Tag: malware

Android ransomware in 2017: Innovative infiltration and rougher extortion

February 15, 2018

2017 was without a doubt the year of ransomware. Users and businesses worldwide had to cope with the fallout of massive campaigns such as Petya or WannaCryptor, and put up with damages that surpassed the multibillion mark. However, it wasn’t just PC ransomware that made headlines, as authors of Android malware were also looking for new … More Android ransomware in 2017: Innovative infiltration and rougher extortion

Irish, US and UK government websites hijacked to mine cryptocurrency on visitors’ machines

February 13, 2018

“Thousands of websites, including ones run by Irish, US and UK government agencies, were infected for several hours on Sunday with code that causes web browsers to secretly mine digital currencies,” the Irish Times reported. According to them, the Health Service Executive, the Oireachtas, Safefood and some county councils were among the affected. The US courts’ … More Irish, US and UK government websites hijacked to mine cryptocurrency on visitors’ machines

Google smashed over 700,000 bad Android apps last year

February 1, 2018

Google says that it is getting better than ever at protecting Android users against bad apps and malicious developers. In fact, in a recent post on the Android Developers blog, the company boasts that it removed a record number of malicious apps from the official Google Play store during 2017. How many apps did Google remove … More Google smashed over 700,000 bad Android apps last year

Fruitfly malware spied on Mac users for 13 years

January 15, 2018

US authorities have charged a 28-year-old Ohio man who is alleged to have created and installed creepy spyware on thousands of computers for 13 years. Phillip R. Durachinsky, of North Royalton, Ohio, is alleged to have used Mac malware known as “Fruitfly” to remotely control victims’ computers, access and upload files, grab screenshots, log keystrokes, and surreptitiously … More Fruitfly malware spied on Mac users for 13 years

Security event in Taiwan ‘rewards’ quiz winners with malware-laden USB drives

January 12, 2018

It was, literally and otherwise, more stick than carrot for some winners of a recent data-security contest in Taiwan, who must have been stuck for words after their prizes turned out to be malware-riddled USB sticks. The country’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) handed out 250 USB thumb drives to members of the public who had … More Security event in Taiwan ‘rewards’ quiz winners with malware-laden USB drives