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Biz Bahrain
17 hours ago
- Biz Bahrain
Phishing evolves with AI and stealth: Kaspersky highlights biometric and signature risks with attempts increasing by 21.5% in the Middle East
Kaspersky has detected and blocked over 142 million phishing link clicks globally in Q2 2025, the Middle East saw a 21.5% increase from Q1 in phishing attempts. Currently phishing is going through a shift driven by sophisticated AI-powered deception techniques and innovative evasion methods. Cybercriminals are exploiting deepfakes, voice cloning and trusted platforms like Telegram and Google Translate to steal sensitive data, including biometrics, electronic signatures and handwritten signatures, posing unprecedented risks to individuals and businesses. AI-powered tactics transforming phishing attacks AI has elevated phishing into a highly personalized threat. Large language models enable attackers to craft convincing emails, messages and websites that mimic legitimate sources, eliminating grammatical errors that once exposed scams. AI-driven bots on social media and messaging apps impersonate real users, engaging victims in prolonged conversations to build trust. These bots often fuel romantic or investment scams, luring victims into fake opportunities with AI-generated audio messages or deepfake videos. An example of a phishing email created with DeepSeek (left) and an example of a phishing website created with AI (right) Attackers also create realistic audio and video deepfake impersonations of trusted figures — colleagues, celebrities or even bank officials — to promote fake giveaways or extract sensitive information. For instance, automated calls mimicking bank security teams use AI-generated voices to trick users into sharing two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, enabling account access or fraudulent transactions. Additionally, AI-powered tools analyze public data from social media or corporate websites to launch targeted attacks, such as HR-themed emails or fake calls referencing personal details. Employing new tactics to bypass detection Phishers are deploying sophisticated methods to gain trust, exploiting legitimate services to prolong their campaigns. For instance, Telegram's Telegraph platform, a tool to publish long texts, is used to host phishing content. Google Translate's page translation feature generates links that look like and are used by attackers to bypass security solutions' filters. Attackers now also integrate CAPTCHA, a common anti-bot mechanism, into phishing sites before directing users to the malicious page itself. By using CAPTCHA, these fraudulent pages deflect anti-phishing algorithms, as the presence of CAPTCHA is often associated with trusted platforms, lowering the likelihood of detection. A switch in hunting: from logins and passwords to biometrics and signatures The focus has shifted from passwords to immutable data. Attackers target biometric data through fraudulent sites that request smartphone camera access under pretexts like account verification, capturing facial or other biometric identifiers that cannot be changed. These are used for unauthorized access to sensitive accounts or sold on the dark web. Similarly, electronic and handwritten signatures, critical for legal and financial transactions, are stolen via phishing campaigns impersonating platforms like DocuSign or prompting users to upload signatures to fraudulent sites, posing significant reputational and financial risks to businesses. 'The convergence of AI and evasive tactics has turned phishing into a near-native mimic of legitimate communication, challenging even the most vigilant users. Attackers are no longer satisfied with stealing passwords — they're targeting biometric data, electronic and handwritten signatures, potentially creating devastating, long-term consequences. By exploiting trusted platforms like Telegram and Google Translate, and co-opting tools like CAPTCHA, attackers are outpacing traditional defenses. Users must stay increasingly skeptical and proactive to avoid falling victim,' said Olga Altukhova, security expert at Kaspersky. Detailed information is available in a report on Earlier in 2025 Kaspersky detected a sophisticated targeted phishing campaign which was dubbed Operation ForumTroll, as attackers sent personalized phishing emails inviting recipients to the 'Primakov Readings' forum. These lures targeted media outlets, educational institutions and government organizations in Russia. After clicking on the link in the email, no additional action was needed to compromise their systems: the exploit leveraged a previously unknown vulnerability in the latest version of Google Chrome. The malicious links were extremely short-lived to evade detection and in most cases ultimately redirected to the legitimate website for 'Primakov Readings' once the exploit was taken down. To be protected from phishing, Kaspersky recommends: • Verify unsolicited messages, calls, or links, even if they appear legitimate. Never share 2FA codes. • Scrutinize videos for unnatural movements or overly generous offers, which may indicate deepfakes. • Deny camera access requests from unverified sites and avoid uploading signatures to unknown platforms. • Limit sharing sensitive details online, such as document photos or sensitive work information. • Use Kaspersky Next (in corporate environments) or Kaspersky Premium (for individual use) to block phishing attempts.
