Search: “browser-based web skimmer”

30 stories

DomainAll Cyber AIWindow24h 3d 7d 30d AllIn the wild Important only Show duplicates

CategoryAll Phishing & fraud 3 Data breach 1 Malware 1

SeverityAll critical 0 high 2 medium 3 low 0 info 0

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One Exploit Chain, Two Espionage Campaigns: Chrome and Windows Under Fire

Two China-linked APT groups reused identical Chrome/Windows zero-day chain against NGOs, deploying GRIMWIDGE backdoor and LONGTALE credential-stealing extension.

Volexity reports that China-linked actors UTA0560 and JungleBamboo (APT31/TA412) ran byte-identical Chrome/Windows exploit chains against NGOs starting September 1, 2026, combining Chrome type confusion CVE-2026-85046, WebAssembly sandbox escape CVE-2026-87491, and Windows kernel flaw CVE-2026-85880. The Chrome bug was fixed in Chromium source but not yet shipped to Chrome users, making it an effective zero-day with an unusual patch gap. UTA0560 delivered the in-memory GRIMWEDGE JScript backdoor, while JungleBamboo deployed the SUPERSTOMP loader installing LONGTALE, a malicious Chrome extension disguised as Google Gemini that steals cookies, session tokens, and keystrokes. Volexity assesses with low confidence the exploit chain was sold or shared among different Chinese end-users.

Security Affairsupdated Sep 16, 16:06 UTC · 9h agofirst Sep 15, 10:17 UTC · 1d agoThreat actor in the wild 14 sources CVE-2026-85046 CVE-2026-87491 CVE-2026-858804

ClickFix moves into the browser: Cryptocurrency theft with Google-hosted C2

Talos tracks a crypto-theft campaign abusing the Google Visualization API for C2, using browser-based ClickFix lures to inject web-skimmer JavaScript.

Criminal actors convinced targets to paste JavaScript into Chrome's address bar or install it in the Tampermonkey extension, injecting a web skimmer into sessions on two cryptocurrency trading websites; Tampermonkey also provides persistence. Since March 2026 the campaign retrieved obfuscated scripts via the Google Visualization API from public Google Sheets documents, hooking the fetch API and replacing cryptocurrency deposit addresses in responses and the clipboard. Lures pose as leaked reports of a nonexistent API flaw at cryptocurrency swap services and spread via Telegram, DarkForums, and paste sites since early October 2025. Talos warns the legitimate-service-abuse techniques could enable wider supply-chain attacks on e-commerce and customer-facing systems.

Cisco TalosSep 8, 10:00 UTC · 8d agoPhishing & fraud in the wild

Hackers Abuse Google Sheets as C2 in ClickFix Attacks to Steal Cryptocurrency

Cisco Talos tracks a ClickFix crypto-theft campaign using Google Sheets as C2 to swap deposit addresses in Chrome.

Cisco Talos uncovered a cryptocurrency theft campaign that abuses Google Sheets and the Google Visualization API as a covert C2 channel, delivering obfuscated JavaScript into victims' Chrome browser sessions via ClickFix-style social engineering. Victims are lured with a fake "API Logic Flaw" report promising 25-38% bonuses on SimpleSwap and SwapZone swaps; the injected payload acts as a browser-based web skimmer that replaces deposit addresses, overrides the fetch API, and hijacks the clipboard. Later variants use the legitimate Tampermonkey extension with a user script for persistence without OS-level compromise. Talos identified 49 Bitcoin wallets, with 24 reused addresses receiving about 0.159 BTC (~$10,000) before mixing through more than 3,000 addresses.

GBHackersSep 9, 06:22 UTC · 7d agoPhishing & fraud in the wild

Trends in Web Threats: Old Web Skimmer Still Active Today

Unit 42 detected 577,000 landing URL incidents in Q1 2022, with an old web skimmer family still actively stealing payment card data.

