Avast Cybersecurity News

Have you found yourself scrolling through Shein’s endless feed of trendy clothes and asking yourself, “Is it safe to buy from here?” You’re not alone.  

A thoughtful friend gifted me a gimbal for my phone. A gimbal is a special handle with a gyroscopic motor that takes your mobile filming to the next…you know what, it’s not important.  

How many times you’ve clicked the “I’m not a robot” CAPTCHA checkbox without a second thought? We’ve all done it … countless times. It’s such a familiar step that we don’t question it. And, cybercriminals have taken note of that.  

Who wants a free phone or gift cards? Perhaps a free vacation? It’s easy to understand the allure of giveaways on social media. But here’s the catch: not all giveaways are real. Fake giveaways are one of the many traps scammers use to steal your personal data, money, or even gain access to your accounts.

The holiday season often brings the excitement of receiving or gifting the latest tech gadgets, from smartphones to laptops and internet-connected devices. The thrill of starting with a brand-new device, free from smudges and clutter, is unmatched.  

Need to do some last-minute shopping for the holidays? Found a cool shop with great deals? Check it once, check it twice. Make sure you’re buying from a legitimate online store.

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.