Journey with us to Myanmar's shadowy scam factories, where trafficked workers are forced to run romance-baiting and fake tech support scams, and find out why a company's mandatory hold time for tech support could lead to innocent users having their computers compromised. All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault. Plus - don't miss our featured interview with Acronis CISO Gerald Beuchelt!
The Trump administration has told US cyber command and CISA to stop following or reporting on Russian cyber threats. Yes, Russia! That country everyone used to agree was home to lots of ransomware gangs and hackers. Hmmm... Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.

Nearly 2 Million Android TVs Infected with Malware, Triggering Cybercrime Campaigns

Cybersecurity firm Xlab has recently reported that nearly 1.59 million Android-based smart TVs have been compromised by Vo1d malware, leading to the formation of a large botnet. This botnet poses a serious risk of triggering a wide-reaching cybercrime campaign in the near future.

Xlab’s security experts have stated that the malware’s spread is global, potentially affecting devices in 226 countries. The infection, which initially began with around 50,000 botnets in November 2024, has rapidly expanded, with estimates suggesting that over 800,000 bots are now active by January 2025. This growing threat could soon evolve into a much larger cyberattack.

The majority of the infected Android TVs are concentrated in countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Argentina, Thailand, and China, with little to no infection detected in Western regions—according to the latest figures.

DragonForce Ransomware Strikes Saudi Real Estate Firm, Leaks 6TB of Data

The notorious DragonForce ransomware has recently targeted a real estate and construction company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resulting in significant data theft and encryption. After the firm refused to pay the demanded ransom, cybercriminals released a portion of the stolen 6TB of data on a specialized leak site for financial gain.

US-based cybersecurity firm Resecurity was the first to confirm the attack, revealing that a ransomware-as-a-service group was behind the incident. The attack took place just days before the start of Ramadan, a sacred period for the global Muslim community, adding an extra layer of complexity to the cyberattack.

Over 3 Billion Passwords Stolen by Infostealer Malware

In another alarming cybersecurity breach, KELA, a threat intelligence firm, has reported that infostealer malware has successfully stolen over 3.9 billion password credentials. These stolen credentials, which are extracted from millions of infected devices, have raised significant concerns due to the high potential for phishing and brute-force attacks in the future.

Infostealer malware is a type of surveillance tool that secretly infiltrates devices and collects sensitive data, including login credentials, financial information, personal messages, photos, videos, and more. This bulk data exfiltration makes infostealers particularly dangerous, as they can evade security measures and compromise vast amounts of information quickly.

To protect against such threats, experts recommend deploying endpoint detection and response tools and utilizing multi-factor authentication, which can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

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In episode 406 of the "Smashing Security" podcast, we explore how the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has been hacked to the jaw-dropping tune of $1.5 billion, and we look at what is being done to better defend women and girls' safety online. All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault.
From shadowy Bitcoin exchanges to Interpol’s most wanted, Alexander Vinnik was the alleged kingpin behind BTC-e, a $4bn crypto laundering empire. Learn more about him, and how he became a geopolitical pawn between the US, France, and Russia. Plus! Hear how concert-goers are being warned about a swathe of scams hitting stadiums and arenas around the world. All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the "Smashing Security" podcast by cybersecurity veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault. Plus don't miss our featured interview with Cliff Crosland of Scanner.dev.