Cyber Security

Why would a tax agency contractor’s privacy policy mention collecting information about my Facebook friends? The IRS has made a U-turn on facial recognition, but what about the Social Security Administration or the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ use of the same contractor? In the last few weeks, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made

How well retailers can manage the surge in cyberthreats may be crucial for their prospects in a post‑pandemic world It’s hardly surprising that the retail sector is one of the most frequently targeted globally, with retail sales in the US alone projected to top $5.2 trillion in 2022. Consumers’ money and data have for years been

Don’t be the next victim – spot the signs of a faux romance in time and send that scammer ‘packing’ It is a truth universally acknowledged that we’re all looking for a special someone to share our lives with. Some of us are lucky enough to find that person. For the rest, the search goes

A trip into the dark corners of Telegram, which has become a magnet for criminals peddling everything from illegal drugs to fake money and COVID-19 vaccine passes Just a few years ago, illicit services and online contraband were firmly sourced in the hidden, largely untraceable depths of the internet: the dark web. People frequenting dark

A view of the T3 2021 threat landscape as seen by ESET telemetry and from the perspective of ESET threat detection and research experts While 2020 was the year of supply-chain attacks (and, yes, the start of the global COVID-19 crisis), 2021 was defined by shockingly severe vulnerabilities (…and by vaccines). The year started with

No more turning a blind eye to algorithmic bias and discrimination if US lawmakers get their way For years, tech has claimed that AI decisions are very hard to explain, but still pretty darn good. If US lawmakers get their way, that will have to change. Citing potential for fraud and techno-fiddling to get the

QR codes are all the rage and scammers have taken notice. Look out for dangers lurking behind those little black-and-white squares. QR codes are having a moment. The humble squares may have been around since 1994, but it wasn’t until the COVID-19 era that they became a truly household name. These days, you can spot

Some fraudsters may use low-tech tactics to steal your sensitive information – peering over your shoulder as you enter that data is one of them We live in an age of pervasive connectivity. But our always-on, mobile-centric lives also expose us to risk. For many people, it is the prospect of phishing, remotely deployed malware

Think your smartphone has been compromised by malware? Here’s how to spot the signs of a hacked phone and how to remove the hacker from your phone. With the dawn of the Android and iOS operating systems, phones have evolved far beyond their humble call and text features – they now are portable smart devices

The trade-off between using a free service and giving up our personal data becomes much less palatable when we think about the wider ramifications of the collection and use of our personal data The doorbell rings, you answer, and a representative of a large company is on the doorstep offering to allow you to use

Should you beware of wearables? Here’s what you should know about the potential security and privacy risks of your smartwatch or fitness tracker. Smartwatches, fitness trackers and other wearables are fast becoming almost as familiar to us as our mobile phones and tablets. These connected gadgets do much more than tell the time. They track

Hong Kong pro-democracy radio station website compromised to serve a Safari exploit that installed cyberespionage malware on site visitors’ Macs On November 11th, Google TAG published a blogpost about watering-hole attacks leading to exploits for the Safari web browser running on macOS. ESET researchers had been investigating this campaign the week before that publication, uncovering

Somebody could easily take control of your PayPal account and steal money from you if you’re not careful – here’s how to stay safe from a simple but effective attack I have been fascinated with the thought of being able to break into a bank ever since my love for bank robbery films began in

Think your email may have been hacked? Here are the signs to look for, how account takeover attacks commonly occur, and how to recover your account and avoid falling victim again Email has been with us for decades. And while social media and mobile messaging apps are increasingly popular, it remains the mainstay of our

ESET researchers take a deep look into recent attacks carried out by Donot Team throughout 2020 and 2021, targeting government and military entities in several South Asian countries Donot Team (also known as APT-C-35 and SectorE02) is a threat actor operating since at least 2016 and known for targeting organizations and individuals in South Asia

Do you often take to social media to broadcast details about your job, employer or coworkers? Think before you share – less may be more. For many of us, showcasing parts of our day-to-day on social media has become a staple of our everyday lives, and that includes our working lives. On one hand, it

ESET researchers look at malware that abuses vulnerabilities in kernel drivers and outline mitigation techniques against this type of exploitation There are various types of kernel drivers; the first that come to mind are device drivers that provide a software interface to hardware devices like plug and play interfaces or filter drivers. These low-level system

Is loyalty fraud on your radar? Here’s why your hard-earned reward points and air miles may be easy pickings for cybercriminals. Loyalty accounts are big business, and hackers and fraudsters are increasingly zeroing in on a potential goldmine. According to one study, the global market for loyalty management is set to grow at an annual

As you attempt to strike it rich in the digital gold rush, make sure you know how to recognize various schemes that want to part you from your digital coins The world seems to have gone ‘crypto-mad’. Digital currencies like bitcoin, Monero, Ethereum and Dogecoin are all over the internet. Their soaring value promises big

We don’t need no stinkin’ wall power as CES shows off the power and promise of usable long-range wireless charging While wireless charging has been around for some time (like charging my iPhone in my Toyota’s center console), CES is showcasing real power at real distances measured in meters, not centimeters. At one booth I

But as we learned in mashing up other technologies, the security devil is in the details Cars have historically been monumentally difficult to manufacture and sell successfully, but in today’s world, you can mash up an electric car with off-the-shelf doodads from any of a number of manufacturers displaying here at CES, and voila! You

And no more worrying about your satellite being smashed by a “drunk driver” as new tech promises to predict hazards in orbit Headed to space and worried about astral fender benders from space junk collisions? There’s a CES vendor for that. Worried too many satellites are snooping in your direction? Same thing. Want a comfy

A sea of sensors will soon influence almost everything in your world Probably for the first time in its history, CES has more sensors on the show floor than attendees. What the show lacks in physical attendees, it makes up for with the sheer volume and variety of tiny sensors that will influence almost everything

From social engineering to looking over your shoulder, here are some of the most common tricks that bad guys use to steal passwords The concept of the password has been around for centuries and passwords were introduced into computing way sooner than most of us can remember. One reason for the enduring popularity of passwords

How can you help your kids navigate Instagram safely? Here are a few tips to help you protect their privacy on the app. While many teens have recently been captivated by other social media apps du jour, most notably TikTok, Instagram continues to hold its own among young internet users. Indeed, children aged 13-17 make

Be alert, be proactive and break these 10 bad habits to improve your cyber-hygiene in 2022 The new year is a new opportunity to rewire your digital life. An increasingly important part of this is cybersecurity. In fact, 2021 is already shaping up to have been one of the most prolific years yet for cybercriminals.

As we usher in the New Year, let’s take a look at some statistics that will help you stay up-to-date on recent cybersecurity trends As the rollercoaster of a ride that was 2021 comes to a close and we’re entering a more hopeful new year, we thought it apt to compile a list of impactful

As we close out another year like no other, let’s look back at some of the most notable cybersecurity stories that shaped 2021 Unsurprisingly, 2021 has seen no shortage of notable cybersecurity moments, so much so that it’s no mean feat to whittle the long list down to just a few stories that rocked (not

Don’t leave your kids to their own devices – give them a head start with staying safe online instead The festive season is a time for giving, and what better present to give your children than ensuring that they can enjoy their new connected gadgets and stay safe along the way? As parents, we need

As you down tools for the holiday season, be sure to also switch off the standby lights – it’s both cost effective and better for the environment Depending on who you talk to, climate change can sometimes be a contentious topic, but even the sceptics should accept that there is little point in wasting energy.