In this article, we will explore the concept of a honeypot in cybersecurity and how deception honeypot technology is utilized to strengthen digital defenses.

What is a Honeypot and How Does it Work?

If you’re wondering, “What is ReasonLabs?” or “How can it help protect me online?” you’re in the right place. This blog will explore how the new Online Security ReasonLabs application has become one of the best tools for safeguarding social security online, protecting your identity, and ensuring privacy.

What Is the Best Digital Secure App? ReasonLabs Application

In this review, we’ll tell you how RAV Endpoint Protection lives up to its promises and how it compares to some of the competition. 

Is RAV Endpoint Protection Legit?

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and to learn more about consumers’ internet habits and the cybersecurity issues they face, ReasonLabs commissioned a survey of 7,484 consumers across the United States from August 23 - September 4, 2024. The survey results highlight significant online security, privacy, and identity theft issues.

2024 Consumer Cybersecurity Pulse Report

FaceTime is one of Apple’s most cherished apps, offering effortless video calls to iPhones, iPads, and Mac users worldwide. However, FaceTime can occasionally encounter problems such as technical glitches, or UX issues like activation. 

Why Is My FaceTime Not Working? How To Activate FaceTime

If you are a Canadian traveling abroad or someone trying to enhance your privacy and security online, utilizing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a must-do. This article will help walk you through the process of how to get a Canadian IP Address.

How To Get A Canadian IP Address

The word ‘games’ implies fun – but some of these popular online experiences, even those aimed at kids, contain worrying content. Here's what you should be looking out for.

7 Alarming Online Games to Watch Out For

We'll explore effective strategies and tips to help you figure out how to prevent trackers and how to stop being tracked online.

Tired of Being Tracked? How to Stop Being Tracked Online

This blog post will guide you through understanding iMessage, troubleshooting common issues, and teach you how to enable iMessage.

iMessage Not Working? Here's How To Enable iMessage

 In this article, we'll detail how to know if your phone is hacked, what to dial to see if your phone is hacked, describe different signs your phone is hacked, and finally what you should do if your phone is hacked.

What To Dial To See If Your Phone Is Hacked

If you are a Navy Federal Credit Union member and you are wondering how to report Navy Federal credit fraud, read this blog.

How To Report Navy Federal Credit Fraud

This detailed article will dive deep into what is an IP UK address, how to get a UK IP address, how to use a UK IP address, RAV mobile VPN for iPhone, and more. 

How to Get a UK IP Address

If you’re looking for information on how to reprieve AOL Mail, look no further! Retrieving your AOL mail is a straightforward process and for mobile users, AOL also offers an app for Android and iOS devices.

What is AOL? How to Retrieve AOL Mail

Is identity theft protection worth it? Utilizing identity theft protection can provide peace of mind, especially for seniors who may be more susceptible to fraud and online scams. 

What Is The Best Identity Theft Protection For Seniors?

You might be wondering how to get a US IP address, so let’s dive into why you might want one in the first place, what a US IP address look like, how can I get a US IP address, and more. 

How To Get A US IP Address

Mukbang has gained immense popularity across various social media platforms, particularly on video-sharing sites like YouTube, Twitch, and platforms that support live streaming. But what does 'mukbang' and ASMR mean?

What Is Mukbang and ASMR? Effects Of This Social Media Trend

Who doesn’t love a good fishing trip? Go ahead, picture the scene: it’s just you,…

What is Spear Phishing? How to Defend Against Spear Phishing

Identity theft is a growing concern that can have severe consequences for your financial health and personal security - so being able to check if your identity has been stolen is crucial.

How To Check For Identity Theft: 7 Tips For Identity Protection

The csrss.exe Trojan is a type of malware that disguises itself as the legitimate csrss.exe process. Cybercriminals exploit this to hide malicious activities within a process that appears to be a trusted system file. The csrss.exe Trojan can open backdoors, steal sensitive information, and allow unauthorized access to your system.


How To Remove csrss.exe Trojan: A Comprehensive Guide

As Instagram continues to evolve, so do the strategies employed by scammers on Instagram. Staying vigilant and informed is essential in safeguarding yourself from these threats. 

