2017 was a critical year regarding digital security. News outlets reported many security breaches on important websites and applications used by people all around the world, such as the Equifax breach, as well as new and increasingly more dangerous virus and threats targeting personal users and businesses, that aim to steal important information from their systems.
One important component in order to stay protected while using your devices and browsing the internet is a good and efficient antivirus program. Stay protected during 2018 with this list of the top five antivirus programs for you!
Avast Antivirus
Avast is a lightweight but powerful antivirus available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, and with a special edition for businesses. The basic antivirus, with an easy-to-use interface, offers protection from offline and online threats, malware, ransomware and spyware, and is free for personal users. Avast also offers a paid package, Avast Ultimate, that includes more efficient protection, as well as a VPN, a password manager and a cleanup utility, providing a more complete security suite.
AVG 2018
AVG 2018 is a free antivirus for Windows 10 and Mac, with a special version for mobile devices, that can protect your device from virus, spyware and information theft. This program does not slow down your device, thanks to its minimal resource consumption, and has a special component for internet content analysis. AVG also offers a premium program, AVG Internet Security, with a wider array of tools to protect your information, e-mail and online payments and transactions.
Kaspersky Antivirus
Kaspersky Lab, the group behind the Kaspersky Antivirus, is one of today’s highly rated digital security experts. Their security suite comes in several components: an Antivirus program, an Internet Security module and a more complete, Total Security tool. All of their programs have versions for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, and are easy to use, providing an unbeatable protection for your devices with a minimal impact on its performance.
Norton Security Deluxe
Norton Security Deluxe is Norton’s premium antivirus for PCs, Macs and mobile devices. This security suite, presented as an evolution of the company’s previous antivirus, protects each device from virus, spyware and other malicious threats, as well as your online identity. The subscription to this security tool also comes with a firewall and 24/7 customer support from security experts that can help you remove any virus from your devices.
Sophos
Sophos might not be as well known as the other antivirus programs listed above, but is another powerful solution for digital and internet security. Sophos Home, the version for personal use, is free and comes with advanced digital protection, with an easy installation process and even easier user interface. It also comes with tools for controlling online traffic and website access, If you’re looking for a security tool aimed on businesses, Sophos also offers three premium tools for firewall control, real-time protection and end-point security that can be installed as standalone products or all together as a complete security suite.
Cheats and mods are now frontlines for cybercrime targeting gamers’ wallets and private data Verified crypto wallets like MetaMask and Exodus are being drained through browser injection Trojan.Scavenger abuses overlooked flaws to disable browser safety and manipulate trusted extensions Gamers seeking performance enhancements or special abilities through third-party patches and mods may be unwittingly exposing
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Cheats and mods are now frontlines for cybercrime targeting gamers’ wallets and private data
Verified crypto wallets like MetaMask and Exodus are being drained through browser injection
Trojan.Scavenger abuses overlooked flaws to disable browser safety and manipulate trusted extensions
Gamers seeking performance enhancements or special abilities through third-party patches and mods may be unwittingly exposing themselves to sophisticated malware, experts have warned.
Recent findings from Dr.Web revealed a malware family known as “Trojan.Scavenger” which targets Windows users by disguising itself as cheats or enhancements for popular games.
This seemingly harmless mod can ultimately compromise crypto wallets, password managers, and web browsers, posing serious risks to user privacy and digital assets.
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When cheats become covert threats
The infection chain begins when users download ZIP archives claiming to improve performance in games including the likes of Grand Theft Auto 5 or Oblivion Remastered.
These archives contain modified dynamic libraries, sometimes renamed with extensions like .ASI to resemble legitimate plugin formats.
When the user follows the installation instructions, the malicious library is placed in the same folder as the target game. If the game does not properly validate its libraries, the trojan loads automatically at startup.
In some cases, flaws in library search priorities are essential to the malware’s success, allowing it to hijack execution within the host application.
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Once loaded, the malware establishes contact with a command-and-control server using encrypted communication. This process includes verifying encryption keys and checking timestamp consistency, which is meant to evade analysis and block antivirus detection.
The malware doesn’t stop with the initial payload. In more complex infections, it deploys additional trojans that embed themselves in Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Yandex.