Biz Bahrain
02-08-2025
- Biz Bahrain
Kaspersky discovered cyberattacks that sourced information from GitHub, Quora, and social networks to target organizations
Kaspersky detected a complex attack sequence that involved retrieving information from legitimate services such as GitHub, Microsoft Learn Challenge, Quora, and social networks. The attackers did this to avoid detection and run an execution chain to launch Cobalt Strike Beacon, a tool to remotely control computers, execute commands, steal data, and maintain persistent access within a network. The attacks were detected in the second half of 2024 in organizations across China, Japan, Malaysia, Peru and Russia, and persisted into 2025. The majority of victims were large to medium-sized businesses. To infiltrate victims' devices, the attackers sent spear phishing emails which were disguised as legitimate communications from major state-owned companies, particularly within the oil and gas sector. The text was phrased to look like there was interest in products and services of the victim organization to convince the recipient to open the malicious attachment. The attachment was an archive with what looked like PDF files containing requirements for the requested products and services – but in fact some of these PDFs were executable EXE and DLL files containing malware. The attackers leveraged DLL highjacking techniques and exploited the legitimate Crash reporting Send Utility which is originally designed to help developers get detailed, real-time crash reports for their applications. To function, the malware also retrieved and downloaded a code that was stored in public profiles on popular legitimate platforms to avoid detection. Kaspersky found this code encrypted inside profiles on GitHub, and links to it (also encrypted) – on other GitHub profiles, Microsoft Learn Challenge, Q&A websites, and even Russian social media platforms. All of these profiles and pages were created specifically for this attack. After the malicious code was executed on victims' machines, Cobalt Strike Beacon was launched, and the victims' systems were compromised. 'While we didn't find any evidence of the attackers using real people's social media profiles, as all the accounts were created specifically for this attack, there's nothing stopping the threat actor from abusing various mechanisms these platforms provide. For instance, malicious content strings could be posted in comments on legitimate users' posts. Threat actors are using increasingly complex methods to conceal long-known tools, and it's important to stay up to date with the latest threat intelligence to be protected from such attacks,' comments Maxim Starodubov, Malware Analyst Team Lead at Kaspersky. The method used to retrieve the download address for the malicious code is similar to what was observed in the EastWind campaign linked to Chinese-speaking actors. Kaspersky recommends that organizations follow these security guidelines to stay safe: • Track the status of digital infrastructure and continuously monitor the perimeter. • Use proven security solutions to detect and block malware embedded within bulk email. • Train staff to increase cybersecurity awareness. • Secure corporate devices with a comprehensive system, such as Kaspersky Next, that detects and blocks attacks in the early stages.
Biz Bahrain
01-08-2025
- Biz Bahrain
Polyworking generation: How Gen Z's multi-job hustle brings more cybersecurity risks
The new Gen Z trend of 'polyworking' — juggling multiple jobs at once — is creating new cybersecurity challenges, as each additional role increases the risk of attacks on both individuals and corporate networks. From H2 2024 to H1 2025, Kaspersky detected over 6 million attacks disguised as work tools, along with scams posing as job offers on Indeed, Glassdoor, and similar platforms. To help Gen Z navigate in the digital environment, Kaspersky has launched 'Case 404' — an interactive cyber-detective game that helps Gen Z recognize hidden online dangers and learn how to protect their digital lives. For Gen Z, working one job is no longer the norm, it's an exception. While the concept of juggling multiple jobs isn't entirely new, this generation (born 1997–2012) is accelerating the trend of polyworking. The term refers to juggling multiple income streams simultaneously, combining freelance gigs, side hustles, passion projects, and part-time or full-time employment. According to public research, almost a half (48%) of Gen Z members already have a side job, which is the highest rate among all generations. But while polyworking brings autonomy, flexibility, and financial resilience, it also opens the door to new cybersecurity risks — many of which Gen Z may be unaware of. Too many tools, too little control Managing multiple job roles also means navigating an ever-expanding digital environment. Each additional role brings with it new inboxes, project management tools, communication platforms, and external contacts. For polyworking Gen Z users, this can result in dozens of apps and accounts operating simultaneously — from Microsoft Teams and Outlook, to Slack, Zoom, and Notion. While these platforms are designed to streamline collaboration, they also dramatically widen the attack surface. Cybercriminals may take advantage of this complexity, launching phishing emails through compromised business accounts, embedding malware in fake calendar invites, or sending malicious links via chat apps disguised as legitimate coworker messages. The more tools in use, the harder it becomes to verify every interaction, creating the perfect conditions for social engineering and accidental breaches. Between H2 2024 and H1 2025, Kaspersky experts detected 6,146,462 attacks disguised as platforms or content related to 20 popular work tools. The top targets were