By Deeba Ahmed
Several radio stations in Russia were reportedly hacked to send fake missile alerts across the country, the government has claimed.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Russian Radio Stations Hacked with Fake Missile Alerts

According to local media, a female voice rendered the fake alerts from several radio stations, including Yumor FM, Relax FM, Comedy Radio, Humor FM, and Avatoradio. The false warning announced an air raid and requested the listeners to seek shelter quickly.

Millions of Russian citizens in over a dozen cities were baffled to hear unusual radio alerts, sirens, and text messages this Wednesday morning. These warnings were about missile strikes and air raids on Russia.

However, the Russian government’s Ministry of Emergency Situations later announced that these were fake warnings and blamed hackers for airing false alerts on commercial radio stations.

According to local media, a female voice rendered the fake alerts from several radio stations, including Yumor FM, Relax FM, Comedy Radio, Humor FM, and Avatoradio. The false warning announced an air raid and requested the listeners to seek shelter quickly.

“Attention, an air raid warning is being announced. Go to the shelter immediately. Attention, Attention, the threat of a missile strike.”

> Today, radio stations across Russia including in Volgograd, Stavropol, Moscow region broadcasted air raid warnings (the video is reportedly from Belgorod)
> 
> Acc to the Ministry of Emergency Situations this messages is fake and was caused by a hacker attack https://t.co/Cd7bGeVVAx pic.twitter.com/wfuIjGQkyZ
> 
> — Oleg Shakirov (@shakirov2036) February 22, 2023

These bogus warnings were broadcast in ten cities, including Kazan, Tyumen, Pyatigorsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, Magnitogorsk, Novouralsk, Ufa, and Stary Oskol. Loud sirens followed these warnings, and civilians were urged to seek out air raid shelters. Some people recorded these false warnings on camera.

Locals in the cities where the warnings were broadcast, such as the Kurgan and Belgorod regions, promptly informed citizens that these were false warnings. The ministry noted that the warnings were caused by an attack on a satellite operator’s infrastructure.

Moreover, government officials stated that an unauthorized “tie-in is going in the air,” clarifying that the alarm signals were fake. Authorities claim that the perpetrators could be linked to the Kyiv regime.

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Earlier, a Denial of Service attack (DDoS attack) disrupted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address to the nation on state media sites. Ukrainian hackers claimed responsibility for the attack.

“As a result of a hacker attack on the servers of some commercial radio stations in some regions of the country, information was broadcast about an alleged announcement of an air raid warning and a threat of a missile strike,” the ministry’s statement read.

It is worth noting that most stations airing these alerts are owned by Russia’s leading media company, Gazprom-Media. Furthermore, the alerts were aired just two days before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Radio Stations Hacked with Fake Missile Alerts

By Waqas
In this article, we’ll dive into the world of spam emails, highlighting the reason that email service providers are so vigilant and exploring exactly how marketing teams can prevent ending up in the spam pile.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Proven Techniques for Effective Email Spam Filtering

Delivering malware and malicious attachments, email spam has a proven track record of devastating impact on businesses and unsuspecting users, which is why effective email spam filtering should be a vital part of your marketing and cybersecurity plan.

With the sheer quantity of emails that are sent out every single day, it’s hardly surprising that a huge quantity is actually spam. In fact, nearly 46% of all emails sent out every single day are spam, which accounts for well over 150 billion emails.

With the spam epidemic only getting worse over time, your marketing team needs to understand why emails go to spam in order to ensure your marketing communications end up in the right place.

Luckily, there are a number of tactics that reputable companies can use when attempting to avoid triggering the spam filter. 

In this article, we’ll dive into the world of spam emails, highlighting the reason that email service providers are so vigilant and exploring exactly how marketing teams can prevent ending up in the spam pile.

**Why Are Email Providers So Focused on Spam?**

Without a doubt, spam is one of the worst parts of the email. When we think of spam, we think of random messages that have absolutely nothing to do with us, often coming to us in poorly written English, or being almost illegible. While spam can be annoying, these messages are actually mostly harmless.

Google, Outlook, and other email service providers actually block the majority of spam based on it containing ransomware, malware, or being a phishing email. 95% of all cybersecurity breaches within business come from phishing emails, demonstrating just how powerful these can be as a vector of chaos.