Instagram Scam Messages: How To Avoid Them & Protect Yourself

The svchost.exe process is a fundamental part of the Windows operating system, responsible for running essential services efficiently. However, its importance also makes it a target for cybercriminals who create malware disguised as svchost.exe.

What Is svchost.exe Malware? How To Protect Your System 

The security of your Wi-Fi network is paramount in protecting our data and online behavior. This blog explores the potential vulnerabilities, signs of compromise, and effective strategies to protect your Wi-Fi from unauthorized access.

Can Someone Hack Your Wi-Fi Password? Signs & How To Fix It

Ticketmaster is the latest company to suffer a data breach, leading to compromised customer data.
Discovering that your data has been breached can be a troubling experience, but recognizing the signs early can help you mitigate the damage and take appropriate action.

Latest Data Breach: Were You Affected By Ticketmaster Hack?

Search engines are indispensable tools for accessing information. However, as concerns about online privacy grow, many users are seeking alternatives that prioritize their personal data's security. 

Best Secure Search Engines: How A VPN Can Help

ReasonLabs is proud to be recognized by Virus Bulletin alongside other top-tier security providers for excellence in malware detection and prevention

RAV Endpoint Protection Earns A+ Grade In VB100 Certification

With the allure of new online games and the temptation of obtaining them for free, many young gamers might find themselves downloading pirated software. As a parent, it's crucial to understand the risks associated with this practice and how you can protect your children from potential harm.

Is Your Child Gaming Online? How To Avoid Pirated Software

The Zeus virus, also known as Zbot, is one of the most infamous and persistent malware threats to ever hit the cybersecurity landscape. In this blog, we'll delve into what the Zeus virus is, how it operates, and how you can protect yourself from its harmful effects.

Zeus Virus Detected! The Signs You Need To Know

As the frequency of cyber threats and data breaches in the digital age are rampant, consumers are increasingly concerned about the security of their online activities. Web browser extensions, such as Online Security from ReasonLabs, play a crucial role in empowering users to defend themselves against potential threats and data breaches.

Digital Identity Protection: Why Data Monitoring Is An Important Defense

One often overlooked aspect of digital hygiene is clearing out your Wi-Fi history. In this blog post, we'll explore why you might want to delete your Wi-Fi history, how to do it, and some additional tips for keeping your digital life organized and secure.

Digital Spring Clean! How To Delete Wi-Fi History

While VPNs are commonly associated with desktop computers, their utility extends seamlessly to mobile devices, including Android smartphones and tablets. Using RAV VPN for Android will enhance your online security - find out how!

Best VPN For Android: How To Download RAV VPN 

With the rise of mobile payment platforms like Apple Pay, the ease of sending and receiving money has never been simpler. However, with this convenience also comes the risk of scams and fraudulent activities.

Apple Pay Scams: How To Prevent These Scams

The recent AT&T data breach has underscored the evolving threat landscape and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data, such as the use of the Online Security browser extension. 

AT&T’s Massive Data Breach: All You Need To Know

As one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, Instagram makes it easier than ever to make connections, share experiences, and discover new trends. However, amidst the endless scroll of captivating content lurks the darker world of scams - namely, crypto scams.

How To Recognize Bitcoin Mining Instagram Scams

Restrictions on access to advanced technologies, export control regulations, and concerns about misuse or abuse of AI capabilities can all contribute to limitations on availability of OpenAI. If OpenAI services are not available in your country, there may be a few reasons behind this!

Uh-Oh! Why OpenAI Services Are Not Available In Your Country

Removing hard inquiries from your credit report can be a strategic move to improve your creditworthiness and financial standing.

Secret Ways To Remove Hard Inquiries From Credit Reports Now!

Customer data breaches have become an all-too-common occurrence, posing significant risks to individuals' privacy, financial security, and personal well-being. From large-scale cyberattacks on multinational corporations to targeted phishing schemes aimed at unsuspecting individuals, the dangers of data breaches loom large.

