By Waqas
ProtonVPN is currently available in three packages, including one free and two paid.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: ProtonVPN launches extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers

You can now connect to ProtonVPN with just one tap of a button.

**Proton VPN** has launched its new browser extension for Chrome and Firefox, fulfilling one of the most sought-after features requested by its user community. This new extension provides users with a more flexible way to protect their online privacy and **bypass censorship**.

The Proton VPN browser extension is a standalone platform that encrypts internet traffic and browsers without needing to install Windows or Mac applications. This distribution method allows users in countries with blocked app stores to access Proton VPN.

With this new extension, users can easily protect their browser traffic without affecting the speeds or IP addresses of other applications on their devices. The extension can be used across multiple browsers, and each browser can be connected to a different server, allowing for up to ten simultaneous VPN connections.

In a **statement**, Proton VPN explained that they understand the importance of online privacy and freedom of access, and this new extension is designed to provide more options for users to protect their online activity. They also emphasized that they take user feedback seriously and strive to implement new features that cater to their needs.

> The Proton VPN browser extension is available for Chromium-based browsers (such as Google Chrome, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Chromium, Opera, and Vivaldi) and Firefox-based browsers (including Firefox itself, LibreWolf, and Waterfox).
> 
> ProtonVPN

Proton VPN is a well-known and reputable **VPN provider** based in Switzerland that has been praised for its strong security measures and privacy protections. The company’s commitment to expanding its offerings and providing users with more control over their online privacy is a significant step forward in the fight for digital rights.

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I am a UK-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering the latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. I am also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism

ProtonVPN launches extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers

By Waqas
As analyzed by Hackread.com, the leaked details contain over 500,000 email addresses along with credit card numbers and CVV codes in plain text.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: BidenCash Market Leaks 2M Credit Cards in Birthday Blitz

BidenCash is a carding marketplace that functions on both the dark web and the clear web, offering stolen credit card details to the public.

BidenCash, a notorious dark web carding marketplace, has leaked over two million valid credit cards as part of its birthday anniversary promotion. The one-year-old leaked dataset contains card information from all over the world, with a significant number of them issued in the United States, China, Mexico, India, Canada, and the UK.

The leaked information includes cardholders’ full names, card numbers, bank details, expiration dates, card verification value (CVV) numbers, home addresses, and more than 500,000 email addresses.

The screenshot shows the type of data leaked by the BidenCash marketplace and their post on a Russian hacker forum (Credit: Hackread.com)

Usually, cybercriminals tend to use the dark web to sell such information; in the BidenCash case, the administrator of the carding site has decided to give a treasure trove of information to the public. It is worth noting that the 260 MB of data, as shown in the screenshot above, is also leaked on a popular Russian language hacker forum.

Although, the exact modus operandi of BidenCash is unclear; carding sites mostly obtain credit card data through various methods, including using information-stealing malware, phishing attacks, skimming, and exploiting vulnerabilities in point-of-sale (PoS) systems.

They also purchase or trade data in underground forums or from other cybercriminal groups. Once the data is obtained, the carding site operators can sell the information to other cybercriminals or use it for fraudulent activities such as making unauthorized purchases or money laundering.

While this is not the first instance of BidenCash leaking credit card data, the timing of their “birthday anniversary promotion” seems questionable. A user on a Russian forum even pointed out that the claim of their anniversary celebration in March is contradictory to their launch date in June last year, stating, “Weren’t you launched in June last year and not in March?”

The authorities are investigating the incident, and affected cardholders are advised to monitor their accounts and report any suspicious activities to their banks. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts are calling for more robust measures to curb the proliferation of carding marketplaces and the use of stolen credit card information.

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I am a UK-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering the latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. I am also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism

BidenCash Market Leaks 2M Credit Cards in Birthday Blitz

By Waqas
Bitcoin has both security and liquidity, and now, with the addition of smart contract capabilities, it has all the ingredients required for DeFi to take off.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Could Bitcoin Be The Future Of DeFi?

