Tag Archive for: pandemic

Mobile Malware Attacks Skyrocket During Pandemic

/in


The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has created plenty of opportunities for hackers.

Mobile malware soared to record-high numbers last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown, according to McAfee’s Advanced Threat Research (ATR) team.

McAfee’s 2021 Mobile Threat Report found hackers are using fake apps, trojans and fraudulent messages to target consumers. At the end of 2020, total mobile malware detected by McAfee reached 43 million. And over 3 million of these detections were new.

Over the past year, the vaccine rollout has advanced at different rates across the globe. That has provided plenty of opportunities for hackers. They’re hiding malware and malicious links inside fake vaccination appointments and registration display ads. These have the potential to download malware onto a person’s device that displays unwanted ads. They can also activate accessibility features to give the hacker full device control. The hackers’ goal is stealing banking details and credentials.

According to the McAfee research, some of these campaigns started as early as last November before any vaccines had officially been approved. Others continue to appear as countries roll out their vaccination programs.

Hackers Succeeding

Raj Samani is McAfee fellow and chief scientist.

McAfee's Raj Samani

McAfee’s Raj Samani

“Hackers are often extremely successful,” he said. “Over the last year especially, they were able to prey upon fear, which often leaves people vulnerable to making hasty, uninformed decisions, to prompt consumers into accidentally clicking on malicious links or downloading malware. This is particularly true regarding the influx of COVID-related attacks.”

Another key finding is billing fraud malware that makes purchases behind the backs of consumers. Moreover, hackers are using banking trojans to target hundreds of financial institutions globally.

Most banking trojans are distributed via phishing and text messages to avoid Google’s screening process. One banking trojan repeatedly got onto the Google Play store. As a result, it tricked thousands of users into downloads.

“While COVID-19 related attacks should taper off with the new normal, many consumers still intend to…

Source…

Mobile threats: Pandemic related malware on the rampage

/in


mobile threatMcAfee researchers found evidence of an SMS worm targeting Indian consumers, forming one of the earliest vaccine fraud campaigns

As people increasingly spend more time online due to the pandemic, hackers are ambushing unsuspecting consumers. Early this week, McAfee’s Advanced Threats Research team released its Mobile Threat Report 2021, which discussed how hackers are using fake apps, Trojans and fraudulent messages to target consumers. At the end of 2020 (Q4), total mobile malware detected by McAfee reached 43 million, with over three million of these detections being new.

Venkat Krishnapur, VP-engineering and managing director, McAfee Enterprise, India, said, “As fraudsters continue to experiment with newer methods and advanced techniques to bypass security screening, we aim to assist consumers by guiding them to remain vigilant and raise awareness on the importance of safeguarding their data and personal devices.”

Some of the mobile threat trends:

McAfee researchers found evidence of an SMS worm targeting Indian consumers, forming one of the earliest vaccine fraud campaigns. Both SMS and WhatsApp messages encouraged users to download a vaccine app and once downloaded, malware sent itself to everyone in the user’s contact list via SMS or WhatsApp.

Targeting users in Southwest Asia and the Middle East predominately, mobile malware Etinu was found being distributed via Google Play Store, with more than 700K downloads before being detected and removed. Once an app harbouring this malware is installed, the malware steals incoming SMS messages using a Notification Listener function. It can then make purchases and sign up for premium services and subscriptions that get charged to the user’s account.

McAfee Mobile Security detected 141% rise in Banking Trojan activity between Q3 and Q4 2020. It discovered Brazilian Remote Access Tool Android (BRATA) – a banking Trojan – that repeatedly managed to get onto the Google Play store and tricked users into downloads.

Get live Stock Prices from BSE, NSE, US Market and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, Check out latest IPO News, Best Performing IPOs, calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know market’s Top Gainers, Top…

Source…

To stop the ransomware pandemic, start with the basics

/in


TWENTY YEARS ago, it might have been the plot of a trashy airport thriller. These days, it is routine. On May 7th cyber-criminals shut down the pipeline supplying almost half the oil to America’s east coast for five days. To get it flowing again, they demanded a $4.3m ransom from Colonial Pipeline Company, the owner. Days later, a similar “ransomware” assault crippled most hospitals in Ireland.

Listen to this story

Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android.

Such attacks are evidence of an epoch of intensifying cyber-insecurity that will impinge on everyone, from tech firms to schools and armies. One threat is catastrophe: think of an air-traffic-control system or a nuclear-power plant failing. But another is harder to spot, as cybercrime impedes the digitisation of many industries, hampering a revolution that promises to raise living standards around the world.

The first attempt at ransomware was made in 1989, with a virus spread via floppy disks. Cybercrime is getting worse as more devices are connected to networks and as geopolitics becomes less stable. The West is at odds with Russia and China and several autocracies give sanctuary to cyber-bandits.

Trillions of dollars are at stake. Most people have a vague sense of narrowly avoided fiascos: from the Sony Pictures attack that roiled Hollywood in 2014, to Equifax in 2017, when the details of 147m people were stolen. The big hacks are a familiar but confusing blur: remember SoBig, or SolarWinds, or WannaCry?

A forthcoming study from London Business School (LBS) captures the trends by examining comments made to investors by 12,000 listed firms in 85 countries over two decades. Cyber-risk has more than quadrupled since 2002 and tripled since 2013. The pattern of activity has become more global and has affected a broader range of industries. Workers logging in from home during the pandemic have almost certainly added to the risks. The number of affected firms is at a record high.

Faced with this picture, it is natural to worry most about spectacular crises caused by cyber-attacks. All countries have vulnerable physical nodes such as oil pipelines, power plants and…

Source…

The pandemic has been a boon for cybercriminals – Boston 25 News

/in


BOSTON — School closures, car inspections stalled and emergency services communications affected; those are some of the disruptions ransomware attacks have caused in Massachusetts in recent weeks.

25 Investigates examined who is behind these attacks and whether enough is being done to thwart future incidents.

As investigative reporter Ted Daniel found, business has been good for these digital extortionists. Ransomware attacks in the U.S. have increased by 300% in the past nine months, in part because more people are working remotely.

Hackers form Evil Corp, a Russian cybercrimes organization, are responsible for ransomware attacks in 11 states, including Massachusetts, according to the Department of Justice.

Videos on social media show Evil Corp members enjoying a lavish lifestyle, including fast cars and exotic pets, presumably funded with ill-gotten money.

The FBI says a different group of Russian hackers is behind recent cyberattacks that shut down the Colonial gas pipeline. The pipeline moves nearly half the fuel used on the eastern seaboard. And you may be paying more at the pump because of it.

“The nature of these attacks does seem to be changing,” said Jane Fountain, a cybersecurity expert and professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s College of Information and Computer Sciences.

Fountain said hackers are demanding higher ransoms and stealing private data even when the ransom is paid. That data can include credit card numbers, medical records and social security numbers.

“Many criminals realize that they can try selling that data on the black market, all over the world. So they can attack operations, as well as encrypting data,” she said.

25 Investigates was the first to report that hackers took down the computer network at Lawrence City Hall last month.

Haverhill Public Schools was simultaneously dealing with a ransomware attack of its own.

Ransoms have also been demanded from or paid by the vendor that hosts the Registry of Motor Vehicles inspection network. That security failure cost repair shops thousands and temporarily allowed potentially unsafe cars on the road.

The list of ransomware attacks in Massachusetts includes: City of New Bedford, Tewksbury…

Source…