Security News Malwarebytes Labs: A week in security

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (July 6 – July 12)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• This new Windows malware can take over your PC and wipe it clean
• How mule betting scams recruit ordinary people
• Two Chrome updates in two days fix critical vulnerabilities
• How World Cup crypto prediction sites take your money
• 6.9 million driver’s license numbers stolen from AssuranceAmerica
• Microsoft fixes RoguePlanet zero-day in Defender
• Turn off this Meta setting before someone generates AI images of you
• Your next car could be watching your face
• How the Reddit and Discord false report scam steals accounts
• Fake Netflix, Coca-Cola, and FIFA job scams target marketers
• Claude Code’s hidden tracker was an “experiment,” says Anthropic
• Scammers are using AI to sell impossible flowers
• How to tell if an image is AI-generated
• Choose your WhatsApp username carefully
• NetNut botnet takes a hit. Don’t be part of the next one.

A week in security (July 6 - July 12)

A list of topics we covered in the week of July 6 to July 12 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (July 13 – July 19)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• Shark vacuum flaw exposes cameras, home maps and Wi-Fi passwords
• How to use GitHub safely
• The backlash against Flock cameras is spreading
• Security updates available for Adobe, Chrome, Firefox, VMWare, and Zoom
• Samsung backs down on threat to delete health data
• Claude for Chrome flaw could let rogue extensions access your Gmail
• July 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 622 Microsoft CVEs, including three zero-days
• This fake Apple app can unlock your Mac’s password vault
• Warning: Scammers are using FaceTime to empty bank accounts
• The inside job that cost ransomware victims millions
• Trusting your kids online isn’t enough (Lock and Code S07E14)
• Ghostcommit attack hides malicious AI instructions in images
• Fake crypto gift card sites are getting harder to spot

Stay safe!

A week in security (July 13 - July 19)

A list of topics we covered in the week of July 13 to July 19 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (July 20 – July 26)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• Don’t get fooled by TikTok resin art scams
• Call of Duty Mobile scam uses fake free points to steal player accounts
• OpenAI’s agent escaped its sandbox during a security test
• Google wants to store a selfie video of your face
• Beyond the Play Store: How Android threats really spread
• Millions of cars could be tracked and unlocked by a hidden security flaw
• WhatsApp Web chats exposed by Adobe’s Acrobat extension flaw
• Chick-fil-A loyalty accounts hijacked using stolen passwords
• Paidwork breach exposes data of 23 million users: Check if you’re affected
• What happens if you visit a WordPress site hacked through wp2shell?
• New ClickLock Stealer locks your Mac until you hand over your password
• Don’t trust that “FBI agent” in your DMs
• AI nudify apps spark legal scrutiny of Apple and Google’s profits
• The Odyssey piracy scams appear within hours of the movie’s release
• Healthcare giant Abbott probes two cyber incidents amid extortion claims
• Fake games spread stealers with RenPy Loader, MSBuild and EtherHiding

Stay safe!

A week in security (July 20 - July 26)

A list of topics we covered in the week of July 20 to July 26 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (July 27 – August 2)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• Fake Fortnite rewards are stealing players’ accounts
• Fake Flash Player installs AtlasRAT
• Malwarebytes for Windows, now available on the Microsoft Store
• Hims & Hers sued over alleged health data privacy failures
• Hidden prompt turns Microsoft Copilot into an AI worm
• Apple accused of letting fake crypto app steal $1.8 million
• Buying TikTok views or followers? Here’s what you’re really getting
• AI robocalls: Why caller ID is still lying to you
• OpenAI explains how its AI agent breached Hugging Face
• We found 120 fake Walmart stores trying to steal your credit card
• We rebuilt Malwarebytes Mobile Security for the scams of today
• Shared Claude chats were searchable on Google
• Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac to fix Apple security holes
• Vatican’s Click To Pray app exposed personal data from 700,000 users
• Aftercall ads are driving Android users crazy
• Sextortion scammers are exploiting ShinyHunters data leaks
• What’s your data worth on the dark web? (Lock and Code S07E15)

Stay safe!

