Do you use Gmail? If you do, you might have noticed a new addition to…

Encryption; why it should matter to you

Springtime for us means it’s time for none another than…spring cleaning! And if there is…

How to spring clean your PC!

Remember that time that you, channeling your inner diva, began to belt it out on…

The dangers of public WiFi

Chalk it up to the fact that homo sapiens have always had to find new…

Curiosity killed the computer

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that “adware” and “annoying” both start with the letter A, because…

Adware goes rogue

We have written a lot about ransomware in all different forms and incarnations here on…

Ransomware, Ransomware , Everywhere

We’re betting you love your smartphone. It’s okay if you do, because you’re in good…

The Banking Trojan in Your Pocket (or, Why Your Smartphone is Way Less Secure Than you Think it is)

Where were you in 2012? If you were on LinkedIn back then, there’s a good…

Have you Been Pwned in the LinkedIn Data Dump? Here is how to Tell!

Remember how your crazy old Aunt Sally stashed all her money in between mattresses because…

Lessons from the SWIFT Fiasco; Could you be Banking Safer ?

June is upon us and with it comes some of life’s sweet little pleasures –…

The Mega Hacks Cometh!

Invariably, if you use the internet a lot, you probably hear the term “The cloud”…

Are You a Closet-Cloud-Confusee? Understanding The Cloud and What it Means for Your Security

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

June is Internet Safety Month &#8211; How Safe are Your Kids on Social Media?

So if you remember, about two weeks ago we told you about a huge string…

Mark Zuckerberg Gets a Lesson in Password Safety

Boom! Whizz! Bang! Typically, when you think of the Fourth of July, you think about…

The How to Liberate  Your Device From Intruders Guide for the Fourth of July

Wondering what your friend or co-worker is doing, staring at his or her phone, wandering…

Go, Pokemon Go! The Latest Craze that Could Fill your Device with Malware

So not only is Pokemon go the biggest craze ever (seemingly anyway), it also seems…

Privacy in the Age of Pokemon Go!

We are well into the summer and for a whole lot of people that means…

Sure, it's Not Your Fault; But They Got Your CC Info Anyway

We’re finally in the home stretch – In just a few days, school starts up…

8 Essential Back-to-School Cyber Security Tips for a Rockin&#039; (and secure) School Year

Happy National Online Learning Day! Wait, is that even a thing? Well, it is and…

Happy Online Learning Day! (Yup, it&#039;s Really a Thing!)

Here at Reason Software, we are excited to announce the release of Unchecky v1.0. This…

Unchecky v1.0 is Here! Interview with Michael Maltsev

Attention any and all persons weighing 400 pounds or more — Donald Trump thinks you…

Is Cyber Security Worth a Spotlight at the Debates?

Gather ‘round and we’ll tell you a tale (okay, a few tales) of mystery, murder,…

Creepy Tales from the Internet of Things Crypt

As morning hits around the globe, the world is waking up to find out that…

Lessons Learned From the Election Shocker &#8211; Don&#039;t Let Hacks Take You by Surprise

WhatsApp is a great way to keep in touch with far off friends and relatives…

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

For better or for worse, the biggest shopping season of the year has arrived. Now…

The Ultimate &quot;How to Not Get Hacked While Shopping Online&quot;Guide

Oh, Thanksgiving Day. You probably get a warm and fuzzy feeling even before the sugar…

The (Rotten) Gift that Keeps on Giving

As if worrying that your Android might suddenly explode wasn’t enough to worry about. Researchers…

The Gooligan Android Breach &#8211; What you Need to Know

It’s that frosty time of year again, when the days are short and the deals…

16 for 2016 &#8211; Don&#039;t Fall for These Holiday Scams!!

“Um, honey, I think we have a problem. The computer is telling me that all…

Vulnerability of the year: Ransomware

2016 has come and gone and now we can look back at the year that…

A is for Apple, B is for BitCoin &#8211; The Most Noteworthy Data Breaches of 2016

It’s been a full fifteen minutes since you last checked your Facebook account (oh, the…

Fake News Flash &#8211; Think Before you Share!

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

One Phish, Two Phish, Red Phish&#8230;Spear Phish?

