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Cyber News Recap: Info Stealers, AI Controversies, and a Cyber Attack Drama

Cyber Crime: The Growing Threat of Info Stealers

A recent study by Hudson Rock has shed light on a growing cybersecurity threat—info stealers. These small malware programs infiltrate systems through infected PDFs, game mods, or pirated software. Once inside, they collect browsing history, autofill data, internal documents, and session cookies—all of which can be sold to cybercriminals for as little as $10.

One alarming example is Honeywell, where a single infected employee unknowingly exposed 56 corporate credentials along with 45 third-party access keys. The U.S. Navy was also affected, leading to potential security breaches in military systems. While a total system cleanout might seem like the best solution, such a move could paralyze organizations for weeks. The cybersecurity community is still searching for a more feasible fix to this ever-growing problem.

Massive Data Leak: Vivifi and the Dangers of Misconfigured Servers

Vivifi, a digital lending app in India, recently suffered a massive data leak due to a misconfigured Amazon AWS server. Over 36 million personal files of loan applicants were exposed. The breach was discovered by Cyber News researchers, and while Vivifi has since taken action, it remains unclear whether cybercriminals accessed the data before it was secured. If they did, affected users might find themselves facing fraudulent loans in their name.

Signal App Targeted by Russia-Aligned Hackers

Cybersecurity expectations for privacy-focused platforms like Signal are high, but recent events have shown even they can be compromised. The Russia-linked hacker group Star Blizzard targeted Signal users by distributing malicious QR codes disguised as group invites or security alerts. Once scanned, these codes allowed hackers to gain full access to a victim's messages.

The attack specifically targeted Ukrainian military personnel, attempting to install additional malware or phishing tools. In response, Signal released a stronger version of its app to block such exploits. However, this incident proves that even the most privacy-conscious services can still be vulnerable.

Fake Esports Streams: A New Cyber Scam

A new cyber scam has been uncovered by Bitdefender researchers, involving hackers who hijack popular YouTube channels and impersonate famous Esports players. These fake streams mimic high-profile tournaments, luring viewers with links to "free rewards." However, clicking these links leads victims to:

  1. Scam pages that steal login credentials
  2. Classic crypto-doubling schemes, where users are promised their payment will be doubled—but, of course, it never is.

This method of cyber fraud has been gaining traction, proving that even the gaming community is not safe from online deception.

North Korea's Largest Crypto Heist Ever

The notorious Lazarus Group, a hacker gang linked to North Korea, has executed one of the biggest crypto heists in history. They targeted Biit Crypto Exchange, stealing $1.5 billion worth of Ethereum.

This surpasses their infamous $600 million hack on Ronin Exchange just three years ago. Unlike previous attacks, this time, the hackers didn’t even bother hiding their tracks, routing funds through wallets already linked to North Korea. Authorities identified them immediately, but by then, the money was gone.

For those wanting to learn more, Cyber News previously released a deep-dive video on North Korean cyberattacks—which, according to them, everyone should watch unless they want to be deported to a North Korean correctional facility.

AI Controversies: China’s DeepSeek Banned Over Data Privacy Concerns

The Chinese AI chatbot "DeepSeek" has been banned in South Korea due to privacy concerns. Investigators found that DeepSeek was secretly sending user data to ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok.

Italy had previously suspended DeepSeek downloads, but this marks the first time actual evidence of illegal data transfers has been uncovered. Meanwhile, OpenAI has banned multiple accounts that were using ChatGPT to spread propaganda and create fake profiles—some of which were linked to North Korean cyber spies.

Netflix's Cyber Attack Drama "Zero Day" Falls Short

Netflix recently released "Zero Day", a cyber-attack thriller starring a retired president trying to uncover a nationwide cyber attack conspiracy. While the premise seemed promising, many cybersecurity experts were underwhelmed.

According to Cyber News journalist Gintaras Rascus, the show starts strong but quickly shifts into political drama and personal conflicts, losing its focus on realistic cybersecurity threats. His recommendation? Skip it and rewatch "Mr. Robot" or "Leave the World Behind" for a more authentic cyber-attack narrative.

Final Thoughts

From info stealers and military data leaks to crypto heists and AI privacy scandals, the cyber world remains as chaotic as ever. As always, staying informed is the best defense against evolving cyber threats.

That’s it for this week's Cyber News Recap. If you found this update helpful, feel free to leave your feedback—because, according to AI host Joe, the more feedback he gets, the less likely you are to be run over by a hacked garbage truck.

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