Doge Website Hacked, Italian Spyware & Malware On Steam | Weekly News

Summary

This video explores a series of disturbing and impactful cyber news stories, from malware-ridden games on Steam that steal user data, to spyware tactics employed by an Italian surveillance company. It covers a massive breach of over 30 million conversations from an AI assistant, a database leak containing millions of phone numbers, and the dismantling of a notorious ransomware gang. Additionally, it highlights the hacking of a US government-affiliated department's website and the malicious cyberattacks orchestrated by the Russian unit, Sandworm. The video paints a chilling picture of global cybercrime and espionage.

Takeaways

• 😀 Steam was recently hit by a cybercrime incident involving a game called Pirate Fi, which contained malware that compromised user accounts.
• 😱 The malware in Pirate Fi included a known browser cookie stealer, Howard.exe, which caused security breaches for many users.
• 👾 The developers of Pirate Fi launched a campaign using Telegram bots to promote the game and recruit paid moderators, increasing downloads.
• 💥 SIIO, an Italian spyware company, has been distributing fake apps with spyware, including a product called Spicus, to spy on users through popular apps like WhatsApp.
• 🤖 The rise of AI-based spyware, such as Spicus, marks a disturbing trend in digital surveillance and exploitation of personal data.
• 📉 A massive leak involving Omni GPT, a popular AI assistant, exposed over 30,000 user emails and millions of lines of sensitive conversations.
• 🔓 Another data breach revealed half a billion phone numbers, likely collected by cybercriminals for scam-related activities.
• 🎉 A positive piece of cybercrime news: the international law enforcement operation successfully dismantled the 8Base ransomware gang, which extorted $16 million in its two-year existence.
• 🚨 A US government entity, Do, had its website hacked due to glaring security flaws, leading to defacement and public criticism.
• 🌍 Microsoft released a report revealing a massive cyber espionage campaign by Russian state-sponsored actor Sandworm, targeting aid to Ukraine and disrupting critical systems globally.
• ⚠️ The Sandworm campaign exploited known and unknown vulnerabilities to sabotage systems and wreak havoc, with some attacks causing significant damage.

Q & A

What was the issue with the game 'Pirate Fi' on Steam?

The game 'Pirate Fi' contained malware that compromised users' accounts. It was found to include a well-known browser-stealing malware called 'howard.exe,' which was designed to steal browser cookies.

How did the developers of 'Pirate Fi' promote their game?

The developers used an army of Telegram bots to promote the game. They invited people to become paid moderators, with the goal of encouraging as many people as possible to download the game.

What was the malware used in 'Pirate Fi' designed to do?

The malware, known as 'howard.exe,' was a browser-stealer that targeted and stole browser cookies from users, potentially compromising sensitive data.

What is SIIO, and what controversial activities were discovered regarding the company?

SIIO is a spyware company that was found distributing malicious Android apps, including spyware disguised as popular apps like WhatsApp. The spyware, named 'spicus,' allowed for extensive surveillance, raising concerns about privacy violations.

What is the meaning behind the name 'spicus' for the spyware?

The name 'spicus' for the spyware is described as a poor choice, as it lacks the cool and dramatic flair associated with dystopian surveillance tools, such as names like 'Skynet' or 'PreCogs.'

What was the nature of the leak involving Omni GPT?

Omni GPT, an AI assistant, was reportedly breached, and a large amount of user data was leaked. The leak included over 30,000 user emails and more than 30 million lines of conversations, some of which contained sensitive information like official and commercial documents.

What was the major leak discovered by Cyper News, and what type of information was exposed?

Cyper News discovered an unsecured database containing nearly half a billion records, mostly phone numbers of millions of people from the Middle East. It is suspected that the data was stolen by cybercriminals for scamming purposes.

What happened to the 8Base ransomware gang?

The 8Base ransomware gang was dismantled through a massive international law enforcement operation. The group had extorted over $16 million from over a thousand entities before being taken down.

What is DOA, and what issue did it face last week?

DOA is a U.S. government department, led by Elon Musk, that suffered a hacking incident. The attack exploited glaring vulnerabilities in its website, leading to security researchers defacing the site and flooding it with unflattering content.

What is 'Bad Pilot,' and what was its purpose in the context of cyber espionage?

Bad Pilot is a cyber espionage campaign carried out by the Russian state-sponsored hacking group known as Seashell Blizzard (or Sandor). The campaign aimed to disrupt and sabotage various forms of aid to Ukraine, using a combination of known and unknown software vulnerabilities to spread malware and sabotage systems.