As people continue to work from home, shop, bank and stay connected online during the pandemic, hackers continue to try and infect their devices with identity stealing malware. The surge in communications and an increase in the digitalization of businesses have increased the risk of cyberattacks. As a result, the global identity theft protection services market grew from $8.94 billion USD in 2020 to $10.11 billion in 2021. This number is projected to grow to $24.90 in 2028 a

A new JavaScript downloader has been discovered by hP Wolf Security. This new malware, named it RATDispense is being used to distribute eight different kinds of remote access Trojan (RAT) malware and information stealing malware in order to gain backdoor control of infected Windows devices, as well as steal usernames, passwords and other sensitive data. The malware is being delivered via phishing email attacks posing as a product order. Clicking the malicious file will run t

A Keylogger does exactly what the name states, it captures every keystroke typed on a computer or mobile device and transmits that stolen information to a remote server controlled by the hackers. Zero-day Keyloggers are extremely effective malware, capable of evading detection by nearly all anti-virus programs and the most advanced firewalls. Along with spyware, they were ranked as the highest threat by the Global Threat Intelligence Report. Keyloggers have been implicated i

Many breaches begin with a Keylogger installed on an outside device logging into the larger enterprise. In the case of the big Target hack, an HVAC contractor fell victim to a phishing attack in which a Keylogger was installed. The hacker was able to steal the HVAC’s network credentials as they logged into Target’s systems to monitor retail store temperatures. From there, cybercriminals were able to gain further access deeper into Target’s network and enter their payment syst

Since the onset of the pandemic, cybercriminals are leveraging the vast number of employee’s working from home to plant zero-day malware, most commonly keyloggers used steal credentials and other personal information. When workers were sent outside the normal work environment, managing devices, patching and securing their devices became a much more difficult challenge. Unmanaged devices accessing a corporate network will deliver a higher risk of stolen sensitive data, includi

U.S. employers are proactively expanding their benefits to better meet the needs of a diverse workforce. Financial Institutions can do the same for their valued customers. •More than 50% of employees believe their employer should provide identity theft protection plans as an option within their benefit offerings. – Business Wire •As more companies embrace remote work, employers planning to offer Identity theft protection in the coming years has increased by 25%. – Willis Wat

Consumers are increasingly relying on digital channels to conduct their banking and payments activities. In an ongoing review, customer administration and security were the two most vital variables customers refer to when remaining with their current financial institution or relocating to another one. FI customer’s attitude towards security: • Among consumers who discovered a fraudulent wire transfer of funds on their account, 40% moved all of their accounts to another FI.

With recent large data breaches in the news such as T-Mobile, which exposed over 50 million current and past customer's names, address, driver's license numbers, birthdates and social security numbers, it's no wonder experts now say that at some point all Americans have already had their personal information stolen. In 2020, the total number of records compromised exceeded 37 billion, a 141% increase compared to 2019. Getting hacked in a data breach is nearly impossible to av

Two of the most common financial crimes, identity theft and credit card fraud skyrocketed in 2020. Part of the growth was due to the pandemic. There were 323,920 reports of COVID-19 fraud last year. That number doesn't seem to be slowing down, as the pandemic also caused specific types of fraud to become more common. Government benefits fraud, in particular, grew as criminals stole stimulus checks and unemployment benefits. Healthcare fraud has also increased dramatically dur

With 3,950 confirmed data breaches in 2020, we’ve outlined some of the most recent and impactful security breaches of the year. This data indicates the widespread impact data breaches are having on compromising sensitive information. 1. Microsoft – 250 million records On January 22, Microsoft disclosed a data breach that took place December 2019. According to ZDNet, the servers contained 250 million entries, with information such as email addresses, IP addresses, and support

Cybercriminals were out in full force this past year using fear of the coronavirus and reduced security to prey on consumers and people working from home. As a result, identity theft losses climbed to $56 billion in 2020, up from $16 billion the prior year. This increase has largely been driven by account fraud. Below are the three types of account fraud you should be aware of: Account Takeover (ATO): ATO fraud occurs when a cyber thief takes control of a legitimate account t

Cybercriminals were out in full force this past year using fear of the coronavirus and reduced security to prey on consumers and people working from home. As a result, identity theft losses climbed to $56 billion in 2020, up from $16 billion the prior year. This increase has largely been driven by account fraud. Below are the three types of account fraud you should be aware of: Account Takeover (ATO): ATO fraud occurs when a cyber thief takes control of a legitimate account t

As digital activity soared in the U.S. in 2020, cybercriminals pounced on opportunities to hack a large group of victims at once. Exerts say there has never been a better time to guard your personal information with an identity protection plan. Below are some alarming findings in 2020: By the second qtr of 2020, the number of records exposed containing personal identifiable information in 2020 was more than 4x higher than any previously reported period. Identity theft is th

As digital activity soared in the U.S. in 2020, cybercriminals pounced on opportunities to hack a large group of victims at once. Experts say there has never been a better time to guard your personal information with an identity protection plan. Below are some alarming findings in 2020: By the second quarter, the number of records exposed containing personal identifiable information in 2020 was more than 4x higher than any previously reported period. Identity theft is the m

In the past year, remote-collaboration platforms such as Teams and Zoom have become the go-to tools for information and file sharing. According to a recent report, The Veritas Hidden Threat of Business Collaboration, employees are spending, on average, two and a half hours every day on these applications, with 27% of US employees spending more than half the working week on these tools. According to the report, which polled 12,500 office workers across ten countries, it wa

The new 2021 Identity Fraud Study, released today by Javelin Strategy & Research, part of the Escalent family, revealed that total combined fraud losses climbed to $56 billion in 2020. This is bg climb from 2019, when the losses were reported as $16 million. What drove the identity fraud numbers to escalate? The pandemic has opened up a lot of new avenues for fraud. Changes in consumer behavior, including the way people bank and shop created new opportunity for fraudsters.

In the past year, remote-collaboration platforms such as Teams and Zoom have become the go-to tools for information and file sharing. According to a recent report, The Veritas Hidden Threat of Business Collaboration, employees are spending, on average, two and a half hours every day on these applications, with 27% of US employees spending more than half the working week on these tools. According to the report, which polled 12,500 office workers across ten countries, it wa

States are being flooded with new fraud cases as cybercriminals scammers steal billions of dollars from pandemic-related unemployment services and making thousands of Americans victims of identity theft. Fraudsters, have purchased stolen personal identifying information on the dark web stemming from a previous data breach. Next, they use the stolen data to enter phony unemployment claims and directing the funds into their own bank accounts. The U.S. Justice Department is inv

In the past year, remote-collaboration platforms such as Teams and Zoom have become the go-to tools for information and file sharing. According to a recent report, The Veritas Hidden Threat of Business Collaboration, employees are spending, on average, two and a half hours every day on these applications, with 27% of US employees spending more than half the working week on these tools. According to the report, which polled 12,500 office workers across ten countries, it wa

States are being flooded with new fraud cases as cybercriminals scammers steal billions of dollars from pandemic-related unemployment services and making thousands of Americans victims of identity theft. Fraudsters, have purchased stolen personal identifying information on the dark web stemming from a previous data breach. Next, they use the stolen data to enter phony unemployment claims and directing the funds into their own bank accounts. The U.S. Justice Department is inv