Online Dictionary Data Leak Occurs! What You Need To Know About The Latest Data Breach

The surge in online scams reported by the FBI, and subsequent huge financial losses, reveals the significant threats to consumers' financial security and personal information. But how is this happening? How are malevolent actors managing to get away with so much?

$12.5 Billion Losses From Online Scams! All You Need To Know

Tax identity theft is a serious concern, but with awareness, vigilance, and the right cybersecurity measures, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.

Tax Identity Theft: Protect Yourself from Tax Return Scams & Frauds

It would be nice to believe that giveaway offers on social media platforms are real; however, as with most online ‘too good to be true’ scenarios, this is unfortunately generally not the case. We’ve rounded up some of the most common giveaway scams that occur on the YouTube platform.

Fake YouTube Giveaway Scams: How To Recognize Them!

.msi files are widely used for software distribution and installation due to their standardized format and reliability. While .msi files themselves are not inherently unsafe, they can be manipulated by malicious actors to deliver malware

MSIExec.Exe Files: How To Know If I Can Uninstall Or If It's Safe   

Malicious code refers to specific lines or segments of code within a program or script that are designed to carry out malicious actions e.g. cause harm, exploit vulnerabilities, or compromise the security and functionality of a computer system, network, or device without the knowledge or consent of the user. 

How To Avoid Downloading Malicious Code: Malware Warning!

This January 2024, the ‘Mother of All Breaches’ is making headlines as a ‘supermassive’ data leak, affecting no less than 26 billion leaked data records. It's time to change your passwords and scan your email to check for personal data breaches!

Data Leaked! How To Secure Your Accounts After The "MoAB"

The increasing reliance on the WhatsApp messaging app has brought to light several security concerns that users should be aware of to protect their privacy and data.

WhatsApp Security Issues: Risks & Dangers Hiding In Your Phone!

Java, a versatile programming language, has become an integral part of countless applications and websites. With its widespread use, scammers have seized the opportunity to exploit users through deceptive Java update scams.

Java Update Scam: Is It Safe To Download Or A Fake Virus?

One crucial tool in the arsenal of identity protection is the Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). This unique six-digit number adds an extra layer of security to your identity, helping to prevent unauthorized use of your Social Security Number (SSN) and thwart potential identity theft.

Identity Theft Defense: How To Find My Identity Protection Pin

By preventing data breaches and ensuring secure communication, Endpoint Protection safeguards your sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. 

EPP vs Antivirus: Unmasking the Endpoint Protection You Need

Cyber threats are continually evolving, and one particularly stealthy technique that has gained notoriety is DLL injection. This method allows attackers to compromise the integrity of a system by manipulating dynamic link libraries (DLLs). 

What is DLL Injection Attack? A Hacker's Secret Weapon Exposed

The latest report from ReasonLabs, The Cashback Extension Killer, discusses a set of malicious web extensions disguised as fake VPNs, delivered by a Trojan installer, and distributed through torrent files, that were then live on the Chrome Web Store for months, ultimately affecting over 2 million users! What can we learn from this?

Fake VPNs: How To Prevent Them On Your Device

In the realm of software and digital media, keygens have a notorious reputation. This blog will explore what keygens are, how they work, the associated risks, and how users can navigate the delicate balance between legitimate and illegitimate keygens while safeguarding their cybersecurity.

What Is A Keygen?: How To Safely Activate Software

Rogue security software, often synonymous with fake antivirus, encompasses a broader category of malicious applications that portray themselves as legitimate security tools. This may also be known as ‘rogueware’, ‘rogue antivirus’ or ‘scareware.’

What’s Fake Antivirus & Can It Trigger Rogue Security Software? 

'Weak security’ in the context of Wi-Fi typically refers to vulnerabilities or inadequacies in the security measures implemented to protect a wireless network. The security of a Wi-Fi network is crucial to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and other potential threats. 