For email service providers, their constant vigilance is an attempt to completely eradicate these malicious emails, stopping them from ever arriving in our accounts. Of course, the logic here is simple. Email services can’t control someone’s level of email literacy, and cannot trust them to avoid spam by themselves.

Therefore, by removing spam and malicious emails before it ever even reaches our email accounts, they can radically decrease the chance of any negative impacts from occurring. Yet, their technologies are far from perfect. They operate on a strict security policy, rejecting emails that show even the faintest signs of being fraudulent or spam.

That’s why it’s essential to understand these spam filters, allowing your marketing team to create emails that don’t accidentally trigger these filters. 

**Choose Subject Lines Carefully**

Your subject line is quite literally the first thing that a consumer is going to see, meaning you want to make it punchy and attention-grabbing. Yet, this is also the first thing that will pass through the spam filter, meaning you need to make sure it doesn’t get flagged.

A lot of the time, spam and phishing emails are after specific things – money, account details, passwords, etc. With that in mind, words and phrases that relate to these things are often going to instantly trigger the filter. Avoid things like:

*   Earn $
*   Earn more
*   Make Money
*   Password breach
*   Double your money

Anything that could be closely related to these scam endeavours will almost instantly be blocked. 

**Make Sure Your Emails Are Worth It**

Especially for newer businesses, email services may not be familiar with your IP address or your business as a whole. With this in mind, they’re going to keep a close eye on you if you suddenly start sending emails to hundreds of people. To ensure they look upon your address favourably, you need to keep your engagement rates up.

Gmail will track engagement rates to see if the content that a business is sending out is actually wanted by customers. If your engagement and opening rates are too low, Google will likely mark your business as spam.

To avoid this, make sure your emails are packed full of great content, delivering real value to the people you contact.

**Be Careful with Attachments**

Attachments are a fantastic vector for those with malicious intent to get a piece of software onto your computer. With that in mind, many email providers are hesitant to include attachments from unknown email addresses. If your company is new, be sure to forego attachments altogether until you build up a bit of a reputation for yourself.

While attachments won’t instantly trigger the spam filter, it’s always better to use a CTA button that goes directly to your website instead.

**Keep in Line with Regulations**

If your business isn’t already aware of compliance laws like GDPR, it’s time to bring yourself up to speed. Your emails need to include disclaimers and usage information to keep your consumers in the loop. Not only emails without these aspects much more likely to be marked as spam by email providers, but these emails could also get you in trouble down the line.

It’s always a good idea to understand the regulations for the territory that you work in and ensure that your emails are in-line with current recommendations. 

**Check Your Email Signatures**

There is a common misconception about email signatures within IT, that they instantly trigger emails to be sent to spam. This couldn’t be further from the truth, with email signatures actually helping to increase the return you’ll get from email campaigns.

From a customer’s perspective, a well-formatted email signature will demonstrate that you’re a professional company that’s committed to delivering great service. Including additional elements like other contact addresses and further information about your company will go a long way in providing you’re reputable.

That said, email signatures that aren’t formatted properly can become a problem for businesses. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re using a secure email signature that will fly through the various firewalls that users have on their accounts. The best email signature provider services will never host your emails, and will always ensure that you align with the best GDPR recommendations.

If you notice that your marketing team reports a high bounce rate on outgoing emails, revising where you’re getting your email signatures from can help. 

**Final Thoughts**

For marketing teams, email is the holy grail of communication. Not only does this provide you with direct access to your audience, but it also allows for further analysis and data-driven optimization, which will make your strategies more effective over time.

Without a doubt, an email is a vital tool in our strategy book. But, without understanding spam filters and what they look for, you could end up doing more harm than good. Moving through the strategies and tips we’ve outlined on this list will point you in the right direction toward creating effective, profitable, and spam filter-cleaning email marketing campaigns.

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Proven Techniques for Effective Email Spam Filtering

By Deeba Ahmed
Dubbed "Stealc" by researchers, the malware is also being promoted on several Russian language hacker and cybercrime forums on the clear net, in addition to the dark web.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Hackers Advertising New Info-Stealing Malware on Dark Web

As of now, the Stealc malware targets only Windows devices and steals data from browsers, cryptocurrency wallets, messengers, and email clients.

Cybersecurity researchers from Sekoia have released details of new information-stealing malware called Stealc which has surfaced on several underground hacking forums and on the **Dark Web**.