Mobile devices have come a long way. We mean a reeeallly long way. In but…

Simple Tips to Spotting Evil Apps

How does the idea of a smart city sound to you? The term might conjure…

The Hidden Dangers in Smart Cities + 5 Bonus Tips to Secure Your IoT Devices

You know the only saying “Nothing is certain but death and taxes”? Seems pretty clear…

5 Tricky Tax Season Scams and How to Avoid Them

When was the last time you went to your bank? If it feels like you’re…

5 Major FinTech Security Concerns You Need to Know About Before You Bank

In honor of Mother’s Day, we thought it would be fitting to take a look…

The amazing mothers of tech

By now, WannaCry is a household name. The ransomware that shocked the world on May…

WannaCry No More? You Better Start Patching

When is adware not just adware? When it’s also malware, of course! Fireball, a new…

Fireball &#8211; the explosive malware heard &#8216;Round the World&#8217;

Imagine this scene: You’re sitting at home one night, happily watching House of Cards on…

Attacks to critical Infrastructures: the next cyber front to worry about

“We pride ourselves on being a leader in managing and protecting data….We also are focused…

Think Your ID was Exposed in the Equifax Breach? Here&#039;s What to do About it

This post has been updated to reflect the current BitCoin to UD Dollar exchange rate,…

Everything You Need to Know About Cryptocurrency

In a recent post, we discussed the basics of cryptocurrency — what it is, how…

The Role of Cryptocurrency In Cyber Crime

Remember the Petya/NotPetya ransomware outbreak from back in June? That was the ransomware that was…

Bad Rabbit: The New Ransomware With Some Famous Cousins

“It’s the most hackable time of the year.”  Oh wait, that’s not how the song…

How to steer clear of Cyber Monday scams

As the holidays draw closer, chances are you’re busy making your gift list and checking…

What NOT to buy for the holidays

Another day, another oddly named malware attack. Last week, researchers from Kaspersky disclosed that they…

ZooPark and Watering Hole Attacks

So now, May 25th has come and gone. If you live in the EU, you’re…

Oh, the irony &#8211; phishers are using GDPR to scam you

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

Ransomware or crypto mining malware? Rakhni is both!

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

Watch out for online learning scams!

Veux-tu Virobot? For the non-francophones among us, what we’re asking is if you’ve heard about…

Virobot: are monster mash-ups the future of ransomware?

January 28th is International Data Privacy Day. If you’re wondering why data privacy needs its…

It&#8217;s Data Privacy Day: What does your camera know about you?

Today, cameras are everywhere — on our phones, our Alexas, baby monitors, desktops, laptops, home…

Webcam hacking &#8211; taking back what’s yours

In spring 2018, a powerful banking Trojan named BackSwap surfaced, targeting online banking users in…

Browser-based threats;  don’t Worry, we’ve got your back

Another day, another major hack. This time around, India-based outsourcing giant Wipro was hit with…

To Scan or Not to Scan; The Proactive Way to Protect Your PC

  Today is Mother’s Day, the day set aside to honor those special women, who…

The 5 Coolest Mother’s Day Tech Gifts You Can Find (and how to secure them!)

Reason is excited to launch Reason for Business, a powerful endpoint security protection solution for…

We Invite You to Join Reason for Business Beta

Cybersecurity breaches only make the headlines when they involve large entities like banks or tech…

Think SMBs Fall Under the Radar as Targets for Cyber Threats? Think Again.

The threat landscape is undeniably becoming more challenging and more menacing every day. It seems…

Reason Download Defender- It’s time to defend your downloads.

While spring cleaning may only come around once a year, PC cleaning needs to happen…

Should I Remove It? It’s cleaning time! How to declutter your PC.

6 tips for celebrating National Online Learning Day and keeping your data safe! Magnifying the…

To learn (online) or not to learn?

Next up on the ‘crazy meter’, and probably the ‘creepy meter’ as well, is the…

What happens when ‘ransomware’ meets ‘crazy’?

Recently, the cryptoblackmail scam, “ScamYourself”, has returned to the market – many usersworldwide have been…

Threat Analysis Report: Save Yourself Malware

The advent of the Internet and Internet-enabled technologies not only ushered in the era of…

Threat Intelligence; A Unifying Force of the Future.

Halloween: Famous SMB Cyber Attacks in Disguise. Halloween normally conjures up images of costumes and…

All Tricks and No Treats.

Looking for another reason to put on your party hat? Well, we’ve got one: International…

International Internet Day: A Reminder about Security Online.

Before launching into a discussion on how an antivirus detects malware, it’s important to first…

How does an antivirus detect malware?

