Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

In a previous Trustwave SpiderLabs’ blog, we explored how cybercriminals exploit Facebook Messenger chatbots to execute social engineering attacks, deceiving users into falling victim to scams and phishing schemes. These attacks often rely on the perceived legitimacy of automated systems to manipulate users into sharing sensitive information.

Secondary education has always been a luxury, but only recently has it become expensive enough to require loans. Thankfully, students looking to avoid indebtedness have some options available—the best of which are scholarships. Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded yearly, granting billions of dollars in funding to in-need students and families.

As a former black hat hacker, social engineering and phishing concepts are not new to me. I have used these techniques in my previous life, so I know their effectiveness. Having spent years immersed in the intricacies of social engineering, I’m always looking for new twists on this age-old technique.

Read also: Major hacking forums seized in an international police op, British trio running the OTP.Agency vishing service sentenced, and more.

Investment scams are a growing problem. Modern cybercriminals are increasingly using this technique to swindle money out of unsuspecting victims. It’s easy to understand why: investment scams are remarkably effective. Research from Barclays even found that they accounted for a staggering 33% of all money lost to scammers in 2023. It’s clear then that many people don’t know how to identify an investment scam.

A KnowBe4 Threat Lab Publication Authors: Jeewan Singh Jalal, Anand Bodke, and Martin Kraemer Executive Summary The KnowBe4 Threat Lab analyzed a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting multiple organizations to harvest Microsoft credentials. Threat actors utilized a compromised domain, its subdomains, bulk email services, and open redirect vulnerability to evade detection and increase click success rates.

Drivers across the U.S. are being bombarded with fraudulent text messages claiming to come from toll operators like E-ZPass. These messages threaten fines for unpaid toll fees and aim to steal personal and financial information. Security experts warn that these scams are becoming more sophisticated, driven by new phishing tools developed and sold in China.