DeFi investors lost almost $3.8 billion in 2022 following a series of highly publicized hacks that mostly involved smart contract exploits and vulnerabilities. But this year, one could be forgiven for thinking the DeFi hacking scene has suddenly become much safer, with a distinct lack of multi-million dollar crypto thefts hitting the headlines. 

However, just because the news has gone quiet, that doesn’t mean DeFi hasn’t experienced any drama. The amounts stolen are noticeably lower, and the hackers seem to be getting sloppier, but the attacks are prevalent all the same. 

In mid-February, a messy hack attempt saw someone get away with $8.5 million from Platypus Finance, or at least initially. It seems that the attacker must have been an amateur though, as he or she consequently lost a portion of the funds within their own smart contract, which was quickly frozen by Tether. The attacker also appears to have sent some of his illicit gains to the lending protocol Aave, which froze the amount and is discussing its return to Platypus. 

In addition, the hacker’s wallet address was soon linked to a number of social media accounts by the crypto scam buster ZachBTX. And soon after that, BlockSec was able to carry out a “reverse-hack” to recover another $2.4 million of the stolen funds. 

Elsewhere, more than $4 million worth of crypto was stolen from dForce Network and Midas Capital in two attacks that took place in January and February of this year. In both cases, the hacker exploited the same smart contract vulnerability. Luckily for dForce, it offered the hacker a bug bounty and was able to recover all of the funds. 

Hope Finance has had less success in recovering the $1.8 million it lost following a Feb. 21 update to its protocol that was meant to divert assets to an external wallet. The project’s team quickly accused a colleague of rug-pulling the project, but it seems unlikely that the culprit will be held accountable. Efforts to identify the individual have been hindered because the modification was signed by all three accounts that control Hope Finance’s multisig wallet. 

**Ethereum’s Vulnerabilities Remain**

The above incidents serve as a reminder that the world of DeFi is one that’s fraught with risks and dangers for investors. Worse still, the vast majority of successful hacks are not through any fault of the end users. Rather, most hackers exploit the smart contracts that govern and control the DeFi protocols they invest in, meaning that it’s really the developers who’re at fault. 

There’s a reason for this. DeFi is far more dominant on the Ethereum blockchain than any other. Ethereum was the world’s first smart contract blockchain, and its dominance stems from its first-mover advantage, where it has supported decentralized applications since 2015. 

The problem with Ethereum is that its smart contracts are “Turing complete”. What this means is that Ethereum’s smart contracts have the ability to run any algorithm or solve any computational problem, provided they are given the appropriate instructions, time, and resources to do so.

Turing-complete smart contracts allow for extremely complex structures with a multitude of computable functions and are often made up of thousands of lines of code. The more code there is, the more room there is for vulnerabilities to creep in. Worse still, developers build DeFi protocols using dozens of smart contracts, creating an enormous attack surface. 

Bitcoin was originally designed as a peer-to-peer payments network only, and it doesn’t support smart contracts, meaning it cannot support DeFi in its original form. However, recent updates to the network have made it possible for developers to create DeFi applications that are native to Bitcoin.

It’s an exciting possibility because Bitcoin DeFi is likely to be safer than its Ethereum-based counterpart. That’s because Bitcoin is by far and away the most decentralized, and therefore the most secure blockchain of all. 

Bitcoin DeFi was made possible by the Taproot upgrade that was implemented in November 2021, which introduced greater functionality around complex scripts. It essentially made it possible for developers to build dApps on Bitcoin via so-called “layer-2” networks or “sidechains”. 

Prior to Taproot, the only way to use BTC in DeFi was to convert it to “wrapped” tokens on other networks. The most popular of these is Wrapped BTC, or wBTC, on Ethereum. Using wBTC made it possible to use Bitcoin with Ethereum-based DeFi protocols.

However, this meant that users face the same risks, as they still have to interact with Ethereum’s smart contracts. With native DeFi now possible on Bitcoin, it’s no longer necessary to convert BTC to an Ethereum asset, and its smart contracts can be avoided. 