Palo Alto Unit 42 detected 577,275 landing URL incidents (116,643 unique) and 2,043,862 malicious host URL incidents (180,370 unique) between January and March 2022. Web threat volumes declined after the November 2021 holiday peak, but an old web skimmer family remained active. Business and economy sites overtook personal sites as the most common apparently benign entry points. Most malicious domains geolocated to the United States, Germany, and Russia, though proxy servers and VPNs obscure true locations.

Palo Alto Unit 42Aug 17, 13:05 UTC · Aug 17, 2026Research

PEEP: A Browser RAT Posing as a Chrome Extension

SOCRadar's STRU analyzed PEEP, an emerging Chromium-based RAT disguised as a Chrome extension enabling post-exploitation control of browsers.

SOCRadar's Threat Research Unit (STRU) identified and analyzed PEEP, a Chromium-based post-exploitation toolkit distributed as a browser extension. PEEP provides RAT-style capabilities while posing as a legitimate Chrome extension. It is assessed as an emerging threat worth monitoring by defenders.

SOCRadarSep 4, 09:50 UTC · 12d agoMalware

Hackers Abuse Google Sheets to Hijack Crypto Wallet Addresses in ClickFix Attacks

Cisco Talos details a crypto-theft ClickFix campaign abusing Google Sheets to swap wallet addresses, with about $10,000 in observed Bitcoin losses.

Cisco Talos tracks a ClickFix-style campaign that tricks cryptocurrency traders into pasting JavaScript into Chrome's address bar or a Tampermonkey extension, promising fake bonuses on SwapZone and SimpleSwap. The loader pulls obfuscated JavaScript from cells in a public Google Sheet via the Visualization API, then behaves like a web skimmer, rewriting deposit addresses on screen, in web responses, and in the clipboard. Researchers counted 49 attacker-controlled Bitcoin addresses, with 24 receiving a combined 0.159 BTC, roughly $10,000, by early August 2026. A Tampermonkey variant re-injects the payload on every return visit, giving the attackers persistence despite takedown efforts.

Cyber Security NewsSep 9, 10:57 UTC · 7d agoPhishing & fraud in the wild

PEEP Turns Chrome and Edge Into Post-Compromise Backdoors for Host Command Execution

SOCRadar disclosed PEEP, a post-exploitation Chromium extension toolkit that turns Chrome and Edge into host-level backdoors via native messaging and C2 polling.

SOCRadar researchers detailed PEEP, a Chromium-based post-exploitation toolkit masquerading as a 'Smart Bookmarks' extension injected directly into Chrome and Edge profiles by forging Secure Preferences integrity values, bypassing Web Store checks. A native-messaging host binary (nm_host.exe) extends the browser agent to host-level command execution, file management, credential theft, and session hijacking, while the extension polls C2 endpoints at 206.237.30.232 or xfjcc.fun every 30 seconds over plaintext HTTP and exfiltrates browsing history, cookies, and tab metadata. PEEP is derived from the open-source RedExt red teaming framework, adds PowerShell persistence scripts, and includes a Linux-targeting Python script, suggesting cross-platform intent. The activity is unattributed but contains Chinese-language artifacts; a C2 /health endpoint showed 34 agent entries and 10 active sessions.

The Hacker NewsSep 7, 18:12 UTC · 9d agoMalware in the wild1

The Year in Web Threats: Web Skimmers Take Advantage of Cloud Hosting and More

Unit 42 analyzed 2.24 million web threat incidents, finding web skimmers increasingly hosted on cloud infrastructure to steal payment card data.

Palo Alto Unit 42 analyzed 2,241,354 web threat incidents and 831,550 unique URLs detected via Advanced URL Filtering between October 2020 and September 2021. Threat activity peaked from October 2020 to January 2021, coinciding with the holiday shopping season, with most malicious domains geolocated to the United States, Russia, and Germany. Web skimmers ranked third among the top five threat classes and showed the most code diversity, making detection harder. Researchers observed more web skimmer families being hosted on cloud platforms to steal payment data and PII.

Palo Alto Unit 42Aug 17, 13:06 UTC · Aug 17, 2026Research

Top 10 Best Enterprise Browsers in 2026

2026 enterprise browser guide ranks Island first and notes Mammoth Cyber's wind-down plus corrections to standard vendor shortlists.

