Author Archives: BrianKrebs

Patch Tuesday, September 2018 Edition

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Adobe and Microsoft today each released patches to fix serious security holes in their software. Adobe pushed out a new version of its beleaguered Flash Player browser plugin. Redmond issued updates to address at least 61 distinct vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows and related programs, including several flaws that were publicly detailed prior to today and one “zero-day” bug in Windows that is already being actively exploited by attackers. Continue reading Patch Tuesday, September 2018 Edition→

In a Few Days, Credit Freezes Will Be Fee-Free

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Later this month, all of the three major consumer credit bureaus will be required to offer free credit freezes to all Americans and their dependents. Maybe you’ve been holding off freezing your credit file because your home state currently charges a fee for placing or thawing a credit freeze, or because you believe it’s just not worth the hassle. If that accurately describes your views on the matter, this post may well change your mind. Continue reading In a Few Days, Credit Freezes Will Be Fee-Free→

Leader of DDoS-for-Hire Gang Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threats

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A 19-year-old man from the United Kingdom who headed a cybercriminal group whose motto was “Feds Can’t Touch Us” pleaded guilty this week to making bomb threats against thousands of schools.

On Aug. 31, officers with the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested Hertfordshire resident George Duke-Cohan, who admitted making bomb threats to thousands of schools and a United Airlines flight traveling from the U.K. to San Francisco last month. Continue reading Leader of DDoS-for-Hire Gang Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threats→

Leader of DDoS-for-Hire Gang Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threats

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A 19-year-old man from the United Kingdom who headed a cybercriminal group whose motto was “Feds Can’t Touch Us” pleaded guilty this week to making bomb threats against thousands of schools.
On Aug. 31, officers with the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (N… Continue reading Leader of DDoS-for-Hire Gang Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threats→

Browser Extensions: Are They Worth the Risk?

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Popular file-sharing site Mega.nz is warning users that cybercriminals hacked its browser extension for Google Chrome so that any usernames and passwords submitted through the browser were copied and forwarded to a rogue server in Ukraine. This attack … Continue reading Browser Extensions: Are They Worth the Risk?→

For 2nd Time in 3 Years, Mobile Spyware Maker mSpy Leaks Millions of Sensitive Records

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mSpy, the makers of a software-as-a-service product that claims to help more than a million paying customers spy on the mobile devices of their kids and partners, has leaked millions of sensitive records online, including passwords, call logs, text mes… Continue reading For 2nd Time in 3 Years, Mobile Spyware Maker mSpy Leaks Millions of Sensitive Records→

Alleged ‘Satori’ IoT Botnet Operator Sought Media Spotlight, Got Indicted

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A 20-year-old from Vancouver, Washington was indicted last week on federal hacking charges and for allegedly operating the “Satori” botnet, a malware strain unleashed last year that infected hundreds of thousands of wireless routers and other “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices. This outcome is hardly surprising given that the accused’s alleged alter ego has been relentless in seeking media attention for this global crime machine. Continue reading Alleged ‘Satori’ IoT Botnet Operator Sought Media Spotlight, Got Indicted→

Instagram’s New Security Tools are a Welcome Step, But Not Enough

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Instagram users should soon have more secure options for protecting their accounts against Internet bad guys.  On Tuesday, the Facebook-owned social network said it is in the process of rolling out support for third-party authentication apps. Unfo… Continue reading Instagram’s New Security Tools are a Welcome Step, But Not Enough→

Fiserv Flaw Exposed Customer Data at Hundreds of Banks

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Fiserv, Inc., a major provider of technology services to financial institutions, just fixed a glaring weakness in its Web platform that exposed personal and financial details of countless customers across hundreds of bank Web sites, KrebsOnSecurity has learned. Continue reading Fiserv Flaw Exposed Customer Data at Hundreds of Banks→

Who’s Behind the Screencam Extortion Scam?

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The sextortion email scam last month that invoked a real password used by each recipient and threatened to release embarrassing Webcam videos almost certainly was not the work of one criminal or even one group of criminals. Rather, it’s likely that additional spammers and scammers piled on with their own versions of the phishing email after noticing that some recipients were actually paying up. The truth is we may never find out who’s responsible, but it’s still fun to follow some promising early leads and see where they take us. Continue reading Who’s Behind the Screencam Extortion Scam?→