Until recently, the only real uses of Bitcoin were for storing value and payments. Now that it can accommodate DeFi, its utility has increased enormously, making it more attractive to a much wider audience. DeFi itself can benefit from the security and assurance that Bitcoin enjoys as the world’s most secure blockchain. It’ll bring more trust to the DeFi space overall. 

**Bitcoin DeFi Solutions**

One of the best platforms for Bitcoin DeFi looks to be Mintlayer, a Layer-2 network that aims to make Bitcoin more scalable while supporting smart contracts. It enables Bitcoin DeFi, Bitcoin NFTs and more besides. In many ways it’s like a rival blockchain to Ethereum, only it benefits from Bitcoin’s increased decentralization and security. 

Mintlayer was conceptualized in 2019 and aims to support DeFi development on both Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, which is a Layer-2 payment protocol that supports lightning-fast BTC micropayments at scale. 

Mintlayer’s big advantage lies in its smart contracts. Whereas Ethereum’s smart contracts are Turing complete, Mintlayer’s are “non-Turing complete”. What this means is that they’re more specialized and have a simpler codebase. They lack support for concepts such as recursions, loops and other processes that don’t normally terminate on their own. The lack of complexity in Mintlayer’s smart contracts has a number of advantages. 

Non-Turing complete smart contracts only support basic scripting functionality, meaning that there is less chance for developers to make errors when writing the code. The lack of support for complex loops and recursions also makes them easier to audit. Finally, the simplicity of non-Turing complete smart contracts ensures they can be executed using fewer resources, easing the network congestion that’s often found on the Ethereum network. 

Mintlayer is not the only Bitcoin DeFi game in town. Its closest competitor looks to be Rootstock (RSK), which is an independent sidechain as opposed to a Layer-2 network. RSK dates back to 2017 and was designed to bolster Bitcoin’s capabilities through the introduction of dApps. 

RSK relies on the same proof-of-work consensus mechanism as Bitcoin, using an algorithm that allows community members to participate in merge mining. With this, a single computer can validate transactions in two blockchains at once. RSK, therefore, shares the same hash rate as Bitcoin, and so theoretically it is just as secure. 

Another rival is Stacks, which is an independent smart contract-capable blockchain that is linked to Bitcoin via its novel “proof-of-transfer” consensus algorithm. PoT makes it possible for Stacks to settle transactions on the main Bitcoin blockchain, thereby benefiting from the same level of security it offers. 

Like Mintlayer and RSK, Stacks can support Bitcoin DeFi and NFTs, along with micropayments via the Lightning Network. It also features its own native token, STX, which can be staked to earn a passive income. In other words, it has its very own DeFi functionality that’s secured by the Bitcoin blockchain. 

However, it should be noted that neither RSK nor Stacks support non-Turing complete smart contracts. In their case, they support regular Turing complete smart contracts, similar to Ethereum. 

**Does Bitcoin DeFi Have A Future? **

Almost certainly the answer is yes. Given that the value of BTC has already grown significantly, it seems unlikely that it will see the same kind of explosive gains it made in the previous decade when the first generation of Bitcoin millionaires were created. So people are looking for alternative investments to grow their BTC holdings. 

Bitcoin already has both the security and the liquidity, and now, with the addition of smart contract capabilities from projects like Mintlayer, RSK and Stacks, it has all the ingredients required for DeFi to take off. 

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Could Bitcoin Be The Future Of DeFi?

By Owais Sultan
Video editing SDKs are great tools for creating and launching your products much more quickly. However, picking the…
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: 5 Best Video Editing SDKs for iOS

Video editing SDKs are great tools for creating and launching your products much more quickly. However, picking the one that is perfect for you can be a burdensome mission.

To find your ideal video editor SDK for iOS, you should take numerous parameters into account, such as the video editing features you want to integrate, camera characteristics, the variety of effects and filters, and of course, technical aspects.

Surely, much research is necessary to find the optimal solution. The best way out may be to integrate an SDK into a sample app to fully evaluate its performance and compatibility with other components.