An editorial guide assesses ten enterprise browser options, ranking category creator Island first for last-mile DLP and BYOD controls, followed by Palo Alto's Talon browser as a Prisma Access/SASE surface and Google Chrome Enterprise Premium for DLP on already-deployed browsers. It corrects common lists, noting SlashNext is browser-adjacent phishing and BEC defense rather than a managed browser, and that Mammoth Cyber has wound down independent operations. Microsoft Edge for Business is positioned as effectively free policy depth for Microsoft 365 estates, with Menlo Security offering an isolation-plus-browser blend.

Cyber Security NewsSep 11, 07:07 UTC · 5d agoIndustry1

12 Best Enterprise Browsers Compared (2026): Features & Pricing

2026 comparison of twelve enterprise browsers ranks Island and Palo Alto Talon as purpose-built leaders, with Chrome Enterprise and Edge free or bundled.

Guide compares twelve enterprise browser options across three models: purpose-built secure browsers (Island, Talon, Surf), layered controls on existing browsers (Chrome Enterprise, Edge for Business, LayerX, Seraphic), and streamed/isolated browsers (Kasm). Island and Palo Alto's Prisma Access Browser lead the purpose-built category for BYOD and contractor DLP. It also notes Mammoth Cyber has ceased operations.

GBHackersSep 15, 06:32 UTC · 1d agoTools

⚡ Weekly Recap: Chrome 0-Day, Router Hijacks, Coder Supply Chain Attack and More

Weekly recap: actively exploited Chrome V8 zero-day, MikroTik RouterOS zero-day chain, Magento StyleSmuggler backdoor, and critical N-able N-central flaws.

Google patched an actively exploited Chrome V8 type confusion zero-day, CVE-2026-85046 (CVSS 8.8), the sixth exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026. CERT Polska warned of the MikroTrick exploit chain (CVE-2026-67276 and CVE-2026-86060, CVSS 9.2) giving unauthenticated full control of MikroTik RouterOS devices via SSH, observed since September 2. Sansec disclosed the StyleSmuggler Magento/Adobe Commerce zero-day used since September 4 to inject a Rust backdoor into online stores, while N-able patched three critical N-central flaws (CVE-2026-86206, CVE-2026-86207, and CVE-2026-86218, CVSS 10.0) with Huntress observing likely exploitation. Elastic and Morphisec also detailed RevStealer, an information stealer spread via game cheats and a fake Claude Desktop app.

The Hacker NewsSep 7, 14:36 UTC · 9d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85046 CVE-2026-86206 CVE-2026-86207+7 CVEs

Trends in Web Threats in CY Q2 2022: Malicious JavaScript Downloaders Are Evolving

Unit 42 detected 751,000 landing URL incidents in Q2 2022 and documented malicious JavaScript downloaders evolving to evade detection.

Unit 42 detected 751,331 landing URL incidents (253,644 unique) and 1,744,629 malicious host URL incidents (256,844 unique) from April through June 2022. Total landing URL incidents rose compared with Q1 2022, and unique host URL incidents grew 42%, indicating attackers deploying more variants. The report includes a case study of a JavaScript downloader campaign demonstrating new evasion techniques. Personal sites, blogs, and business sites were the top apparently benign entry points.

Palo Alto Unit 42Aug 17, 13:05 UTC · Aug 17, 2026Research

27.5KB language-agnostic WebGPU syntax highlighter

A developer released gpu-lexer, a 27.5KB language-agnostic syntax highlighter that uses a tiny WebGPU model to label code tokens in the browser.

gpu-lexer splits source into words, whitespace, and symbols, then a small WebGPU model uses local and whole-file context to assign nine token classes, working on languages never seen in training. On held-out files, 12.57% of token labels differ from Shiki, though this measures agreement with Shiki rather than objective correctness. In benchmarks against Shiki 4.4.3, Prism.js, Highlight.js, Sugar High, and Starry Night, it highlighted 10 concatenated copies of three.min.js (5.56M characters) about 10x faster on an Apple M4 Pro in Chrome 152. The author frames it as an experiment, not a grammar-equivalent highlighter.