Weak Security Wi-Fi? 10 Ways to Strengthen & Fix Security Wi-Fi

The festive season is upon us, bringing joy, warmth, and unfortunately, an increase in holiday scams designed to exploit the goodwill and online shopping frenzy. As you prepare for the festivities, it's crucial to be aware of common scams that could jeopardize your holiday cheer.


12 Scams of Christmas: How To Avoid Holiday Phishing Scams!

Whether you're exploring new websites, chatting on messaging apps, or interacting with AI software like ChatGPT, it's crucial to distinguish between what's real and genuine, and what's fake and possibly malicious. 


How to Recognize Fake ChatGPT & Fake Domains

As businesses and individuals alike host crucial information on web servers, understanding the importance of security for servers and adopting best practices is imperative. In this blog, we'll delve into the realm of web server security and explore its significance, different methods to secure web servers, and the best network security practices to keep your digital fortress robust.


What is Web Server Security? Best Secure Practices To Employ

WhatsApp is a great way to keep in touch with far-off friends and relatives but it also can be a scammer's digital playground.

Coming to a Smartphone Near You! The Latest Round of WhatsApp Scams

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take proactive steps to protect yourself online. With ReasonLabs products by your side, you can navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: How To Empower Your Cybersecurity Journey

Understand the ways in which identity fraud can occur, and the depth to which it can affect the victim.

How Does Identity Theft Happen? Learn to Safeguard Yourself

ReasonLabs’ Revenge of the Unitrix report brings to the fore the latest research on how text tricks can make us run malicious code on our devices.  But what do you as a consumer need to know? Can fonts have viruses? Can font files contain malware and other cybersecurity risks? 

Can Fonts Have Viruses? Cybersecurity: Fonts Dangers To Avoid 

Cybercriminals and hackers constantly seek ways to exploit vulnerabilities in security systems to gain access to sensitive financial information, including credit card numbers.

Credit Card Hacking: How Do People Steal Credit Card Numbers?

Investigate the VBS downloader Trojan VBS:malware-gen detection, and learn how to prevent this malware from attacking your devices. 

What is VBS:Malware-gen?

By actively monitoring your credit card activities and providing alerts, credit card monitoring services enable you to detect and respond to identity theft in its early stages.

What is Credit Monitoring? 6 Pros of Credit Monitoring Services

Find out more about tax identity theft and how you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim.

What is Tax Identity Theft? How You Can Protect Yourself

What is a credit report and what is a credit inquiry? This blog examines both of these subjects, as well as provides some top tips for the removal of hard inquiries on a credit report.

Top Tips For How To Remove Hard Inquiries From Credit Report

Your social security number (SSN) is one of the most crucial pieces of personal information you possess. Unfortunately, it is also a highly sought-after target for identity thieves and fraudsters.

Is It Safe To Text Social Security Numbers? 10 SSN Safety Tips 

ReasonLabs researchers discovered multiple files downloaded to its users’ devices which were supposed to be Super Mario Bros. but were instead files distributing malicious software.

The Super Mario Bros. Pirate

ReasonLabs has developed a new Dark Web Monitoring feature as part of its Online Security Extension. So what is the dark web and how does dark web monitoring software help protect the consumer?

What Is Dark Web Monitoring And Why Should Everyone Use It?

How can Microsoft Office documents be used as cyber threats and what can users do to protect themselves?

Office Documents Are Being Weaponized. How May It Affect You?

Let’s take a look at how and why parental controls can offer added cybersecurity, and why it is so important.

Cyber Safety For Every Member of Your Family

Here are the top cybersecurity trends home users need to know for 2023.

Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2023: What Do Home Users Need To Know?

Here's how Chrome push notifications work and why you need Online Security.

How Do Chrome Push Notifications Work and What Security Risks Are Involved?

Browser Extensions: Will They Boost My Online Experience?

Endpoint Protection: All You Need to Know for Maximum Security

It’s Halloween! Scary Cyber Attacks and How To Avoid Them

It’s almost October – known more fondly in the cybersecurity world as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022: 5 Tips for Consumers

  It’s the last week of the summer holidays, and parents, kids, teens, college students and teachers alike are getting ready to of back to school.