Zoom (3,849,489), Microsoft Excel (835,179), and Outlook (731,025), followed by OneDrive (352,080) and Microsoft Teams (151,845). In one of the many scams uncovered by Kaspersky researchers, users were tricked into downloading a supposed Zoom update from a phishing page, which in reality was malware in disguise. Example of a phishing page offering to download 'the latest version of Zoom' Job platforms With the rise of so many new income platforms, alongside more traditional job search sites, there also comes an increased cybersecurity risk. As Gen Z explores opportunities across Fiverr, Upwork, Behance, LinkedIn, they are increasingly targeted by phishing schemes disguised as legitimate job offers. From July 2024 to June 2025, Kaspersky experts detected over 650,000 attempts to visit phishing pages disguised as LinkedIn alone. Cybercriminals can exploit the urgency and informality of freelance culture, sending fake recruitment emails, contract attachments, or messages with malicious links that promise 'quick gigs' or 'exclusive offers'. The sheer volume of communication Gen Z receives across inboxes, messengers, and gig platforms widens the attack surface, making it easier for threat actors to slip through unnoticed. What might look like a promising freelance opportunity, may in fact be a trap designed to steal login credentials, deploy malware, or compromise payment information. To access the files with a job offer, a user is asked to log in to LinkedIn – not on the official version, but on a phishing page Poor password hygiene Managing access to a growing number of platforms — ranging from project tools and gig marketplaces to payment systems and internal workspaces — often leads to shortcuts. In the rush to stay productive across multiple jobs, Gen Z workers may frequently reuse passwords or rely on simple, easy-to-remember combinations. While convenient, this practice dramatically increases the likelihood of account compromise. A single weak, or repeated password used across multiple roles can serve as a gateway for cybercriminals, allowing them to move laterally between accounts, steal sensitive information, or even launch further attacks using the victim's identity. Personal devices and shadow IT The situation is further complicated by device usage. Many Gen Z polyworkers operate across multiple gigs using the same personal laptop or smartphone — without segmentation between their work and personal environments. This overlap makes it easy for sensitive client files or corporate credentials to be saved on unsecured devices or public cloud storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox. In some cases, polyworkers also install unauthorized software or browser extensions to streamline their multitasking — a practice known as shadow IT. While helpful in the short term, these unauthorized apps may have vulnerabilities or operate with unclear data-sharing policies, increasing the attack surface across all jobs. The danger here isn't limited to individual freelancers. One compromised account, such as a hacked Fiverr login or an email phishing incident tied to a side project, can cascade into much larger breaches if the same credentials are reused for corporate systems. For organizations hiring remote contractors or allowing BYOD (bring your own device) practices, this raises serious questions about endpoint security and credential management. 'When your calendar is packed with tasks from three different jobs and you have notifications coming in from five separate apps, and you're also switching between client chats, invoices, and creative work on the same device — it's only a matter of time before something slips. Gen Z's work-life-tech overlap creates a unique kind of cognitive overload. This constant multitasking increases the risk of mistakes: sending a wrong file to a wrong client, overlooking a phishing email, misconfiguring access permissions. It's not about carelessness — it's about the sheer volume of digital demands pulling attention in all directions. And in cybersecurity, even one small lapse can have big consequences,' said Evgeny Kuskov, Security Expert at Kaspersky. To help Gen Z navigate the digital risks that come with their multi-hustle lifestyle, Kaspersky has developed Case 404 — an interactive cybersecurity game where players step into the shoes of a digital detective. Designed specifically for Gen Z, the game simulates real-world scenarios they face daily. Through immersive storytelling and challenges inspired by phishing attacks and credential leaks, Case 404 helps players recognize cybersecurity threats and teaches them how to spot risks before mistakes happen. To avoid falling a victim from cybercriminals, Kaspersky recommends to: ● Separate work and personal environments: Use different devices for personal and professional tasks to reduce cross-contamination risks. ● Watch out for fake tool updates: Download work tools like Zoom or Teams only from official websites or app stores from trusted developers — not from third-party links or emails. ● Use strong, unique passwords and avoid reusing passwords across platforms. Use a password manager to securely store and generate strong passwords. ● Avoid installing unofficial browser extensions or apps for productivity unless they're verified and approved — especially on work-connected devices. ● Slow down when dealing with urgent messages or unfamiliar contacts. Phishing often thrives on rushed decisions. ● Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), especially for email, cloud storage, and freelance platforms. ● Use a reliable security solution, like Kaspersky Premium, to detect malicious attachments that could compromise your data. ● Ensure secure browsing and safe messaging with Kaspersky VPN, protecting your IP address and preventing data leaks.
