BleepingComputer reports that malicious browser extensions have targeted nearly 7 million users between January 2022 and June 2022, with adware extensions accounting for almost 70% of all malicious extensions during the same period.
WebSearch, which spoofs document merging utilities, file converters, and other productivity tools, was the most prevalent adware extension during the first six months of 2022, having targeted 876,924 users, according to a report from Kaspersky. Researchers found that aside from tracking users' browsing activity for profiling, the extension also sets the home page of victims' browsers to AliExpress or Farfetch in an effort to collect more funds.
The report also showed AddScript and DealPly as the second and third most popular adware extensions, having targeted 156,698 and 97,525 users, respectively, during the first half of this year.
AddScript has been noted to run videos in the background and boost ad revenue through views on YouTube channels, while DealPly enables automated browser extension injection and new registry key additions after the execution of cracked software, said Kaspersky.
New attacks by Chinese state-backed threat operation Camaro Dragon, which overlaps with Mustang Panda, have involved the novel Go-based TinyNote malware, which creates various persistency tasks to ensure host access despite its lacking sophistication, according to The Hacker News.
News media organizations, academic entities, and think tanks have been warned by U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies regarding the cyberespionage attacks by North Korean state-sponsored hacking operation Kimsuky, also known as TA406 and Thallium, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
The commercial attack tool’s use by bad actors has faded after an initial flurry, while Cobalt Strike remains the go-to post-exploitation tool for many.