In this article, let’s explore the top 5 video editing SDKs for iOS that will definitely level up your development process and make it as easy as taking candy from a baby.

**1 Banuba Video Editing SDK**

This SDK will let you transform your app into an indispensable video editing tool that your users will adore. Its collection of visual effects and filters is impressively rich, while its integration takes up to one week only.

It offers a plethora of recording and editing features, the possibility of creating slideshows from photos, changing backgrounds, beautification, immersive face AR masks, and so on. By rotating videos, changing their speed, and adding the most trendy tracks, your users will get fully absorbed into the professional video editing world.

Additionally, applying voice effects is possible. With this tool, your users can create high-quality videos directly on their devices and export them in HD, Full HD, or QHD. By the way, it is compatible not only with iOS but also with Android. Plus, the SDK includes periodic updates and new features, making it one of the most powerful SDKs in the niche.

**2 Pixel SDK**

Pixel SDK is written in Swift, a powerful and intuitive multi-paradigm programming language developed by Apple. Logically, the SDK is a perfect choice for iOS developers. It aims at facilitating developers’ lives, including over 40 ready-made real-time filters and giving them a chance to create their own filters too. 

With Pixel SDK, they will not have to worry about creating and maintaining video editing software, as everything is done for them: cropping, rotation, trimming, perspective correction, dark mode support, scaling, etc.

It even allows you to import video content from DSLR cameras. Pixel SDK will let you fully focus on your business instead of constantly thinking about all the hardware problems and software updates.     

**3 IMG.LY**

With IMG.LY Video Editor SDK, you have the flexibility to customize every aspect of your app’s capabilities. It has an intuitive UI, a great filter collection, and captivating effects for your users to create professional-grade videos easily. Due to its variety of frames, stickers, and visual effects, turning your video into a top-notch social media post will not be a problem at all. 

Plus, your users will be able to undo and redo editing operations, fill their content with more depth and focus, and create video collages. All this provides them with greater control and flexibility during the editing process.

**4 Very SDK**

Smart shooting, audio and video editing featured templates and video export… The Very SDK offers all this and even more. And its beautifying and real-time filters will make your users look flawless on their device screens. It is even possible to create multi-frame videos to share as much content as you can at once. 

Sound effects and voice changes are also a reality with the Very SDK. It comprises 16 voice effects like the voices of monsters, kids, echo, and much more. Plus, adding subtitles or split-screen effects to your videos is not a problem either.  Finally, this SDK offers tet-a-tet online support 24/7 and regular updates.

**5 Movieous Short Video SDK**

This Chinese video editing SDK is packed with a vast array of features to take your video editing game to the next level. With this very SDK, you’ll gain access to advanced capabilities, such as video recording and editing, segment recording, and the ability to delete video clips with ease.

This SDK even provides options for both auto and manual focus, as well as the ability to mute your microphone during recording. Additionally, Movieous Short Video SDK also allows you to operate your flash with ease, switch dynamically between cameras, and even add a watermark to your videos for that professional touch.

Finally, you’ll also be able to stitch together your videos with seamless transitions for a polished and seamless final product. With all these features and more, this SDK is the ultimate tool for your creative endeavours.

**✋ Wrapping Up**

In short, choosing the right video editing SDK for your iOS app development can be a challenging task, but with the top 5 video editing SDKs we’ve explored, you’re one step closer to finding the perfect solution.

Each of these SDKs offers unique features that will enhance your app’s functionality and help you stand out from the competition. From the impressive visual effects and filters of Banuba Video Editing SDK to the easy-to-use and intuitive UI of IMG.LY, each SDK has something to offer. By integrating these SDKs into your app, you’ll empower your users to create engaging and professional-looking videos in no time. 

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5 Best Video Editing SDKs for iOS

By Waqas
At the time of publishing this article, the database has continued to grow with new data.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Video Marketing Software Animker Leaking Trove of User Data

A misconfiguration of a database has caused a San Francisco, California, United States-based video marketing software provider to leak the personal details of its users on Shodan.

