'Sponsored' ads linked to scams
Those sponsored ads you see at the top of your Google search results may actually be sponsoring cybercriminals.
A report from cybersecurity company Malwarebytes says there’s been a significant increase in cybercriminals compromising Google’s algorithms to get a “sponsored” tag for fake ads purporting to come from real companies such as Walmart, Disney and Apple. Clicking the links could result in dangerous malware being downloaded to your device.
Google is aware of the problem and says its “rapid-response enforcement teams” have blocked and removed billions of fake ad accounts. But the scammers are elusive. The cybercriminals typically use a specific sponsored ad campaign only once, with Malwarebytes noting that hackers simply “spin up the next one and so on.”
Temu, Block Blast top free downloads
Temu was 2024’s most downloaded free iOS app, according to Apple. Temu, a China-based online retailer that debuted in the United States just two years ago and competes with Amazon and Walmart, is especially popular with teens and young adults. Threads, TikTok and ChatGPT were the next most popular free apps in 2024. Block Blast was the most downloaded free game, followed by Monopoly Go, Roblox and Call of Duty: Warzone.
Party crasher
Before the ball drops at midnight in Times Square, the hammer may drop on noisy parties. Airbnb says it is rolling out “anti-party technology” that uses machine learning “to identify and block potentially higher-risk bookings” among potential renters. The short-term home rental service says it uses several screening factors, including some restrictions on full-house reservations of 1-3 nights around New Year’s Eve.
North Korea blamed for crypto crimes
North Korea-linked hackers stole a record $1.3 billion from cryptocurrency platforms this year, showcasing rising capabilities that researchers say threaten U.S. national security, according to Chainalysis. The blockchain analytics company said digital thieves linked to North Korea are responsible for more than half of the total $2.2 billion stolen from crypto platforms in 2024. —BLOOMBERG NEWS
