Purchasing LifeLock, Identity Guard or IdentityForce via links from our site earn us a commission and supports our efforts. Thank You!

Identity Theft Labs

Security

Will Vapers’ Cybersecurity Go Up In Smoke?

A short while back, the mainstream media picked up on an anecdote posted on Reddit about a malware infection that was traced back to an e-cigarette charger. Like many devices nowadays, the batteries inside e-cigarettes can be powered up and charge through a computer via USB port. Is this an actual threat to a person’s security or just an online post that the media sensationalized?

Unless the device you are plugging into the USB has the ability to store data, such as a smart phone or a flash drive, it is usually safe to assume that the device you’re charging has no effect on your computer whatsoever. With that said, hackers could modify e-cigarettes with the ability to hold data, but that would be an elaborate process that could only infect a handful of PCs at a time. Bottom line, vapers should be safe but alert. The likelihood of malware infection via e-cigarettes is unlikey, but not impossible. For more on this story, click here:: Should vapers fear malware-laced e-cigarettes?
[sc:mbtc]

Cybersecurity Teams’ Most Wanted

When it comes to cybersecurity, prevention is key. The best way to prevent malware from infecting a network is to know it. “Know thy enemy” and all that. So what are the biggest malware threats currently?

BlackEnergy specializes in DDoS attacks, bank scams, and spam that collects data off the target’s hard drives. Dyreza using browser hooking to interrupt traffic flow between a user’s device and their target website to obtain user credentials for banking and financial sites. Crowti is usually downloaded by other malware via email attachment to encrypt a target’s files to hold your data ransom. These are but a few enemies cybersecurity experts and we need to be aware of. For a more detailed article with other threats to learn about, click here:: Today’s Top 5 Malware Threats
[sc:mbtc]

DoubleDirect Creates Double Trouble For iOS and Android Users

Researchers have recently uncovered a new form of “Man-in-the-Middle” (MitM) attack on iOS or Android devices. “DoubleDirect” allows hackers to redirect a victim’s web traffic to their own device to steal the victim’s personal data and can also deliver malware to the target’s mobile device. For a full article on this attack, click here:: DoubleDirect MitM Attack Targets Android, iOS and OS X Users