Blog Avast

You might have heard of ransomware before—maybe even seen stories of people or businesses getting locked out of their own files unless they pay up. Well, brace yourself because ransomware attacks kept their momentum going from Q2 to Q3/2024, doubling the attacks compared to the previous quarter. That’s right, they’ve become even more common.   

Picture this: you download a harmless-looking app, maybe a phone cleaner or a new browser, only to find your screen bombarded by ads. Irritating, to say the least. 

Oh, the holidays! A time for cheer, a time for joy, a time for … a whole lot of shopping. As gift lists grow, shoppers are hitting the internet in search of the most popular items, hoping to score the perfect deal along the way. 

Phishing is undoubtedly one of the most popular ways for cybercriminals to start a malicious attack, whether they’re looking to steal someone’s identity or distribute malware. Since the emergence of phishing, this attack vector has only been growing — and it doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon. 

Hollywood loves a good thriller—and so do many of us. From Fatal Attraction to You, stalking is a recurring theme that keeps viewers glued to their screens. One of the latest installments in this genre, Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, pulls no punches in showing the terrifying lengths stalkers will go to, be it online or real life.  

If you thought the surface web was the whole internet, think again. The dark web is where things get really strange—and sometimes dangerous. It’s filled with underground websites that aren’t indexed by search engines, and that’s where some of the internet’s most disturbing stories begin.

Welcome, humans and ghouls! It’s your old pal, the Vault Keeper, sneaking into the Avast Security News Team’s office after hours to pull together five uncanny stories filled with deception and dread.

AI has been quite the hot topic this year. It’s no wonder there’s been a lot of discussion, not just about its futuristic potential, but about its impact on the elections.

With elections around the corner, it’s important to stay sharp about when it comes to your political donations. Scammers are taking advantage of the election season, and—as AI continues to advance—it’s becoming trickier to distinguish real requests from fake ones.

Voting for the first time? It’s a big deal, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re excited or just trying to get through it, there are a few things you’ll want to know—not just about casting your vote, but also about keeping your personal information safe while doing it.