A misconfigured database has exposed test and personal data belonging to over 700,000 users of the websites getshow.io (an all-in-one video marketing platform) and animaker.com (a DIY video animation software).

It is worth noting that Getshow.io is owned by Animker.com. The server in question is registered under the domain name getshow.io, which animaker.com manages.

The database, which currently contains 5.3 GB of data, continues to grow with new data being added each day. The data exposed by the misconfiguration includes the personal data of unsuspected customers. This consists of the following information:

1.  Full names
2.  Device Type
3.  Postal Codes
4.  IP Addresses
5.  Mobile Numbers
6.  Email Addresses
7.  Animaker profile details
8.  Country/City/State/Location

However, no passwords were found in the data leak, as exclusively revealed to Hackread.com by cybersecurity researcher **Anurag Sen** from **Clouddefense.ai**. Sen said that he identified the server on Shodan while searching for misconfigured cloud databases.

The screenshot from the **misconfigured server** shows the type of information that is being exposed to the public without a password. This means anyone can access the server and would not need to bypass security authentication to access and download the data.

For your information, **Shodan is an OSINT tool** and a specialized search engine used by cybersecurity researchers to locate vulnerable Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including servers and misconfigured databases on the internet.

Moreover, a misconfigured database occurs when access controls and security settings are improperly configured or left at default settings. Nevertheless, Animker has been informed about the incident, but there has been no response so far. The company’s CEO, RS Raghavan, has been informed on Twitter.

Image provided to Hackread.com by Anurag Sen

**Potential Dangers**

As misconfigured database exposes sensitive data, this can result in significant financial losses, legal liabilities, and reputational damage for affected individuals and organizations.

When a misconfigured database is exposed to the public, it can be discovered and exploited by cybercriminals who use automated tools to scan the internet for open databases. Once they find a vulnerable database, they can use it to steal data, install malware, hijack it for ransom, or launch other types of cyber attacks.

The consequences of a misconfigured database can be severe, as evidenced by recent data breaches at **RailYatri** and **U.S. No Fly List**. In these cases, millions of users had their personal information stolen, resulting in significant financial and reputational damage to the companies and authorities involved.

To prevent a misconfigured database from being exposed to the public, experts recommend implementing proper access controls and security settings, including strong passwords, encryption, and regular vulnerability assessments.

Organizations should also limit the amount of sensitive data stored in their databases and ensure that it is only accessible to authorized users.

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I am a UK-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering the latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. I am also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism

Video Marketing Software Animker Leaking Trove of User Data

By Owais Sultan
Boosting security in any way possible has become crucial for businesses of all sizes. In today’s digital era,…
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: How can Vault Vision help secure your company with passwordless login?

Boosting security in any way possible has become crucial for businesses of all sizes. In today’s digital era, businesses face a host of security risks that could have a devastating impact, and this is why it is important to ensure they take the right steps to reduce these risks.

While digital technology has helped improve business operations in many ways, it has also increased the security risks businesses face.

One of the issues that many businesses have to deal with is password logins for various accounts and apps. These days, this involves creating, remembering, and managing a huge range of passwords and details, which can be frustrating and stressful.

In addition, it means that security can be compromised by others guessing or hacking these passwords. The good news is that Vault Vision offers passwordless login solutions, eliminating the issues associated with using password authentication.

In this article, we will look at how the provider can help secure your company with passwordless login.

There are many ways in which the passwordless solutions from this provider can help your business; some of the main ones are:

**An Affordable Solution**

One of the ways this provider can help you secure your business with passwordless authentication is by providing an affordable solution. Businesses these days have to be very mindful of their spending, and it has become increasingly important to control budgets and outgoings.

Therefore, most are looking for solutions that are both affordable and suited to their needs. The passwordless platform from Vault Vision ticks these boxes, enabling you to enjoy greater efficiency, ease, and security for your business without breaking the bank.

**Boosting Security**

Following the last point, this provider can help boost security for your business through its feature-rich, passwordless authentication platform. This is something that can provide huge peace of mind for business owners and managers in today’s digital age.