Back to School: 5 Top Cybersecurity Tips at this Busy Time

Filters, Protects, Blocks: 3 Ways A DNS Ensures Safer Online Experience

Here are out top tips for keeping you and your kids cyber safe on this World Social Media Day.

6 Top Tips for Staying Cyber Safe on World Social Media Day

Betcha didn’t know it, but June is Internet Safety Month. You probably missed that section in…

June is Internet Safety Month; How Safe are Your Kids on Social Media?

Most of us don’t realize just how easy and common it is for hackers to…

Why Webcam And Mic Protection Is A Must-Have

Technology keeps changing our lives — in most cases for the better, but in some…

Improving Your Cybersecurity Habits: 5 Tips for Digital Hygiene

Spring is here! Bunnies are hopping, birds are chirping – and little colored eggs are…

The Easter Egg Hunt meets Cybersecurity! 3 tips for a Cyber Safe Easter

Having reviewed in depth the cybersecurity threats that have been facing consumers worldwide in our…

Year Of the Miner: Cybersecurity Threats Exposed in ReasonLabs' 2022 Report

  Roses are red,  Violets are blue; Protect your online presence In 2022 Hearts, flowers,…

Love is in the Air! Don’t Let Cybercrime Ruin Your Special Day!

February 3rd is Harry Potter Book Night! Kids and adults around the world are looking…

Harry Potter and the Cybersecurity Solution: Tips to Stay Cyber Safe in 2022!

Data Privacy Day occurs annually on January 28th; it represents an international effort to raise…

How You Can Protect Yourself This Data Privacy Day

News broke last week concerning a Monero mining malware found in a copy of the…

Don't Get Stuck in its Web! How to Combat Spider-Man Mining Malware

 Spider-miner, spider-miner, does whatever a miner can. Mine a coin, spawn a thread, Uses…

Spider-Miner: With Great Power Comes Great Problems!

It’s that time of year again – mulled wine, pine needles, cuddly sweaters, and maybe…

Jingle Bells Are On Their Way! Beware Of These Christmas Scams

With Cyber Monday looming, and ads galore headed our way, we know that we can…

Cyber Monday: The Online Shopper's Dream! But Are You Shopping Securely?

You’ve probably all seen the announcement that October is ‘National CyberSecurity Awareness Month’ – and…

Be Cyber Aware: Where Do You Find the Best Antivirus in Oct 2021?

It’s Halloween this week – a time for people to dress up in scary costumes,…

Don’t Get Spooked: How to Recognize Cyber Demons Before They Find You!

The technology for virtual private networks (VPNs) dates back to 1996 when Microsoft employees created…

VPNs: Who? What? When? Where? Why? And How?

One manifestation of freedom is the privilege to be a small business owner. Freedom and…

Independence Day: Cybersecurity Brings Independence to SMBs

The Personal Rights in Defense and Education (PRIDE) movement has made significant progress in raising…

The LGBTQ Community Faces New Cyber Threats 

Dear Dads, As Father’s Day approaches and you prepare for tasty outdoor barbecues, fun family…

Note to Dad: The Nuts and Bolts of Cybersecurity

The COVID-19 pandemic was not a one-time, over-and-done traumatic experience. It continues to be a…

The COVID-19 Effect: A Surge in Online Retail AND Cyber Attacks

Reason Cybersecurity has joined the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) to improve global cybersecurity in…

ReasonLabs has joined the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA)

No more cookies in our future? In today’s digital world, data is the mainstay of…

No More Cookies in our Future?

Mother’s Day is one of the most popular holidays of the year and the second…

What NOT to Give Your Mom on Mother's Day

Cyber-attacks against insurance companies are growing exponentially; so is the damage they’re causing. Furthermore, because…

Why are Cybercriminals Eyeing Insurance Companies?

