Microsoft Takes Down Malware Network; Gmail is getting an annoying new AI feature; Chrome’s password manager is getting new bells and whistles… and More!
Every day, we scan the tech world for interesting news, sometimes from outside the tech world. Every Thursday, we feature news articles that grabbed our attention over the past week. We hope you find this week’s ‘Thursday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!
Microsoft says it squashed malware that infected 394,000 Windows computers
Microsoft said on Wednesday, May 21 its Digital Crimes Unit partnered with law enforcement and cybersecurity agencies to disrupt an information-stealing malware that infected hundreds of thousands of Windows computers in the last two months.
The unit filed a legal action against Lumma Stealer last week after it found 394,000 Windows computers globally infected with the malware between March 16 and May 16, Windows said in a statement on its blog, calling it a “favored” malware used by criminals to steal passwords, credit cards, bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets…
Gmail Is Getting This Annoying AI Feature You Should Turn Off Immediately
That email you planned to skim later? Gemini probably already did it for you.
Google’s AI is now dropping summary cards right at the top of your inbox. No clicks, no prompts. Just unsolicited AI-generated CliffsNotes for your emails, baked right into Gmail.
AI Summaries Are Taking a Front Seat in Gmail
Google has been adding new Gemini features to Gmail often. Previously, it added a Q&A feature that lets you ask your inbox questions. Now, Gemini will proactively summarize your emails in the Gmail app on iPhone and Android devices. It will automatically place recaps at the top of long messages, without you needing to do a thing.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because Gemini already lived in Gmail’s side panel, offering optional tools like draft suggestions, quick replies, and manual email summaries. But now, instead of waiting to be summoned, summary cards will pop up on their own when Gmail decides an email is lengthy enough to deserve one…
You can now auto-change compromised passwords with Chrome’s Credential Manager
Chrome’s password manager is getting new bells and whistles
Users can now change compromised passwords directly in their Chrome browser, in just a few clicks. This is the promise given in a new Google blog discussing the extensive changes the company is bringing to user authentication and identity verification.
Most browsers already come with a (rudimentary form of) password manager, allowing users to generate strong passwords, store their credentials, and auto-fill them for speed and convenience.
Now, Google’s Chrome devs, Ashima Arora, Chirag Desai, and Eiji Kitamura, said the company is building on that foundation to “fix compromised passwords in one click”.
Changing passwords
“Automated password change makes it easier for users to respond when their credentials are at risk,” the blog reads. “When Chrome detects a compromised password during sign in, Google Password Manager prompts the user with an option to fix it automatically…
A new Android malware strain is making the rounds online that makes it incredibly difficult to distinguish who’s actually calling you as it was recently updated with the ability to add fake contacts to your phone.
As reported by BleepingComputer, the malware in question is called Crocodilus, and it was first discovered back in March of this year by Threat Fabric. While it was initially used to target crypto users in Turkey to drain their wallets, the malware is now being distributed on a global scale and is currently being used to target the best Android phones in the U.S., Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and India.
In a blog post, the cybersecurity firm Field Effect explains that Crocodilus is distributed using a custom dropper so that it can bypass Android’s built-in security measures. For instance, it doesn’t need access to Android’s Accessibility Services or other user permissions to end up on a vulnerable smartphone. Likewise, it’s also able to bypass the built-in defenses of Google Play Protect…
Chinese hackers use Google Calendar in stealthy new attack
Chinese state-sponsored hackers known as APT41 have been seen abusing Google Calendar in their newest attacks, using it as part of the C2 infrastructure.
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (TIG) recently discovered the technique, dismantled the setup, and introduced changes to prevent similar attacks in the future.
The attack starts from a previously compromised government website – TIG did not explain how the site was compromised, but said it was used to host a .ZIP archive. This archive is then shared, through phishing emails, with potential targets.
Reading the calendar
Inside the ZIP are three files: a DLL and executable files posing as JPGs, and a Windows shortcut file (LNK) posing as a PDF document.
When the victim tries to open the fake PDF, it runs the shortcut which, in turn, activates the DLL.
This file, in turn, decrypts and launches the third file, which is the malicious payload dubbed “ToughProgress”.
The malware then reads additional instructions shared in two specific events in Google Calendar. The commands are found either in the description field, or hidden events…
Thanks for reading this week’s Thursday Newbytes. We hope these articles were informative, interesting, fun, and helpful.