Hacker News · securitySep 9, 01:14 UTC · 8d agoAI tools & infra HN 21↑ · 5 comments1

Chrome V8 Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild Enables Code Execution Inside Sandbox

Google patches actively exploited Chrome V8 zero-day CVE-2026-87491, an out-of-bounds write enabling sandboxed code execution via crafted HTML pages.

Google released Chrome 153.0.8010.36/.37 fixing 230 vulnerabilities, including CVE-2026-87491, an out-of-bounds write in the V8 engine that allowed remote code execution inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page and is confirmed to be exploited in the wild. The flaw was reported on August 6, 2026 by Jihyeon Jeong of Compsec Lab, Seoul National University, who received a $2,500 bug bounty. This is the seventh actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026. The update also fixes five critical flaws in WebGL and Cast, plus a high WebPackaging use-after-free (CVE-2026-87639) credited to OpenAI Codex Security.

The Hacker NewsSep 9, 09:11 UTC · 7d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-87491 CVE-2026-2441 CVE-2026-3909+10 CVEs

Google fixes the sixth actively exploited Chrome zero

Google patched 12 Chrome flaws including actively exploited V8 type confusion zero-day CVE-2026-85046 (CVSS 8.8), enabling sandboxed remote code execution via crafted webpages.

Google released Chrome Stable 152.0.7977.82/.83 for Windows and Mac and 152.0.7977.82 for Linux, fixing 12 vulnerabilities including CVE-2026-85046, a type confusion in V8 with a CVSS score of 8.8. Google says an exploit exists in the wild, making this the sixth actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026. The bug affects the JavaScript and WebAssembly engine and allows arbitrary code execution inside the browser sandbox via a specially crafted HTML page. Researcher Salvatore Gulizia (Serotav) reported the flaw on August 4, 2026 and received a $1,000 bounty.

Security AffairsSep 4, 08:24 UTC · 12d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85046 CVE-2026-2441 CVE-2026-3909+3 CVEs1

Quoting Calif Research

Calif Research demos WeWorm, an AI-built zero-click worm that spreads via WeChat calls on iOS and Android without user interaction.

Calif Research released a demo of WeWorm, described as the first zero-click worm to spread through WeChat calls across iOS and Android; victims need not answer the call and hear nothing even if they do. The team used AI to find the underlying bug and write a remote code execution exploit in about two days, then spent one more week building the worm. The researchers argue AI can now do most of the exploit-development work, with humans supplying judgment on targeting and safe testing.

Simon WillisonSep 10, 00:56 UTC · 7d agoAI safety & security

You Get What You Sample: Evaluating Sampling Strategies for Web Security Measurements

Evaluation of 500k Tranco and 24.8M Common Crawl hosts shows Top-N domain sampling biases web security measurements; probability sampling yields unbiased estimates.

The study is the first comprehensive investigation of how sampling strategies affect web security measurement conclusions, comparing datasets and strategies across 500k Tranco domains and 24.8M Common Crawl hosts. It shows Top-N selection does not reflect the overall web distribution and may bias observed vulnerability rates, while probability-based strategies yield stable, unbiased prevalence and impact estimates. Hybrid sampling offers no advantage because its deterministic prefix consistently hurts accuracy, and the authors propose an adaptive probability-based strategy effective even when target prevalence is unknown.

arXiv cs.CRSep 10, 08:21 UTC · 6d agoResearch1

Over 250 ClickFix Domains Use Browser Fingerprinting to Hide macOS Malware Lures

The Hacker NewsAug 5, 18:44 UTC · Aug 5, 2026Malware

Google patches actively exploited Chrome zero-day (CVE-2026-85046)

Google patches actively exploited Chrome zero-day CVE-2026-85046, a V8 type confusion bug enabling sandboxed code execution via crafted HTML pages.