According to researchers, a threat actor using the alias “Plymouth” has developed the malware and is advertising it on the dark web. This malware is different, as it simultaneously steals data from its victims and customers. It is also being promoted on **Telegram channels**.

The malware developer offering free samples for the malware on a Russian forum (Credit: Sekoia)

The threat actor stated that Stealc, currently at version 1.3.0, is fully featured and ready-to-use malware. It is not built from scratch but is based on other popular information-stealing malware such as **Racoon**, **Vidar**, and **Redline Stealer**. The malware is continually being upgraded; according to the researchers, it is tweaked every week. It was first spotted in January 2023.

**How Does it work?**

After it is installed on the target’s PC, the malware starts an anti-analysis check to ensure it isn’t running on a sandbox or a virtual environment. It loads Windows API functions and establishes a connection with the C2 center. It sends the attacker’s hardware identifier and device build name, after which the malware receives commands.

According to Sekoia’s **blog post**, this is when the malware starts collecting data from the browsers, extensions, and applications and executes its file grabber to exfiltrate all files to the C2 server. Once the entire data is stolen, Stealc self-erases and downloaded DLL files are removed from the device to avoid detection.

**Stealc Capabilities**

Some of Stealc’s features include a C2 center URL randomizer and an advanced log sorting and searching system. Moreover, the malware spares victims from Ukraine, uses legitimate third-party DLLs, and abuses Windows API functions. It is written in C and automatically exfiltrates data without requiring any interference from the attacker.

The malware can target 75 plugins, 22 browsers, and 25 desktop wallets. Furthermore, it can hide most of its strings using base64 and RC4.

**Stealc is Popular among Cybercriminals**

Apart from advertising it on the **Dark Web**, the threat actor also deploys the malware on target endpoints by creating fake YouTube tutorials about cracking software. Or by offering links in the description, which deploys the info-stealer instead of the offered crack.

Researchers discovered over 40 C2 servers, leading them to conclude that Stealc is gaining traction quickly. Therefore, it is vital to make sure your security software is updated regularly and to avoid downloading and installing software from suspicious or unauthorized sources. Also, never open links or attachments from unknown sources.

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Hackers Advertising New Info-Stealing Malware on Dark Web

By Waqas
If you use EmEditor, this user-friendly tutorial will explain how to remove duplicate lines in the popular EmEditor text editor software.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: How to Remove Duplicate Lines in EmEditor (2023)

EmEditor is a smart text editor software for Windows that supports a wide range of file formats, including plain text files, programming languages, Unicode, and large files.

EmEditor is developed by Emurasoft, Inc. The brain behind creating EmEditor is Emurasoft’s president Yutaka Emura who is based in the United States. Emura is also known for developing the EmTerm communication program.

EmEditor offers various features, including syntax highlighting, code folding, regular expressions, macros, multiple document support, and more.

EmEditor also supports plugins that extend its functionality and can be used for advanced tasks such as code debugging, web development, and text manipulation. It is available in both free and paid versions, with the paid version providing additional features and capabilities for power users.

**How to Remove Duplicate Lines in EmEditor?**

Although EmEditor is user-friendly software, with loads of options and features, it is not easy to find a quick solution at once. Therefore, we have decided to break down for our readers how they can remove duplicate lines in EmEditor.

To remove duplicate lines in EmEditor, you can follow these steps:

*   Open the document in EmEditor.
*   Select the lines that you want to remove duplicates from.
*   Click on the “Sort” button on the toolbar or go to the “Sort” menu and choose “Sort Ascending” or “Sort Descending“. This will arrange the selected lines in alphabetical or reverse alphabetical order.
*   After sorting the lines, go to the “Edit” menu and select “Remove Duplicate Lines“. This will remove all the duplicate lines from the selected lines.

Alternatively, you can also use EmEditor’s built-in macro to remove duplicate lines. Here are the steps:

*   Open the document in EmEditor.
*   Press “Ctrl + Shift +R” to open the “Record Micro” dialog box.
*   Enter a name for the macro and click “OK“.
*   Go to the “Edit” menu and select “Remove Duplicate Lines“.
*   Press “Ctrl + Shift +R” again to stop recording the macro.
*   Go to the “Macro” menu and select “Save” to save the macro.
*   To run the macro, go to the “Macro” menu and select the macro you just created.

If this How-To was helpful, don’t forget to share it, and let us know which other How-To you’d like to see us work on.

