One of the worst types of malicious software that computer users worldwide are plagued with is ransomware. This type of malware encrypts the contents of the user's computer in an attempt to force the PC owner to pay a ransom to decrypt their hard drive. Anyone impacted by the REvil ransomware can decrypt their machine for free with a master decryptor program.
Apple's privacy stance, even in the face of government pressure, may have endeared it to many activists and people of interest, but that also means its devices have become even bigger hacking targets. Several high-profile organizations and companies have made it their business to circumvent Apple's strong protections and pilfer data from compromised iPhones and Macs, often owned by people in danger of state-sponsored espionage. That seems to be the case with a new exploit discovered this year that has been traced to the notorious NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, and all that it takes to trigger the exploit is a seemingly innocuous GIF sent through iMessage.
Malware is a common problem for computer and mobile device users. Malware can target various assets of the target device, including social media accounts, banking information, and credit card information, among other data. A new Android Trojan malware called FlyTrap has impacted Android users in at least 140 countries since it was first seen in March.
Given how the world today revolves around data and digital files, it shouldn't be a surprise how ransomware has become the most dangerous and also most rampant form of malware in recent years. From individual users to large corporations, anyone and everyone can be a victim, with larger entities promising the biggest potential profits. That could be the case with Taiwan-based computer hardware manufacturer Gigabyte, whose latest cyberattack incident puts other tech giants also at risk.
Although Macs have traditionally been seen as offering better security against malware compared to Windows PCs, it isn't completely immune. The recent reports of new malware targeting macOS, especially the crippling ransomware kind, show that Apple's desktop platform is gaining popularity as a target by malware writers and hackers. In fact, a report on a new kind of malware shows just how interesting macOS is becoming to these malicious actors that have revived an almost forgotten Windows spyware in order to add support for targeting Macs.
Ever since they became popular, app stores have become one of the most common and highly advised ways to get apps for various platforms. Official app sources like Apple App Store and Google Play Store offer a selection of software and games that have passed their scrutiny, offering a sense of security that these apps are safe for use. Unfortunately for Google, the credibility of its sanctioned Android app marketplace has been put into question time and again, and a recent incident shows how popular apps can still pose a security risk for users.
Nothing is scarier than the idea of losing years' worth of data in a blink of an eye, whether through the loss of physical storage or, in this case, the deletion of said data. Owners of Western Digital's old My Book Live storage are unfortunately living that very nightmare as they suddenly discover their external drives wiped clean. It turns out they may have been the victims of a malicious hacker that simply deleted their data, no ransoms asked.
Ransomware is nothing new and it targets individuals and big companies alike. Unlike with smaller infections, however, we often don't hear how those end, especially with large companies that get billed millions in dollars to free their files. Just like with any kind of ransom, authorities discourage paying those to discourage further behavior. It turns out that one of the US' largest insurance companies may have not heeded that warning and may have paid a hefty sum to get out of a ransomware situation.
When access to a popular resource suddenly disappears, people are likely to search for an alternative source, no matter where it comes from. That's true for websites but even more so for software and apps which can carry some unfortunate consequences. That might be the case with MSI's popular Afterburner tool that suddenly became unavailable without much warning and was, at least briefly, imitated by an almost convincing fraudulent website that could have caused unwitting users to download some malware instead.
It's not unusual for companies to experience data breaches that put their customers at risk. When that company happens to own the one and only sanction app store for its platform, however, then it becomes a rather scary prospect. That is always one of the risks of Apple's App Store when the tools used to upload apps are themselves infected with malware, which is what happened almost six years ago with the XCodeGhost incident whose details are only surfacing now thanks to a lawsuit involving Fortnite of all things.
Google recently boasted about the success of its efforts to protect Google Play Store and Android devices last year mostly using advanced machine learning technology. That, however, doesn't cover apps acquired outside of the Play Store and the phones that install those. Sometimes, Android's own open nature sometimes works against it because of that, like the case of this FluBot malware that's spreading rapidly like a real virus, spreading to people in your phone's address book to steal their passwords.
Android malware isn't exactly new but you might presume they only come from apps downloaded from some shady sources. Anyone following mobile news, however, will probably be aware of how apps on the Google Play Store may turn out to be carriers for such malicious software, sometimes taking weeks or even months before someone discovers them. Such is the case with another batch of such malware-laden apps on Google's officially sanctioned and recommended app store, ones that misuse existing features to make unauthorized purchases.