2-Spyware
What are you dealing with?
Pop-ups & adwareunwanted ads, push notificationsBrowser hijackerschanged homepage, redirectsRansomwarelocked or encrypted filesTrojans & backdoorshidden remote accessSpyware & keyloggersstolen passwords and dataScam emailsfake invoices, extortion, phishingFake alerts"your PC is infected" pagesRogue anti-spywarefake security tools that pretend to be realSuspicious filesis this .exe or process safe?Unsafe websitescheck a link before you open it
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Data breachesThe Record reports that Russian authorities detained three suspected DataSuckers hackers after a cyberattack on Dodo Pizza exposed customer information. The breach reportedly involved names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, order details and stored passwords. People affected should change any reused passwords and watch their accounts for suspicious activity.
Scam alertsKnowBe4 reports that Microsoft’s disruption of YAM Store, CoGUI and Iron Man exposed a cloud-based impersonation industry behind phishing. Criminals were buying accounts, hosting and templates that mimicked banks, retailers, healthcare providers, police and government agencies, then used fake CAPTCHA screens and live monitoring to capture credentials and payment details.
The post says ordinary users and small offices should not rely only on spotting bad grammar. It recommends phishing-resistant authentication, rapid reporting and training that keeps up with changing social engineering tactics.
Linda HarperThis evening on my Windows 10 laptop, I opened the browser and a little page came up saying my browser was out of date and I needed to install an update right away. It looked a bit odd, so I closed it. Is that the kind of thing I should worry about, or is it just one of those fake messages?
Malware newsThe Hacker News reports that UAT-11985 used fake event invites and malicious QR codes to target people affiliated with Taiwan research organizations. The phishing pages copied Google login screens to steal Google account credentials and MFA codes, so Windows users should be careful with event invitations, avoid scanning unknown QR codes, and check the sender and sign-in page before entering any login details.
Exploited flawsThe Hacker News reports that attackers are abusing a compromised ConnectWise Cloud Backup credential to sign in to Microsoft 365 tenants. ConnectWise has shut off Cloud Backup access while it investigates and says there is no evidence the backup data was compromised. Windows users and small offices using the service should check for the vendor’s guidance, review Microsoft Entra sign-in logs, and watch for unusual access to mail, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams.
Ethan ColeThat’s a good reminder that these marketplace takedowns can take a while to turn into formal charges, even after the site is already offline. On Windows, I always tell people to keep two-step verification on and stay cautious with any login alerts or messages asking for account recovery codes.Malware newsThe Hacker News reports that a malicious npm package called imgdecode is part of the MALFEX campaign targeting Windows systems. The package hides a loader in a Windows native addon and can download encrypted shellcode from GitHub, then inject it into a new dllhost.exe process. Windows users should avoid untrusted npm packages and check what software they install from developer tools and command lines.
Browser securityMicrosoft says the October KB5127648 security update for Windows 11 can stop some users from turning on Smart App Control. On affected devices, the option is grayed out in Windows Security. Microsoft has published temporary registry and Group Policy workarounds, but no permanent fix yet. Users who want this protection should check whether Smart App Control is already on and apply the workaround if needed.
Scam alertsKnowBe4 reports that researchers at ESET found a phishing campaign targeting YouTubers with phony sponsorship offers. The emails are personalized, use fake brand identities and domains, and try to get victims to grant access to their Google accounts. Users should verify sponsorship offers through official channels, check sender domains carefully, and not approve sign-in or access requests they do not recognize.
Data breachesThe Record reports that Anne Arundel County, Maryland, confirmed hackers stole files from government systems during an incident in August. Officials said they found irregular activity on August 28 and later determined an unauthorized actor copied certain files from a limited number of systems. Residents should watch for any breach notices and monitor accounts and records if they get one.
Hannah PriceThat’s a pretty alarming result for a browser issue, especially if it could be chained into something that reaches so many users. I’d be checking for Chrome updates right away and then reading the full write-up here: https://www.2-spyware.com/guide/chrome-security-updates.html
Claire HollowayThat is a worrying direction, especially if AI tools ever get good enough to copy themselves across devices or networks. On a Windows PC, the sensible move is to keep Windows Update on, watch for odd network activity, and disconnect anything suspicious straight away; if you want a simple checklist, see /guides/what-to-do-if-your-windows-pc-is-infected/