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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

How to Remove Duplicate Lines in EmEditor (2023)

By Deeba Ahmed
The attack was successful as hackers sent SMS phishing links to several employees at Activision, and one of them fell prey to it.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Employees at Gaming Giant Activision Hit by SMS Phishing Attack

Activision acknowledged the breach only after researchers discussed it on Twitter, revealing that hackers had managed to steal the gaming giant’s sensitive documents.

Researchers have disclosed details of a data breach due to SMS phishing attack targeting the world’s prominent game publisher, Activision. According to VX-Underground researchers on Twitter, unidentified hackers managed to breach Activision’s security and steal internal company data.

There has been a recent rise in SMS phishing, also known as smishing, which is a form of social engineering attack in which an attacker sends a text message to a victim with the goal of tricking them into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware onto their device.

For example, Reddit, Coinbase, Zendesk, Twilio, DoorDash, and Namecheap, among several others, suffered SMS phishing attacks directed toward employees of these companies.

**Incident Details**

As for the cyber attack on Activision, threat actors accessed the game giant’s game release calendar and corporate Slack environment. The attackers stole sensitive workplace documents and content to be released in November 2023.

Activision had detected the breach, but they didn’t disclose it right away. VX-Underground was the first to break the news.

**Activision Confirmed Data Breach**

Activision has now confirmed that a data breach occurred in December of 2022 with the following statement:

“On December 4, 2022, our information security team swiftly addressed an SMS phishing attempt and quickly resolved it. Following a thorough investigation, we determined that no sensitive employee data, game code, or player data was accessed.”

Activision’s spokesperson stated that the company considers its data’s safety paramount and has “comprehensive information security protocols” in place to maintain data confidentiality.

**How Did the Breach Occur?**

The company revealed that threat actors had tried to phish several of its employees through an SMS-based phishing campaign. They received a message designed to be sent by the Activision Automated SMS Dispatcher. The email was titled “Employment Status: Under Review,” and they were urged to respond with a 2FA code.

One of the employees fell for the trap, while the others did not. The employee responded with the code, and the attackers gained access to their account. The other employees responded with curses, but they didn’t report the incident to Activision’s information security team, which is why the attackers could continue with the breach.

**What was Data Stolen?**

Attackers posted an objectionable message in the general Slack channel by exploiting a compromised account of a privileged user. On Sunday, VX-Underground published screenshots of the supposedly stolen from the game publisher.

According to the images, the attacker most likely accessed a schedule for the company’s content release dates for its popular game Call of Duty. Moreover, it is also claimed that the breached data includes plans for the release of Call of Duty 2023 and Call of Duty 2024.

In addition, sensitive employee data such as full names, phone numbers, email IDs, workplaces, and salaries were also compromised.

**Recent Rise in SMS Phishing**

Smishing attacks have increased in recent years as more people rely on their mobile phones for communication and daily activities. These attacks often appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or a trusted service provider, and may include a link that, when clicked, leads the victim to a fake website designed to steal their login credentials or personal information.

To avoid falling victim to smishing attacks, employees must be trained, it is important to be cautious when receiving text messages from unknown or unexpected sources, and to never provide sensitive information in response to a text message.

Additionally, it is important to verify the authenticity of any links before clicking on them, and to install and maintain up-to-date anti-malware software on your device to help detect and prevent smishing attacks.

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Employees at Gaming Giant Activision Hit by SMS Phishing Attack

By Habiba Rashid
The voice chat app under discussion is OyeTalk, which is available for Android and iOS devices and is operated from Pakistan.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Android voice chat app with 5m installs leaked user chats

OyeTalk was leaking unencrypted data through unprotected access to Firebase, Google’s mobile application development platform that provides cloud-hosted database services.

A popular Android voice chat app, OyeTalk, has leaked private user data, including their unencrypted chats, usernames, and cellphone International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.

With over five million downloads on **Google Play**, the app has compromised the privacy of all its users while simultaneously exposing them to malicious threats.

OyeTalk on Android

OyeTalk was leaking data through unprotected access to **Firebase**, Google’s mobile application development platform that provides cloud-hosted database services.

The researchers warned that malicious actors could have deleted the dataset, resulting in a permanent loss of users’ private messages, if the leaked data had not been backed up. 

According to the Cyber News **blog post**, Despite being informed of the data spill, the app developers failed to close off public access to the database. Google’s security measures had to step in, since the spill got too big, to close off the database.