We’ve all heard how easy it can be for hackers to gain access to passwords and then to accounts and apps, and this has become a real worry for many businesses. With this type of authentication platform, you don’t have to worry about your passwords falling into the wrong hands.

**Improving Efficiency**

One of the additional ways in which this solution from Vault Vision can help improve efficiency for your business. Creating, remembering, managing, and even forgetting so many passwords can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. The more accounts and apps you access online, the more passwords you will need to manage.

You cannot just have the same password for all accounts due to security risks, nor can you have weak passwords for the same reason. All of this takes time, but the platform from this provider can help.

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Owais takes care of Hackread's social media from the very first day. At the same time He is pursuing for chartered accountancy and doing part time freelance writing.

How can Vault Vision help secure your company with passwordless login?

By Deeba Ahmed
The LastPass password manager has suffered yet another data breach, carried out by the same attackers involved in recent previous breaches.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: LastPass Employee PC Hacked with Keylogger to Access Password Vault

Find out how the LastPass password manager has been impacted by another data breach and what steps they are taking to protect user data. Get the latest information here.

On Monday, LastPass, the company boasting over 30 million users and 85,000 business customers, confirmed that it had been attacked by the same threat actor who had previously breached its security and partially accessed encrypted login data.

**Breach Details**

LastPass, as we know it, is a prominent password management software. The company claims that one of its DevOps engineers’ PCs was hacked to exfiltrate corporate data from its cloud storage resources.

The unidentified attacker combined data stolen from the first breach in August 2022 with data from a third-party breach and a vulnerability in a third-party media software package for launching a coordinated attack.

**LastPass Data Breach Spree**

It is worth noting that LastPass has been on a data breach spree for some time now. **In January 2023**, GoTo-owned LastPass addressed a November 2022 data breach and announced that hackers had stolen customers’ encrypted data.

**In late December 2022**, LastPass announced that it had been breached again and that hackers had managed to steal user data and encrypted password vaults. **In early December 2022**, the password manager giant announced suffering yet another data breach, in which the company detected unusual activity on its cloud storage shared with GoTo.

**In August 2022**, LastPass announced yet another cyber attack, stating that hackers had managed to steal its source code; however, **no customer data was stolen**.

**How did it Happen?**

LastPass collaborated with Mandiant’s incident response team to conduct forensics and detected that the attacker targeted the DevOps engineer’s home computer, exploiting the vulnerable third-party media 3rd party media software package to obtain remote code execution capability and install a keylogger.

The attacker could steal the employee’s master password and authenticate it with MFA, after which they could access the victim’s LastPass corporate vault. It is worth noting that the victim was one of the four employees at LastPass who had access to the company’s corporate vault.

**LastPass’s Official Statement**

In its official **statement**, GoTo-owned LastPass explained the findings of its investigation, which read:

> “The threat actor pivoted from the first incident, which ended on August 12, 2022, but was actively engaged in a new series of reconnaissance, enumeration, and exfiltration activities aligned to the cloud storage environment spanning from August 12, 2022, to October 26, 2022.”
> 
> LastPass

The attacker possessed the decrypted vault, so they exported entries, including decryption keys. With these keys, the attacker accessed a shared cloud storage environment where the company had stored customer vault backups and encryption keys in **Amazon S3 buckets**.

According to LastPass, the decryption keys enabled the attacker to steal AWS S3 LastPass production backups, critical database backups, and cloud-based storage resources.

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LastPass Employee PC Hacked with Keylogger to Access Password Vault

By Waqas
At this moment, it is unclear which group is responsible for the ransomware attack.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: US Marshals Service Hit By Major Ransomware Attack

In response to the ransomware attack, the Marshals Service disconnected the affected system, and the Department of Justice initiated a forensic investigation.

The US Marshals Service, the agency responsible for federal prisoners and fugitives, has fallen victim to a ransomware attack that has compromised a computer system containing sensitive information.

The incident, which occurred on February 17, 2023, resulted in the theft of personal information belonging to targets of investigations, third parties, and certain US Marshals employees, according to a spokesperson for the service.