You may not have known, but September 15th is _**National Online Learning Day**_. Nowadays, it seems like everything has its own “day”. There is even a day dedicated to Pancakes (September 26th, get your maple syrup ready) and apparently, May 15 is “No Dirty Dishes Day”. But before you laugh off National Online Learning Day as insignificant, think about the following statistics: currently, there are over 6 million people in the US taking courses online, companies that provide employees with online training see revenue increases of 26%, and the size of the online learning marketplace is 165 billion dollars. Clearly, online learning is a force to be reckoned with.  
Online learning has helped millions of people get higher-paying jobs, learn new skills and increase their knowledge. The truth is that the possibilities for educating yourself are almost limitless and the opportunities we have today are unprecedented. Right now, your ten-year-old could be learning astronomy on Khan Academy while you explore R Programming at Edx and your mom learns to play the saxophone on Udemy. Some of these programs offer standalone courses and others offer full-out degrees and certifications.  
And then, a handful of them are outright scams.

**Pie in the sky**   
Sure, you might be intrigued by promises of that easy BA or skills that will send your paycheck into the stratosphere, but when something seems too good to be true, it’s probably not true.  
Before the internet, non-classroom based learning was called distance learning. And even then, while programs were legitimate, some were flat-out scams. Back in the 1970s, there was [Famous Writers School](http://mentalfloss.com/article/64671/famous-writer-who-brought-down-famous-writers-school), led by some of the most famous writers of that time, including Rod Serling, creator of the Twilight Zone and Gordon Carroll, editor of Reader’s Digest. Ads for the school promised budding authors (and anyone with a pulse) fame and fortune, with just an enrollment fee of $900 (approx $6000 today). At its height, the school raked in millions of dollars annually until it was exposed as a complete fraud.  
The more things change, the more they stay the same.    
Today, there are online “universities”, or diploma mills, promising degrees in less than a month. They come with highly misleading names, like Harvard College and Columbia State University and claim to offer diplomas based on life experience and unaccredited tests and coursework. There are hundreds of these fraudulent degree programs, charging between $500-2500 per fake degree. And they continue to lure in students/victims who don’t know the warning signs to watch out for. So if you’re interested in enhancing your skills but aren’t interested in plunking down your hard-earned cash on a worthless piece of paper, here is what to look out for:

*   **Less than clear-cut accreditation status:** If the school is located in the US, the first thing to do is to check out it’s recognized by the US Education Department. If not, that’s a huge red flag.
*   **Promises of degrees/diplomas/certificates in record-setting time:** Any program that claims to be able to furnish a degree in a matter of days/weeks is bogus.
*   **Degrees based mainly on “life experience”:** Sorry, nobody is going to award you with a Masters in Psychology, no matter how many hours you’ve spent trying to reason with your kids.
*   **Oddly familiar names:** Case in point, the aforementioned Columbia State University.
*   **Shady websites:** If you cannot find the information you need on a program’s website, such as a list of faculty members, their address or student resources, run in the opposite direction.
*   **Low/no admission criteria:** Like in the Famous Writers School scandal, if the school admits just about everyone, you can be fairly certain that things are not what they seem.

But don’t fret; if you have your heart set on learning something new today, there are some completely amazing online learning programs offering a range of services from stand-alone courses to full degrees. Here are some of the best programs out there:

*   **[Udemy](https://www.udemy.com)** – One of the largest libraries of online courses, you can find classes on virtually any topic you can think of.
*   **[Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org)** – This non-profit educational organization offers classes in the form of YouTube videos on a range of subjects and provides teachers with supplemental resources.
*   **[Codecademy](https://www.codecademy.com)** – Learn how to code for free.
*   **[Skillcrush](https://skillcrush.com)** – Learn everything you need to start a career in tech — from design to UX to web development.
*   **[Cybrary](https://www.cybrary.it)** – We especially like this resource, where for free, you can learn everything there is to learn about cybersecurity — from the basics to expert level.

We are lucky to be living in an age where getting an education is not a privilege only granted to a select few, as it was for millennia. But know that it comes with some risks. By using your head, you can stay safe.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_1523639708-scaled.jpg)

You may not have known, but September 15th is National Online Learning Day. Nowadays, it…

shutterstock_1523639708-scaled.jpg

Watch out for online learning scams!