This isn’t all. The developers also carelessly left sensitive information hardcoded in the application’s client-side, including a Google API (application programming interface) key and links to Google storage buckets. The exploitation of this security practice in the past has resulted in data loss or a complete takeover of user data stored on open Firebase or other storage systems.

It turns out, this was not the first occurrence of a data leak affecting OyeTalk. The researchers found that the database had been discovered and marked as vulnerable by unknown actors, likely with no malicious intent. The database contained specific fingerprints used to mark open Firebases, known as “**Proof of Compromise**” (PoC) and Evidence of Compromise (EoC) or Indicator of Compromise (IOC).

**Repercussions**

The repercussions of a data leak like the one that occurred with the OyeTalk voice chat app can be severe and far-reaching. First and foremost, the personal information of users can be compromised, leaving them vulnerable to scams.

Furthermore, the leak of personal data can also have a negative impact on the reputation of the app and the company behind it. Users may lose trust in the app and its ability to protect their data, leading to a decline in its user base and revenue. This can also result in legal consequences for the company, as they may face lawsuits and fines for violating data privacy laws.

Overall, the OyeTalk data leak can have significant and lasting consequences for users, the app and its company, and society at large. It underscores the importance of robust data protection measures and responsible handling of personal information and highlights the need for ongoing vigilance in the face of ever-evolving **cybersecurity threats**.

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I’m a student and cybersecurity writer. On a random Sunday, I am likely to be figuring out life and reading Kafka.

Android voice chat app with 5m installs leaked user chats

By Deeba Ahmed
The bugs allowed cybercriminals to bypass the iOS system's security protections and execute unauthorized code. 
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Apple Bug Could Allow Attackers Access to Photos and Messages

The findings are based on previous research from Google and Citizen Lab conducted in 2021 which discovered a zero-click, zero-day iOS exploit dubbed “ForcedEntry,” linked to the Israeli NSO Group.

Apple devices and products are known for their advanced security mechanisms, particularly the iPhone and Macbook. However, the latest research reveals that even Apple products aren’t safe from the prying eyes of threat actors.

Researchers at the cybersecurity firm Trellix Advanced Research Center have disclosed details of a newly discovered privilege escalation bug class that, if exploited, could allow an attacker to sweep up call history, messages, and photos from the device.

According to researchers, the bugs allowed cybercriminals to bypass the iOS system’s security protections and execute unauthorized code. The security flaws were ranked as medium to high in terms of security.

Trellix’s vulnerability research director, Doug McKee, stated that although Apple has addressed the issue, the concern is that these vulnerabilities allow bypassing of Apple’s security model at a “fundamental level.”

Apple said the bugs weren’t exploited in the wild before being fixed.

**How Was the Bug Discovered?**

The findings are based on previous research from Google and Citizen Lab conducted in 2021. The organizations discovered a zero-click, zero-day iOS exploit dubbed “ForcedEntry,” linked to NSO Group.

This was a highly sophisticated exploit found on a Saudi activist’s iPhone and was used for installing Pegasus malware developed by the NSO Group. The same spyware was also found on the iPhones of nine State Department officials in the United States.

This exploit had two key features: first, it tricked the iPhone into opening a malicious PDF disguised as a GIF file. Secondly, it enabled attackers to evade the sandbox that Apple introduced to prevent apps from accessing data from other apps or other parts of the device.

This second feature of ForcedEntry was the basis of Trellix’s research from senior vulnerability researcher Austin Emmitt. A proof-of-concept was released to demonstrate how the bugs could be exploited.

**Vulnerabilities**

Emmitt discovered a new class of vulnerabilities revolving around the NSPredicate tool that filters code within Apple’s systems. This tool was first exploited in ForcedEntry, as the 2021 research revealed, and Apple introduced new measures to prevent this abuse.

However, the mitigation methods were insufficient, as Trellix researchers found that these methods could also be bypassed since bugs in the NSPredicate class were found in multiple places in macOS and iOS systems.

This includes the Springboard app, which manages the home screen on an iPhone and can access photos, location data, and the camera. After exploiting the bugs, the attacker could access places they could not otherwise invade. Attackers trying to exploit it need to gain an initial foothold into the device.

Vulnerabilities in NSPredicate were discovered in macOS 13.2 and iOS 16.3, and Apple patched them with software updates in January. The company also issued CVEs for these flaws—CVE-2023-23530 and CVE-2023-23531—and released new versions of macOS and iOS.

