency prices currently skyrocketing, investors should be wary of a new malware that could be draining their Bitcoin wallets without them knowing.

The malware, dubbed ElectroRAT as it is a remote access tool embedded on apps, has been used by cybercriminals over the past year but it has previously gone undetected because of the level of sophistication surrounding it. It has been created from scratch. 

The malware operates not just on Windows but on macOS and Linux as well. Cybercriminals would set up websites and even fake social media accounts to lure victims into using the apps that, when installed, could execute the malware commands.

Once the malware is in the person’s computer, it can take screenshots, key logs and even upload folders. 

The malware warning comes at a time when Bitcoin is witnessing a bull run, making such attacks more profitable. At the time of this writing, Bitcoin was worth $37,000 per BTC. 

“Hackers want to get your cryptocurrency, and they are willing to go far with it – spend months of work to create fake companies, fake reputation and innocent-looking applications that hide malware to steal your coins,” Avigayil Mechtinger, a researcher at cybersecurity firm Intezer, told Coindesk.

According to Jameson Lopp, chief technology office at cryptocurrency firm Casa, most malware are created to target Windows users since it has a big user base, but other systems are also targeted. “In the case of Bitcoin, malware authors may reason that a lot of early adopters are more technical people who run Linux,” Lopp told Coindesk. 

In a blog post, Intezer suggests users who think they are a victim of the scam to kill the process and delete all files related to the malware. They should then change their passwords and move their cryptocurrency funds to a new wallet. Intezer’s products – Endpoint Scanner and Intezer Protect – can scan Windows and Linux environments respectively.

Lopp said the first line of…

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