Which is worse: getting hit with crypto mining malware or falling prey to ransomware? with the new version of a relatively older trojan named Rakhni, you don’t have to wonder — because it delivers both. The exploit, which was first discovered in 2013, has gotten a fair number of technical enhancements over its long journey. It started out as an early entry in the world of money-sucking ransomware variants and while Rakhni has been laying pretty low for the last five years, now it’s back.  

## Back and better than ever?

A new version of the variant has been spotted not only dishing out file-encrypting ransomware, but it also has a coin mining aspect as well. The interesting thing about Rakhni is that it’s set up to deliver ransomware to some of its victims and the other, just as an unlucky portion will be blessed with crypto-mining malware. It’s almost as if the creators couldn’t decide what if they wanted to be in the malicious crypto mining business or in the ransomware-o-sphere, so they decided to pursue both options.  

A typical infection scenario goes like this: You get a phishing email that contains a malicious word DOCX file attachment, supposedly containing important financial information. If you open the attachment (which by now, we _really really_ hope you won’t), it will try to run an EXE file and will ask you to enable macros. If for some reason you do allow the macros to be enabled (again, something you should never do), the malicious code will scan your computer and one of two things will happen; if it sees a file called “Bitcoin”, which would imply that you have a Bitcoin wallet already and understand how to obtain cryptocurrency, it will begin to run as a ransomware. 

When this happens, a ransom note pops up, informing you that if you try to use a decryptor, your files will be corrupted. (In a positive twist of fate, there actually are decryptors than are able to undo the encryption. Clearly, Rakhni’s developers don’t want you to know that part, again illustrating that perhaps these guys aren’t the sharpest malware creators in the box, if you know what we mean.) If it doesn’t see any file with that name, it will begin to run the crypto mining module. It typically mines Monero, Monero Original, and Dashcoin, all of which are less resource heavy in terms of mining than Bitcoins and are far more privacy-minded than Bitcoin in terms of traceability.

## Rakhni and it’s odd ways
It’s anybody’s guess as to why the developers would choose to infect those more knowledgeable about cryptocurrencies with ransomware while infecting everyone else with mining malware. The prevelent theory is that someone with a Bitcoin wallet will have an easier time getting the Dash/Monero/Monero Original needed to pay the unlock fee than would someone with less cryptocurrency acumen. To us, that seems a bit far fetched, as cryptocurrency users tend to be more internet-savvy than the general population. Part and parcel of this savviness are having better than average security habits, like having multiple backups, which makes them less likely to pay up.   

Moreover, as we have mentioned elsewhere, malicious crypto-mining is dethroning ransomware as the king of the malware baddies. It takes the same amount of effort to execute both crypto mining exploits and ransomware exploits and both can rake in lots of money. The distinct advantage of crypto mining is that it’s so subtle that owners of infected devices rarely know they have been compromised. In this light, it’s easy to see why most malicious-minded devs out there today are putting their efforts into crypto mining over ransomware ploys. Again, in another demonstration of their apparent lack of forethought, Rakhni’s developers leave us scratching our heads and asking why.  For now, Rakhni is affecting users in Russia, Kazakhstan, India, and Ukraine so chances are you’re not going to get it. But it may spread and regardless, it’s wise to be familiar with trending malware tactics so you can stay one step ahead.  

Further, Rakhni’s split personality disorder may just be a sign of things to come — malware creators are always trying to “up the bar”, finding new ways to burrow their way onto our devices. In the future, all malware may come with dual infection modalities, increasing the chances of successful infiltration. The good thing is that next-gen malware solutions are already defending their users on many levels at once and can easily handle anything that exploits like Rakhni can dish out. So while you needn’t worry about getting hit with this particular exploit, hopefully, you can take a lesson about what makes for effective planning — whatever these guys do, do the opposite.

Which is worse: getting hit with crypto mining malware or falling prey to ransomware? with…

#Malware

Watch out for online learning scams!

Ransomware or crypto mining malware? Rakhni is both!

What NOT to buy for the holidays

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Complete security for your device, privacy and identity.