Drew Wade, the spokesperson for the US Marshals Service, said that the affected system contained “law enforcement sensitive information, including returns from legal process, administrative information, and personally identifiable information pertaining to subjects of USMS investigations.”

In response to the ransomware attack, the Marshals Service disconnected the affected system, and the Department of Justice initiated a forensic investigation.

The Justice Department has since confirmed that the ransomware attack constitutes a “major incident.” This term is used when a hack is significant enough that it requires a federal agency to notify Congress. The US Marshals Service has not revealed the identity of the attackers or their motives.

A senior official who is familiar with the matter **told** CNN that no data relating to the witness protection program was obtained during the incident. However, it is unclear whether any other sensitive information was stolen. The Justice Department’s investigation into the ransomware attack is ongoing.

In a comment to Hackread.com, Ryan McConechy, senior consultant at **Barrier Networks** said, “The US Marshals Service is one of America’s highest ranking law enforcement authorities, and it possesses highly sensitive information related to national security, witness protection programs and convicted felons._”_

“The information obtained in this breach will be highly sensitive and could be used in extortion, sold onto nation-state actors, or even put the safety of US citizens at risk if their personal information, like address details, are exposed,_”_ Ryan warned.

“Hardening systems to improve cyber resilience must be the priority, including using strong, unique passwords, implementing MFA and Zero Trust principles, using Privileged Access Management (PAM) to protect key accounts, deploying layered security to prevent lateral movement, and training employees regularly on phishing and cybercrime,” Ryan advised.

This is not the first major cyberattack on a US federal law enforcement agency this month. **Earlier in February**, the FBI was forced to contain malicious activity on part of its computer network, which was reportedly used in investigations of images of child sexual exploitation. It is not known whether the two incidents are related.

**In December 2022**, hackers leaked the FBI InfraGard database online. InfraGard is an FBI-launched security program to develop physical and cyber threat information-sharing collaborations with the private sector.

**In November 2021**, hackers managed to access the FBI’s server to send fake email threats. The FBI acknowledged the unauthorized access over the weekend, revealing that spam emails had been sent from the agency’s email server to thousands of organizations.

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I am a UK-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering the latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. I am also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism

US Marshals Service Hit By Major Ransomware Attack

By Waqas
The free Mortal Kombat ransomware decryptor is now available for victims to recover their encrypted files without having to pay the ransom.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Bitdefender Releases Free MortalKombat Ransomware Decryptor

Protect your files with the free universal MortalKombat ransomware decryptor released by Bitdefender. Safeguard your computer against this dangerous malware and restore your files with ease. Get your free decryptor now.

Cybersecurity company Bitdefender has recently announced the release of a new decryptor for the **MortalKombat ransomware**. The decryptor is now available for download and can help victims of ransomware to recover their encrypted files without having to pay the ransom.

**According to** Bitdefender, they have been monitoring the MortalKombat ransomware family since its emergence online in January 2023. MortalKombat is a type of Xorist ransomware that spreads through phishing emails and targets exposed RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) instances.

MortalKombat’s ransom note

Once installed on the victim’s computer, the malware gets planted through the BAT Loader. This loader is known to deliver the **Laplas Clipper malware** as well, causing further damage to the system.

The MortalKombat ransomware encrypts all files on the infected system, including those in the trash bin and virtual machine files. It also corrupts Windows Explorer, deletes folders and files from the start-up menu, and disables the Run Command.

The financially motivated ransomware targets cryptocurrency wallets on the device and monitors the computer’s clipboard for cryptocurrency wallet addresses. If one is found, it is sent to the attacker’s server, where a Clipper bot creates a lookalike address owned by the hacker and then replaces the clipboard entry.

With the release of this new decryptor, victims of the MortalKombat ransomware can now restore their files for free. This is a significant development in the fight against ransomware, which has become an increasingly common threat to individuals and businesses alike.