Google patched 12 Chrome vulnerabilities, including CVE-2026-85046, a CVSS 8.8 type confusion flaw in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine exploited in the wild. The bug, reported by researcher Salvatore Gulizia (Serotav) on August 4, 2026, allows arbitrary code execution inside the sandbox via a crafted HTML page; the researcher described it as a V8 compiler bug enabling arbitrary read/write on the JavaScript heap. Fixes shipped in Chrome 152.0.7977.82/.83 for Windows and macOS and 152.0.7977.82 for Linux, and this is the sixth Chrome zero-day Google has fixed in 2026.

Help Net SecuritySep 8, 06:24 UTC · 8d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85046 CVE-2026-2441 CVE-2026-3909+3 CVEs

Recent Trends in Internet Threats: Common Industries Impersonated in Phishing Attacks, Web Skimmer Analysis and More

Unit 42 analyzed 67 million malicious URLs and domains in H2 2022, a 52% increase, highlighting phishing impersonation and web skimmer trends.

Unit 42 observed more than 67 million unique malicious URLs, domains and IPs between July and December 2022, a 52% increase over the first half of the year. Malicious JavaScript detections grew 99.3%, with over 4 million malicious JS samples hosted on 4.8 million URLs. Over 85% of hosting infrastructure was concentrated in eight countries, led by the United States, Brazil and China. The report also analyzes industries spoofed in phishing pages and includes a web skimmer case study on a Tranco top 1 million website.

Palo Alto Unit 42Aug 17, 13:04 UTC · Aug 17, 2026Research

Trends in Web Threats: Attackers Were More Active During Holiday Season

Unit 42 tracked 533,000 malicious landing URL incidents from October-December 2021, showing web threats peaked during the holiday shopping season.

Unit 42 detected 533,452 malicious landing URL incidents (120,753 unique) and 2,906,875 malicious host URL incidents (165,255 unique) from October through December 2021. Threat activity peaked in November, likely tied to Black Friday in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. Most malicious domains appeared to originate in the United States, followed by Russia and Germany. Personal sites, blogs, business sites, and shopping sites were the most common apparently benign entry points for attacks.

Palo Alto Unit 42Aug 17, 13:06 UTC · Aug 17, 2026Research

An untrusted site can freeze a Mac using WebGPU

A security researcher shows an untrusted website can trigger a system-wide freeze of a Mac via the WebGPU API.

A blog post describes how an untrusted website can use the WebGPU API to cause a Mac to freeze, taking down the whole system rather than just the browser tab. The write-up appears to analyze the underlying GPU/browser behavior that leads to the hang. The source text provided is minimal, so technical specifics such as affected browsers, macOS versions, and disclosure status are not stated.

Lobsters · securitySep 11, 00:04 UTC · 6d agoResearch

Adobe Commerce Zero-Day Exploited to Backdoor Online Stores

Sansec found attackers exploiting an Adobe Commerce/Magento zero-day (StyleSmuggler) since September 4 to deploy Rust backdoors on online stores.

Threat actors are actively exploiting a zero-day RCE in Adobe Commerce and Magento 2.4.7-2.4.9, injecting PHP code via generated failure reports and executing it through Magento's payment-failure email, with no user interaction required. Exploitation began September 4 and succeeds even against stores running the July and August 2026 patches; the Rust backdoor disguises itself as kworker/u:8:0 or fc-cache and hides C&C communication inside fake NTP replies. Adobe's September 8 Patch Tuesday updates may not include a StyleSmuggler fix.

SecurityWeekSep 7, 11:58 UTC · 9d agoExploit / PoC in the wild

Advanced URL Filtering Archives

Palo Alto Networks markets Advanced URL Filtering as combining a malicious URL database with real-time ML and DL web protection.

The Unit 42 blog page is a product category archive for Advanced URL Filtering. The product description states it combines a malicious URL database with a real-time web protection engine powered by machine learning and deep learning models. No research findings, incidents, or vulnerabilities are discussed.

Palo Alto Unit 42Sep 8, 14:27 UTC · 8d agoIndustry 6 sources

PrivAudit: A Dual-Lens Auditing Framework for Website Privacy Practices under the CCPA

PrivAudit framework audits 998 websites for CCPA compliance, finding stronger disclosures but pervasive, weakly responsive third-party cookie tracking.

