Kaspersky reported that Iran-linked APT Mirage Kitten approached software engineers on LinkedIn using fake recruiter personas and sent “coding challenges” that were actually trojanized projects. The lure used legitimate-looking cloud hosting (Amazon S3) and even instructed victims not to use AI…
This roundup describes real-world social engineering where attackers impersonate recruiters on LinkedIn and lure developers into running “coding tests” that install malware. It also outlines active phishing campaigns that abuse trusted cloud services (Google, AWS, Azure, Cloudflare) to send…
A financially motivated group called Breeze Comet targeted Brazilian financial and retail organizations by impersonating IT support and convincing staff to install remote-access tools. After gaining access, the attackers moved into internal payment systems (like Pix/STR/Boleto) and executed…
A scam website posing as a GTA 6 fan countdown page tricks visitors into buying a “leaked copy” and then prompts them to connect a crypto wallet. Once connected, it generates transactions/approvals designed to transfer the victim’s cryptocurrency (and potentially NFTs) to the attacker. The site…
An Iran-linked espionage group contacted developers and other tech specialists with fake job offers on LinkedIn and similar platforms. Victims were pushed to quickly download and run “coding challenges” that secretly installed new malware, giving attackers remote access and long-term persistence.…
Researchers tied Mirage Kitten to a job-recruiting scam that targets developers via LinkedIn and job platforms. Victims are sent a “technical assessment” ZIP file hosted on legitimate cloud storage; running the project silently installs a remote-access trojan (NodeRabbit) that lets attackers…
Mandiant and Google report that the financially motivated group BREEZE COMET compromised Brazilian organizations to enable fraudulent bank transfers. The actor used human manipulation (including fake IT support calls) and believable “tax/receipt” downloads hosted on trusted-looking government…
Investigations found suspected North Korean operatives getting hired into real companies by impersonating other people, including roles outside IT such as healthcare and sales/marketing. The workflow relies on fake or stolen identity documents, remote-access tooling, and deception during interviews…
Researchers tied to the Aurora ransomware group described a real intrusion that started with aggressive email bombing, then phone calls where attackers posed as the IT help desk to “help” employees fix the issue. Separate reporting shows the same group used the Cursor AI coding assistant to plan…
The article warns that AI is making impersonation and social engineering more convincing, citing a real 2024 case where Arup was reportedly tricked during a video conference featuring a digitally cloned senior manager. The core lesson is to validate requests through policy and independent…
This weekly roundup includes two real social-engineering-driven incidents. Attackers used social engineering to access Apollo Global Management’s cloud platforms and steal sensitive personal data, and separately attempted a ShinyHunters phishing attack against ReliaQuest using a fake SSO login page…
The article explains how generative AI is making phishing and impersonation more convincing, so “bad grammar” is no longer a reliable warning sign. It cites a real case in Hong Kong where fraudsters used deepfake video to impersonate senior colleagues on a video meeting and tricked a finance worker…
Huntress describes real investigations where suspected North Korean remote workers tricked companies into hiring them using stolen or doctored identity documents and tools to remotely control “employee” laptops. Cases span healthcare, financial services, and sales/marketing roles, showing a…
Group-IB warns that organized investment fraud is using deepfake video “endorsements,” WhatsApp groups, and professional-looking fake crypto platforms to trick victims into sending money. The models described (“GoldBull” and “CoinLure”) include pump-and-dump stock manipulation and a large network…
A Cambodia-based scam network used ChatGPT to run multiple social-engineering schemes at once, including romance scams that pivoted into fake crypto/gold investments. The same operators also posed as online gambling reps offering fake winnings and as law enforcement demanding “fines,” using forged…
INTERPOL’s Operation Jackal IV (Nov 2025–Jun 2026) targeted the money-laundering backbone behind global online scams, leading to 58 arrests and 263 suspects linked to West African organized crime groups. Cases included romance/investment scams targeting retirees, a fake-investment call center tied…
Interpol said an eight-month operation across 22 countries led to 58 arrests tied to cyber-enabled financial fraud, including romance scams, cryptocurrency/investment scams, and business email compromise. Authorities described how scammers build trust with victims (including minors) on social and…
Apollo Global Management disclosed a data breach after attackers used social engineering to gain unauthorized access to certain cloud platforms over several days in July. The attackers obtained sensitive personal data (including Social Security numbers), highlighting how stolen credentials and…
Researchers described a real phishing campaign using a platform called “ZeroTokens” that lets a live operator watch what a victim types and change the next phishing prompts in real time. The lure used “W-8BEN tax-documentation reviews” and spoofed financial institutions’ multi-step verification…
Interpol said Operation Jackal IV arrested dozens and disrupted West Africa–linked criminal networks tied to scams and money laundering, including Black Axe. The cases described include a call-center “investment” scam, romance/investment scams targeting retirees, and sextortion of teenagers on…
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