Start by Installing Reason Cybersecurity – Get 70% Off Today! Think about this for a minute:…

How to Keep Your Business Safe on Cyber Monday.

Hacking has evolved into a billion-dollar growth business, making hackers relentless in their pursuit to…

Can Antivirus Programs Stop Hackers?

Antivirus programs were initially created to distinguish and expel PC infections. Be that as it…

What is antivirus software and how can it protect you?

Get 70% Off Reason Cybersecurity on Black Friday and Keep Your Business out of the…

Cyber attacks and Black Friday: It only takes one to put you on the red

Windows 10, according to theinquirer.net, is a particularly appealing target for hackers and virus writers…

Which Antivirus is Best for Window 10?

I think we can all agree that pups, the friendly, loyal, man’s-best-friend kind are cute…

Unwanted Software Blockers: Why Small Businesses Need Them.

Hackers increasingly target SMBs. What should businesses expect in 2020?

It’s here, 2020, the start of not just a new year, but a new decade…

Small business growth and guardianship in 2020: staying safe from hackers

The first question people usually ask about antivirus (AV) software, is ‘do I really need…

How do you know what antivirus to use?

According to a recent report from statista.com, an online statistics portal, 74% of Americans own…

Which antivirus is best for a Windows 10 laptop?

While there is no quick way to answer which antivirus is better, there are at…

Which antivirus is better?

If a salesperson at a clothing store asked you if you needed any help and…

Browser or big brother? ReasonLab’s secure browsing premium feature protects your business

To answer the question, ‘can antivirus software remove viruses’, we should first examine what antivirus…

Can Antivirus Remove Virus?

The term ‘antivirus’ is a bit of a misnomer today, since today’s antivirus software must…

why antivirus is needed?

The best protection against viruses and malware is reliable, up-to-date, antivirus software. Fortunately, there are…

Which antivirus should I use?

Learning about antivirus programs and how antivirus programs protect your computer is a good first…

How antivirus programs protect your computer

Hackers are always looking for security holes so that they can install malware on your…

Which Antivirus is Best for Laptops?

If you perform a Google search to find out which antivirus is good, the search…

Which antivirus is good?

Windows 10 was first launched in 2015, but it wasn’t until January 2018 that it…

Which Antivirus is Best for Windows 7

Today, Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender, a native, comprehensive antivirus solution already integrated into…

What antivirus software comes with Windows 10?

It’s been over 40 years since the Creeper computer virus, made its appearance, and although…

Is an antivirus necessary?

If Windows is your computer operating system, you’re in good company; according to statista.com, Windows…

Which is the best antivirus for Windows?

We hear a lot about the importance of having antivirus software on our computers, but…

How Does Antivirus Software Work?

According to cybercrime statistics from cpomagazine.com and websitehostingrating.com respectively, cybercrimes account for trillions of dollars…

Why is antivirus software important?

If you’re alarmed by all the news reports about malware attacks and the damage they…

To combat the continuously evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, antivirus software has been changing and…

How Antivirus Software Works

We hear the terms ‘antivirus’ and ‘antimalware’ bandied about so much it’s easy to understand…

Can antivirus detect malware?

The alarming proliferation of malware and cyber attacks, reported almost daily in the news, has…

What antivirus do I need?

So you’ve finally decided on the antivirus (AV) software you want to install and are…

Will antivirus software remove existing viruses?

“Reaper”, the first antivirus software, was created in response to “Creeper” the first computer virus,…

Are antivirus programs worth it?

Antivirus, aka anti-virus, aka anti-malware, aka security software, has been around since 1971, and yes,…

What do antivirus do?

Cybercrime is a global phenomenon and India has been just as affected by it as…

Which antivirus is best for PCs in India

Cybercrime is on the rise; it is becoming increasingly ubiquitous and menacing. From private individuals,…

Which antivirus should I buy?