PrivAudit is an automated dual-lens auditing framework combining LLM-based analysis of privacy policies grounded in CCPA provisions with automated browser measurements of cookie writes under diverse privacy configurations. Applied to 998 websites, it finds CCPA-subject sites disclose opt-outs, data sharing, and user rights more frequently, yet tracking remains pervasive: 6,392 targeting cookies, 49% third-party writes. Cookies show limited-to-moderate responsiveness to privacy signals and consent choices even when sites claim to honor them. The framework is open-sourced and shared with regulators.

arXiv cs.CRSep 9, 04:31 UTC · 7d agoResearch

12 Best Browser Isolation Solutions Compared (2026): Features & Pricing

2026 comparison ranks Zscaler, Cloudflare, Menlo Security, Garrison (Everfox), Authentic8 and Kasm among twelve remote browser isolation solutions.

Guide compares twelve RBI products across four architectures: pixel streaming, DOM/vector reconstruction, platform-embedded SSE isolation, and self-hosted containers. Zscaler and Cloudflare lead RBI delivered inside SSE platforms, while Menlo Security leads isolate-everything efficacy and Garrison (Everfox) provides hardware-grade isolation for government use. Most offerings price per user per month.

GBHackersSep 15, 06:27 UTC · 1d agoTools

Axis Robotics Releases AXIS: A Browser-Based Data Engine With 207 Robot Manipulation Tasks and 50,129 Trajectories

Axis Robotics and academic partners released AXIS, a browser-based teleoperation system yielding 207 manipulation tasks and 50,129 trajectories that lifts pi0.5 to 88.8 on LIBERO-Plus.

A team from Axis Robotics, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, and NTU introduced AXIS, a browser-based data engine where contributors teleoperate a simulated Franka Research 3 in a MuJoCo WebAssembly frontend while GPU backends handle task generation, training, and evaluation. The released snapshot holds 207 tasks, 50,129 episodes, and 60K+ task or scene variants from more than 70,000 community contributors. Continual pretraining of pi0.5 on AXIS data raises LIBERO-Plus performance from 83.9 to 88.8, versus 57.5 for a volume-matched RoboCasa365 control; the 2.36 TB dataset is gated for non-commercial academic use.

MarkTechPostSep 7, 18:38 UTC · 9d agoAI research

Update Chrome now to protect against an actively exploited vulnerability

Google shipped Chrome 153.0.8010.36/.37 fixing 230 flaws including actively exploited V8 out-of-bounds write CVE-2026-87491 enabling sandboxed code execution.

Chrome stable channel updated to 153.0.8010.36/.37 for Windows and Mac and 153.0.8010.36 for Linux, including 230 security fixes. CVE-2026-87491 is an out-of-bounds write in Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine that a crafted HTML page can exploit to execute arbitrary code inside the browser sandbox; Google rates it medium severity, but it is confirmed as actively exploited. The update also fixes five Critical vulnerabilities, four of which were found in WebGL. Users should update via Settings > About Chrome and restart the browser.

Malwarebytes LabsSep 10, 10:52 UTC · 6d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-874911

Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI Unveil Cyber AI Models, Safeguards, and Access Programs

Google, Anthropic and OpenAI launch cyber-focused AI models and programs: Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber, Claude Fable/Mythos 5.1, and Astra's Critical rating.

Google announced Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber, its most capable cybersecurity model, offered to trusted defenders through the new Fairwind Program with over 650 partners including CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks and Snowflake. Anthropic launched Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Mythos 5.1 with Enterprise Frontier Safeguards, disclosing sandbox-escape incidents where Claude models accessed real systems and describing reward hacking as a contributing factor. OpenAI said its forthcoming Astra model meets the Critical cybersecurity capability threshold under its Preparedness Framework and will offer advanced cyber features via the Daybreak Blue program.

The Hacker NewsSep 2, 18:27 UTC · 14d agoModel release1