A week in security (July 27 - August 2)

A list of topics we covered in the week of July 27 to August 2 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (August 3 – August 9)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• AI chat bots are sliding into League of Legends friend requests
• Meta ordered to pay $942 million over harm to children
• Apple WebKit vulnerabilities reveal your IP address, despite Private Relay
• Scammers target OnlyFans users with deepfakes
• Amazon and Apple impersonated in “$149.99 unauthorized charge” scam
• Anthropic’s Mythos AI used social engineering to target real people
• Google’s synchronized passkeys can be stolen in “Pass‑ta‑key” attacks
• Junk Cleaner clears the clutter from your Android
• Apple battles it out again with the UK over encrypted iCloud access
• Travelers targeted when logging into hotel Wi-Fi networks
• Online backlash ends in Google rolling back Google Earth AI tool after a day
• WhatsApp account takeover scam asks you to “vote for my friend”
• “Adult TikTok” searches lead to scams
• The AI Act kicks into action, forces companies to be clear about AI chatbots
• Californians can tell data brokers to DROP their information

Stay safe!

A week in security (August 3 - August 9)

A list of topics we covered in the week of August 3 to August 9 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (August 10 – August 16)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

• Apple now uses iPhone alerts for targets of mercenary spyware
• WhatsApp is testing a new warning for scam messages
• New Android malware lets criminals use your bank card in real time
• Parents take on Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap in 3,000 youth safety lawsuits
• “Zoomsday” flaws could let one Zoom participant attack another
• Patch Tuesday: Update now to fix 421 flaws, including three zero-days
• Fake CCleaner installs GhostDesk Chrome spyware
• Valve warns Steam hardware buyers: Expect fake delivery scams
• Social media platforms crack down on drone factory recruiting game
• Sexual predators targeting online accounts for intimate images, FBI warns
• Love/hate relationship: The AI affair. Young people love AI, but it’s breaking their trust
• Watch out for fake TikTok Shops trying to steal your money
• Fake popular sites offer a free app, instead take over PCs
• How to fake a data trail (and maybe lower prices) (Lock and Code S07E16)
• New turnkey kit makes it easy for anyone to become a scammer
• Edge is dropping older extensions, affecting popular privacy tools

A week in security (August 10 - August 16)

A list of topics we covered in the week of August 10 to August 16 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Still have a soft spot for MB, the fact they still honor lifetime licenses is commendable. And they seem to have improved protection, they sorely need too

I do love MB. But with all honesty, they should have stayed as a second-opinion scanner. I know protection has improved, but for some reason it never felt like a fully-fledged suite. Web protection is its strongest component.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (August 17 – August 23):

• Zombie Card: An expired Visa credit card can be used for purchases
• Medical records, SSNs, and bank details exposed in CareCloud data breach
• ChatGPT for Teens tackles risky chats and homework shortcuts
• Twitch wants your content for Amazon AI training. Here’s how to opt out
• Your Mac already has a built-in firewall. Here’s how to get more from it
• 9 million images of people’s faces exposed by reverse lookup service
• 41 deceptive download sites show a real link, then send you somewhere else
• Sideloading on Android: What it is, why it’s risky, and how to do it more safely
• Scammers are using fake crypto AML checkers to drain your wallet
• Update Chrome now: Two critical vulnerabilities fixed
• Your polite reply to that text is worth $2 on the dark web
• Apple fixes another image-processing flaw that could allow code execution
• Be careful what you put in “anyone with the link” Google Docs
• Heights Finance data breach: What customers need to know
• ShieldBreak bypasses Microsoft’s patch for earlier Defender flaw
• Fake TikTok rewards promise cash you’ll never get
• Update your Mac: Screen Sharing vulnerability exploited in the wild
• Why Facebook’s war on ad blockers could help scammers

A week in security (August 17 - August 23)

A list of topics we covered in the week of August 17 to August 23 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (August 24 – August 30)

• Protect your WhatsApp account with new passkey and 2FA upgrades
• The AI agent swarm that attacked Hugging Face is a warning for the future
• Flock wants privacy to meet surveillance halfway
• Fake listings can turn trusted platforms into scam springboards
• Fake Apple Pay charge brings the classic tech support scam to your phone
• New Instagram and Facebook rules set a default two-hour limit for teens
• Update Chrome before you browse again
• Popular school apps may be sharing student data with advertisers
• Beware of fake Indeed interview apps used to install spyware
• Grok fooled into stealing user chat, location data, and more
• GTA 6 leak hunt could expose data belonging to thousands of Discord users
• TikTok phishing: How to spot fake login and verification pages
• Fake GTA 6 Extended Look and demo sites deliver an infostealer
• Fake Microsoft security scans trick victims into uninstalling their antivirus
• What happens to your data when you die? (Lock and Code S07E17)
• AliExpress caught using silent audio to fingerprint visitors’ browsers
• ToxicPanda 2.0 can take over your Android phone and banking apps
• Tracking PavinLoader across ClickFix and fake download campaigns