_“It’s the most hackable time of the year.”_  Oh wait, that’s not how the song goes? Might as well. With Thanksgiving and it’s tagalongs Black Friday and Cyber Monday upon us, scammers and hackers are coming out of the woodworks to cash in on the year’s busiest buying season.  
As people go online in search of the perfect holiday gifts, the natural inclination is to hunt for the best possible bargain. And where there are bargain hunters, you can be sure there will be scammers. Market experts expect that Americans will spend more than $59.57 billion between November 25-28, and sadly, a decent-sized portion of that money will go straight into the pockets of scammers.  
Last year we provided you with [21 Black Friday/Cyber Monday tips](http://blog.reasoncoresecurity.com/2016/11/23/the-ultimate-how-to-not-get-hacked-while-shopping-online-guide/) to make your holiday shopping more secure. Before you get your shopping game on, check out that post and maybe even share it with your fellow shopping buddies so they stay safe, too. This year we’re sharing a roundup of some of the most common scams you need to be prepared for as you shop ‘til you drop.

**Fake-out websites**  
This scam starts with a spam email that claims to be from a well-known retailer like Wal-Mart, JC Penney or Overstock.com, offering holiday discounts. Clicking on the link leads to a fake e-commerce site that usually has a very similar name to the one you’re looking for, like “JC Penny.cm”, where cheap knockoffs are sold. Worse than that, making a purchase on one of these sites will probably get your credit card information stolen. Scammers may have dozens of these websites set up and switch out product images and logos to fit the season and store.

**How to steer clear:** As you shop, stay away from email advertisements. Let’s say you just got an email from Old Navy and can’t resist that cute dress/sweater/tee, stop and think. The email could just be a really great fake out and if you give them your credit card information, that may mean the end of your holiday merriment. Instead, head over to the website, making sure it’s spelled properly and make your purchase from there.  

**Fake delivery emails:**  
The holiday shopping frenzy is the perfect time for scammers to send fake tracking notices since there is a pretty decent chance that at least one of your purchases is on its way to you. The notice appears to be from DHL, FedEx, UPS or even the USPS and may say something like “Delivery failure, click the link to find out more”, or it may simply pose as a delivery status update. Clicking on the link can fill your device with ransomware – in fact, this was a particularly popular way for the devastating Locky Ransomware variant to be delivered this year.  

**How to steer clear:** The whole rouse should set off bells in your head, but especially the part about clicking links. _Never, never, never(!)_ click links in emails if you aren’t 100% sure the email is legitimate.  

**WhatsApp scams**  
Okay, let’s say over the course of your Cyber Monday shopping spree, you get a WhatsApp message, perhaps even coming from someone you know. It says you have won a free gift card or vouchers – but don’t fall for it – it’s a fake. Though the trending WhatsApp scam-of-the-moment focuses mainly on the UK market, as it pretends to be a voucher from British retailers like Marks & Spencer and Tesco, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other variants floating around. Clicking on the link will lead you to websites that collect personal information and install tracking cookies on your devices.  

**How to steer clear:** If you get any WhatsApp messages with links in them for holiday vouchers or deals, ignore them. If you’re forwarded one by a friend, let them know that it’s a scam and they shouldn’t pass it on further. Sure, they might be annoyed at you for raining on their Cyber Monday bargain parade, but it’s better than allowing more people to get reeled in.  

**Fraudulent apps**  
Sad to say, but once again, the App Store and Google Play are being filled with apps that mimic luxury retailers and brands. From department stores like Nordstrom’s to upscale brands like Ferragamo, [The New York Times is reporting a huge uptick in fake retailer apps](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/technology/more-iphone-fake-retail-apps-before-holidays.html) in the last few weeks alone. The problems with fake retailer apps are manifold; not only won’t you get what you paid for, but your credit card information may also be collected and stolen — or, you may not even be able to make a purchase before some nasty ransomware variant encrypts all the data on your device.  

**How to steer clear:** If, for whatever reason, you must make your desired purchase via an app, make sure it’s the real deal. Do this by carefully studying the name of the app to see it is spelled correctly. And always read the dreadfully boring but super-important TOS and EULA. Anything fishy should send you in the other direction. Moreover, try to stay away from making in-app purchases. It’s a far more secure practice to go to the web-based site and make your purchase there.  

**Above All – think before you shop!**  
The critical factor here is that scams change all the time – these are just the _most common_ ones you MUST know about before you whip out your credit card. This means that you should always keep your wits about you, anytime you shop online, not only as we approach the holiday season.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_520967680-scaled.jpg)

shutterstock_520967680-scaled.jpg

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.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_1025593651-scaled.jpg)  
**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.

#Ransomware

How to steer clear of Cyber Monday scams

Ransomware or crypto mining malware? Rakhni is both!

Watch out for online learning scams!

Virobot: are monster mash-ups the future of ransomware?