Anyone with a PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11 needs to know about a shocking new tactic being used by cybercriminals. According to security experts from Malwarebytes Lab, hackers have found a sneaky way to break into web browsers – via the popular News Feed function – with Windows users being the target of a support scam. fake.
If tricked, the browser will immediately display a pop-up showing an urgent alert that is supposed to be from the Microsoft Defender Security Center.
The message indicates that access to the PC has been blocked due to security issues with the user, then is encouraged to call a number to resolve the problem. After that, anyone who calls the fake hotline will be directed to a scammer who will try and receive a payment to fix the problem.
Of course, there’s no problem in the first place with pop-ups simply being used to scare the victim and get them to hand over their hard earned money.
The attack is currently targeting people using the Microsoft Edge web browser. This software has grown in popularity over the past year so it is a serious problem that can affect millions of users.
Talking about the attack, Malwarebytes Lab said: “We monitored and observed a malicious advertising campaign on the Microsoft Edge News Feed that was used to redirect victims to support phishing pages. The plan is simple and relies on threat actors inserting their ads on Edge’s homepage and trying to lure users in with shocking or bizarre stories.
This scheme is intended to deceive innocent users with fake browser lock pages, which are very well known and used by tech support scammers.”
If you use Edge and notice any strange pop-ups appearing, be on the lookout as it could be a scam. News of this attack comes just days after Microsoft issued another dire warning.
The Redmond company has released an important Windows update – which all users should download – after finding a vulnerability in their popular operating systems that could give cybercriminals complete control. any PC.
The vulnerability is named CVE-2022-37969, has a severity score of 7.8, and Microsoft confirms that “an attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain SYSTEM privileges.”
To make matters worse, the bug was stamped with an official zero-day warning. It means that criminals are aware of this bug and it is currently being used to infect and attack PCs.
Here’s how to make sure your PC is up to date
In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. To manage your preferences and see available updates, select Check for Windows updates. Or select the Start button and then go to Setting > Update & Security > Windows Update.