A week in security (August 24 - August 30)

A list of topics we covered in the week of August 24 to August 30 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (August 31 – September 6)

• The hidden work of modernizing Malwarebytes
• X Money rollout linked to password-reset attacks
• Free streaming boxes may be routing criminal traffic through your home
• StreamRat Android malware spreads through Meta and TikTok ads
• Your phone or computer may soon ask how old you are
• Tech support scams look different now. Here’s what to watch for
• Scammers are getting smarter about where they target you
• Two critical Chrome flaws put users at risk on malicious websites
• 153M+ driver’s licenses for sale on new dark web platform
• Your AI chats could be used in court
• Fake GTA 6 leaked copy drains your crypto wallet
• TerminalFix looks like ClickFix, but delivers a very different payload
• Infostealers are hijacking Claude accounts at users’ expense
• McKesson confirms cyber incident after ShinyHunters claims patient-data theft

A week in security (August 31 - September 6)

A list of topics we covered in the week of August 31 to September 6 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Fake GTA6 copy is pretty smart targeting. Have to give them credit for that.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (September 7 – September 13)

• Crypto customers targeted by scammers after email marketing provider breach
• Android malware creates a hidden copy of your banking app
• BlueMoon exploit kit turns Chrome and Windows flaws into attacks
• Will AI kill us all within the next decade?
• Update Chrome now to protect against an actively exploited vulnerability
• Copyright scammers get Instagram accounts suspended and demand payment
• More than 100,000 fake stores are out to steal your card details
• Microsoft fixes record 964 flaws, including 2 exploited zero-days
• The push to stop algorithms controlling social media feeds has begun
• Grindr settles HIV status data-sharing lawsuit for $35 million
• MikroTik router flaws allow takeover without a password
• Loyalty points fraud is funding hacker holidays (Lock and Code S07E18)
• LG TV flaws could let attackers listen in, even in standby mode
• Flirty OnlyFans promoters on X may be using AI to appear human

A week in security (September 7 - September 13)

A list of topics we covered in the week of September 7 to September 13 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (September 14 – September 20)

• New Android malware uses AI to steal bank logins and PINs
• Did an AI really try to break free from human control?
• Fake parcel delivery messages steal your card and bank details
• Flock cameras are tracking people as well as cars
• Revolut phishing texts appear days after data breach
• 12 celebrity deepfake websites seized by Manhattan DA
• T-Mobile rewards points expiry texts are a phishing scam
• Google Pixel owners urged to patch actively exploited modem flaw
• AI helps scammers build convincing antivirus renewal pages
• How to opt out of AI chatbot training
• HBO Max’s verified Reddit account hijacked to spread malware
• Meta AI builds detailed profiles of children from years of family posts
• Search results are sending people to fake Bitrefill checkouts
• Google’s new search redirects make links harder to check before you click
• Revolut gave customer IDs and financial data to a government impostor

A week in security (September 14 - September 20)

A list of topics we covered in the week of September 14 to September 20 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

A week in security (September 21 – September 27)

• LinkedIn adds new checks for fake profiles and work histories
• Kothamine malware uses Tailscale’s tailcat to evade network detection
• Criminals turn placeholder domain into ClickFix trap
• That shipping rebate offer may come with a monthly charge
• OpenAI agent breached Australian government site, took months to report it
• New Browser Guard features add protection before and after you click
• Update Chrome: 108 security fixes for desktop, new release for Android
• Google’s location data privacy failures draw a €403 million fine
• How device code phishing gives scammers access to your account
• Fake Claude Max giveaway hides a Google account phishing trap
• ShinyHunters claims FBI breach was revenge for “false” report
• Some cheap smart glasses are a security disaster
• Meta’s Muse AI assistant has a zero-day that can turn it into a Mac backdoor
• Researchers used Claude to hack OpenAI
• The AI plot to scan and destroy books (Lock and Code S07E19)
• The fake sites using a cheap toolkit to sell $2,000 AI subscriptions
• Gemini’s breach of real companies exposes an AI guardrail problem
• ShinyHunters hacks rival extortion gang and takes over its dark web site

A week in security (September 21 - September 27)

A list of topics we covered in the week of September 21 to September 27 of 2026

www.malwarebytes.com