Bitdefender’s new tool can help to prevent victims from having to pay the ransom and supports the wider effort to stop cyber criminals from profiting from their malicious activities. The availability of the decryptor underscores the importance of backing up files and implementing robust security measures to protect against ransomware attacks.

Overall, this new decryptor represents a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against ransomware, and Bitdefender’s efforts to combat the MortalKombat ransomware family are to be commended.

As the **threat of ransomware continues** to evolve and become more sophisticated, the cybersecurity community must continue to develop new tools and strategies to keep pace with cybercriminals.

1.  **Free Decryptor to LockerGoga Ransomware Victims**
2.  **CISA Offers Recovery Tool for ESXiArgs Ransomware**
3.  **Avast Releases Free Decryptor for BianLian Ransomware**
4.  **Universal decryptor key for Sodinokibi, REvil ransomware**

I am a UK-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering the latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. I am also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism

Bitdefender Releases Free MortalKombat Ransomware Decryptor

By Deeba Ahmed
What's worse, in the new campaign, ChromeLoader malware evades detection by security software.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Fake ROBLOX and Nintendo game cracks drop ChromeLoader malware

Beware of fake ROBLOX, Steam and Nintendo game cracks that may contain the ChromeLoader malware. Learn more about the threat and how to protect your device from this malicious software.

The cybersecurity researchers at AhnLab Security Emergency response Center (ASEC) have discovered a new ChromeLoader malware campaign in which hackers managed to bypass antivirus programs and other cybersecurity mechanisms. This campaign is dubbed uncommon due to the file type attackers have used to evade detection.

**Hackers Using VHD Files As Popular Games Cracks**

According to AhnLab researchers, the ChromeLoader malware campaign is distributed via VHD (virtual hard disk) files, which is a different choice because, usually, ISO optical disc image format files are used in such campaigns.

However, in this case, attackers have used VHD files, which are distributed with filenames that seem like cracks or hacks for Steam and Nintendo games. The objective is to modify browser settings by infecting web browsers, such as Google Chrome, and diverting traffic to bogus advertising websites. A VHD file can be easily mounted on a Windows device and works with most virtualization software as well.

One of the malicious websites (Screenshot credit: ACSE)

“When a VHD file is downloaded through this process, the user can easily mistake the malicious VHD file for a game-related program,” ASEC researchers said. “Disguising malware as game hacks and crack programs is a method employed by many threat actors,” researchers said in a blog post.

**What is ChromeLoader?**

ChromeLoader, also known as ChromeBack and Choziosi, surfaced first as a browser-hijacking credential stealer in January 2022. In May 2022, ChromeLoader malware was pushed into pirated games and QR codes.

Eventually, it evolved into a multi-faceted, potent threat capable of stealing sensitive user data, deploying ransomware, and dropping decompression bombs.

ChromeLoader can also conduct click fraud by leveraging browser extensions to monetize clicks. Many of its new versions can invade both macOS and Windows devices. The shift from ISO to VHD files indicates that ChromeLoader has undergone another round of upgrades.

**Numerous Websites Promoting Fake Game Cracks/Hacks**

Researchers noticed that several malicious websites were marketing cracked versions of famous games, including the following:

*   ROBLOX
*   Elden Ring
*   Dark Souls 3
*   Need for Speed
*   Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
*   Super Mario Odyssey
*   Call of Duty and more
*   Red Dead Redemption 2
*   The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Additionally, software versions such as Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office are also marketed in this campaign.

Although the malicious websites hosting fraudulent game hacks and software versions have been taken offline, gamers and unsuspecting users should beware of this campaign.

Instead of downloading the game, they may receive ChromeLoader malware that can launch unwanted ads on their devices and steal credentials from web browsers and other saved data.

Users looking for pirated video game hacks and software are the key targets of attackers, who are lured into downloading VHD files from compromised websites appearing in search results.

1.  Malicious pirated games disable Windows Defender
2.  This malware hides in VPN, pirated security software
3.  Pirated software drop cryptomining malware on Macbook
4.  Pirated Version of Fire and Fury Book Loaded with Malware
5.  Inmates pirated movies from computers built with spare parts