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Apple Bug Could Allow Attackers Access to Photos and Messages

By Waqas
Threat actors have hacked two data centers in Asia and accessed login credentials of top technology giants, including Apple, Uber, Microsoft, Samsung, Alibaba, etc., and leaked them on a hacker forum.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Login Details of Tech Giants Leaked in Two Data Center Hacks

The leaked data includes email addresses, password hashes, names, phone numbers, and more.

Hackers obtained login credentials for several mainstream corporate giants, including Microsoft, Samsung, Uber and Apple, etc. and gained remote access to the entities’ surveillance cameras after attacking two data centers in Asia.

A screenshot from the leaked data shows login credentials for Samsung, Amazon, Uber, Alibaba and more. (Credit: Hackread.com)

This was **revealed** by the cyber security firm Resecurity. The company originally identified the data breach in September 2021; however, details of it were only revealed to the media now as on February 20th, 2023, hackers leaked the stolen login credentials online.

It is worth noting that these credentials were leaked on Breachforums by a threat actor going by the handle of “Minimalman.” For your information, Breachforums is a hacker and cybercrime forum that surfaced as an alternative to the popular and **now-seized Raidforums**.

According to Resecurity, hackers accessed two of the largest data center operators in Asia that were being used by several mainstream companies and technology giants. From there, the hackers could obtain customer support logins for high-profile companies, including Amazon and Apple, BMW, Microsoft, Alibaba, Walmart, Goldman Sachs, etc.

As seen by Hackread.com on the hacker forum, the threat actors managed to obtain and leak credentials from over 2,000 firms and a Chinese foreign-exchange platform.

The data centers have been identified as Shanghai-based GDS Holdings and Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global. Both data centers reportedly forced all customers to change their passwords in January 2023.

**Dangers**

The dangers of hackers obtaining login credentials of tech giants such as Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung and others are numerous and severe. Firstly, such credentials allow hackers to access sensitive customer data, including payment information and personal details, which can lead to **identity theft and financial fraud**.

Secondly, hackers can use these credentials to gain access to the company’s networks, potentially compromising intellectual property and trade secrets. Additionally, with access to company accounts, hackers can launch cyber attacks against other organizations, amplifying the damage caused by their actions.

Furthermore, a breach of a tech giant’s login credentials can have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only the company and its customers but the wider economy and society as a whole. For instance, if a company like Amazon were to suffer a significant data breach, it could lead to a loss of consumer trust, which could in turn affect the confidence of investors and the stock market.

Moreover, a successful hack of a tech giant’s credentials could inspire copycat attacks, leading to an escalation in cybercrime and potentially destabilizing the digital infrastructure that underpins much of our daily lives.

To mitigate these risks, tech giants must remain vigilant in their cybersecurity measures, ensuring that their systems are regularly updated and that their employees are trained to detect and prevent security breaches.

Companies must also invest in advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and respond to cyber threats in real time. Finally, companies must ensure that they comply with industry standards and regulations related to cybersecurity, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (**GDPR**), to protect the privacy and security of their customers.

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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

Login Details of Tech Giants Leaked in Two Data Center Hacks

By Waqas
The SMS phishing attack (smishing) was followed by a phone call from a scammer to one of the employees who fell for the scam.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Coinbase Employees Targeted by SMS Phishing Attack

Don’t let smishing get you down! Learn how Coinbase employees were targeted by a persistent social engineering attack and how the company’s quick defence protected it from disaster.

Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, has reported a cybersecurity incident that targeted its employees with an SMS phishing attack (**Smishing**) using persistent **social engineering tactics**.

Coinbase has over 1,200 employees worldwide, and as of 2022, the exchange was home to more than 103 million verified users. This makes the company a lucrative target for small-time crooks and state-based hacking groups such as **Lazarus** and others alike.

**The Text Message**

It all started on Sunday, February 5, 2023, when several **Coinbase** employees received text messages asking them to use the link sent by the attacker for an urgent login. While all recipients ignored the text, one employee logged in with his/her username and password.

With the help of the employee’s login credentials, the attacker attempted to access Coinbase’s internal network. However, since the company had enabled multi-factor authentication (**MFA**) for employees, the attacker could not bypass the security feature and was unable to proceed further even after several attempts.

While the attacker was unsuccessful in accessing Coinbase’s system, a limited amount of data from the company’s directory was exposed, including names, email addresses, and phone numbers of a limited number of employees.

**The Call**

The second phase of the attack began with a phone call to the employee’s mobile phone, with the attacker claiming to be a member of Coinbase’s corporate Information Technology (IT) team.

Trusting that the caller was a legitimate **Coinbase** IT staff member, the employee logged into their workstation and began following the attacker’s instructions. However, as the conversation progressed, the employee began to grow increasingly suspicious of the requests being made.

Thankfully, the employee’s suspicions were enough to prevent any damage from occurring. No funds were taken, and no customer information was accessed or viewed during the incident.

Based on the attacker’s modus operandi, Coinbase believes the incident was not an isolated one and is linked to a series of cyberattacks that have taken place recently, including **Twilio**, **DoorDash**, **Zendesk**, **Namecheap** and others.

Coinbase has since released a **statement** urging all employees to remain vigilant against phishing attempts and other forms of cyber attacks. The company has emphasized the importance of verifying the identity of anyone who requests access to sensitive information or systems and has offered resources and training to help employees recognize and respond to potential threats.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals, and the need for individuals and organizations alike to remain vigilant against these attacks.

By staying informed and taking proactive measures to protect themselves and their information, individuals and businesses can help to minimize the risk of **falling victim to phishing scams** and other forms of cybercrime.

Coinbase’s swift response to the incident demonstrates the company’s commitment to the security and protection of its employees and customers. As the **use of cryptocurrency continues** to grow and evolve, it is crucial that companies in the industry prioritize cybersecurity and take steps to ensure the safety and security of their operations.

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2.  **WallStreetBets loses 2 million to crypto scam**
3.  **Scammers Netted $7.7B of Cryptocurrency in 2021**
4.  **Crooks Leverage MS Team GIFs in Phishing Attacks**

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

Coinbase Employees Targeted by SMS Phishing Attack

By Habiba Rashid
Europol searched 8 houses in Israel and France, with the main culprit arrested in Israel along with seven others.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Franco-Israeli Gang Linked to $40 Million CEO Scam Busted

Europol has dismantled a gang linked to a $40 million CEO scam. Find out more about how this international criminal syndicate was uncovered and who was involved.

The email scam gang behind France’s largest-ever CEO scam has been dismantled after a coordinated police operation across multiple countries was successful in arresting six people in France and two in Israel. 

The Europe-wide operation to track down the Franco-Israeli criminal organization involved the Croatian National Police, the Croatian Anti Money Laundering Office, the French National Police, the French Gendarmerie, the Hungarian Budapest Metropolitan Police, the Israel Police, the Portuguese Judicial Police, and the Spanish National Police.

Law enforcement authorities involved in the operation (Image: Europol)

In early December 2021, one of the gang members, now arrested as a suspect, impersonated the CEO of a metallurgy company in northeastern France and tricked the accountant into making an urgent and confidential transfer of €500,000 ($530,000) which was subsequently spotted and blocked. 

In late December 2021, according to Europol’s press release, Sefri-Cime, a real-estate developer, fell victim to the same group after its members impersonated lawyers working for a well-known French accounting firm. According to Europol, they persuaded the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to transfer almost €38 million ($40 million) altogether.

The criminal network, consisting of French and Israeli nationals, used a pre-existing money laundering scheme that laundered the funds via European countries, China, and then Israel. An investigation that followed revealed the money mules working for the gang in Croatia, Portugal, and Hungary.

The police were able to seize electronic equipment and vehicles, €3 million from Portuguese bank accounts, €1.1 million from Hungarian bank accounts, €600,000 from Croatian bank accounts, €EUR 400,000 from Spanish bank accounts and €350,000 in virtual currencies. 

The operation continued for five days between January 2022 and 2023 in France and Israel, leading to eight house searches and eight arrests, including the alleged Israeli gang leader, according to Europol.

1.  Leader of BEC Scams Arrested in Nigeria
2.  Firm loses $44m due to an online email scam
3.  US Judge falls for email scam; loses $1 million
4.  74 arrested – FBI disrupts gang of BEC scammers
5.  BEC attack: Nikkei employee transfers $29m to crooks

I’m a student and cybersecurity writer. On a random Sunday, I am likely to be figuring out life and reading Kafka.

Source

HackRead