Check Point finds thousands of ads promoting fake crypto apps The apps come with an infostealer malware targeting users The infostealer can bypass most antivirus protections Cryptocurrency users are being targeted by a highly sophisticated, widespread cybercriminal campaign with the goal of deploying malware capable of grabbing exchange and wallet information, essentially robbing the people
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Check Point finds thousands of ads promoting fake crypto apps
The apps come with an infostealer malware targeting users
The infostealer can bypass most antivirus protections
Cryptocurrency users are being targeted by a highly sophisticated, widespread cybercriminal campaign with the goal of deploying malware capable of grabbing exchange and wallet information, essentially robbing the people of their tokens, experts from Check Point have warned.
Apparently active since March 2024, what makes this campaign, dubbed JSCEAL by the researchers, unique is the use of compiled JavaScript files (JSC), which allows the malware to remain hidden from most traditional antivirus solutions.
The criminals created fake cryptocurrency exchange and wallet apps, which come with an infostealer. They also created websites to host these apps, and managed to purchase thousands of advertisements on the internet to promote the scam. Check Point says that just in the European Union (EU), 35,000 malicious ads were served between January and June 2025.
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JSCEAL malware
“The use of Facebook’s Ad Library enabled us to estimate the campaign’s reach, while in a very conservative approach we can estimate the total reach of the malvertising campaign at 3.5 million users within the EU alone, and likely above 10 million users worldwide,” the researchers explained.
People who fall for the scam download an MSI installer which triggers “a sequence of profiling scripts” that gather critical system information. These scripts also use PowerShell commands to collect and exfiltrate data, in preparation of the final payload deployment.
This final payload is the JSCEAL malware, which steals crypto-related data such as credentials and private keys. The payload is executed through Node.js, it was said.
What makes this malware particularly dangerous is the use of compiled JavaScript files.
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Regulators in the UK have taken a step closer to formal crypto oversight. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has opened consultations on new rules governing stablecoins and the custody of digital assets. The proposals are part of an effort to establish a safer, more transparent environment for crypto services…
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Regulators in the UK have taken a step closer to
formal crypto oversight. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has opened consultations on new rules governing stablecoins and the custody of
digital assets. The proposals are part of an effort to establish a
safer, more transparent environment for crypto services… Read More
close Video Deepfake technology ‘is getting so easy now’: Cybersecurity expert Cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright breaks down the dangers of deepfake video technology on ‘Unfiltered.’ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Imagine your phone rings and the voice on the other end sounds just like your boss, a close friend, or even a
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Deepfake technology ‘is getting so easy now’: Cybersecurity expert
Cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright breaks down the dangers of deepfake video technology on ‘Unfiltered.’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Imagine your phone rings and the voice on the other end sounds just like your boss, a close friend, or even a government official. They urgently ask for sensitive information, except it’s not really them. It’s a deepfake, powered by AI, and you’re the target of a sophisticated scam. These kinds of attacks are happening right now, and they’re getting more convincing every day.
That’s the warning sounded by the 2025 AI Security Report, unveiled at the RSA Conference (RSAC), one of the world’s biggest gatherings for cybersecurity experts, companies, and law enforcement. The report details how criminals are harnessing artificial intelligence to impersonate people, automate scams, and attack security systems on a massive scale.
From hijacked AI accounts and manipulated models to live video scams and data poisoning, the report paints a picture of a rapidly evolving threat landscape, one that’s touching more lives than ever before.
Join The FREE CyberGuy Report: Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts, and exclusive deals – plus instant access to my free Ultimate Scam Survival Guide when you sign up!
Illustration of cybersecurity risks.(Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
AI tools are leaking sensitive data
One of the biggest risks of using AI tools is what users accidentally share with them. A recent analysis by cybersecurity firm Check Point found that 1 in every 80 AI prompts includes high-risk data, and about 1 in 13 contains sensitive information that could expose users or organizations to security or compliance risks.
This data can include passwords, internal business plans, client information, or proprietary code. When shared with AI tools that are not secured, this information can be logged, intercepted, or even leaked later.
Deepfake scams are now real-time and multilingual
AI-powered impersonation is getting more advanced every month. Criminals can now fake voices and faces convincingly in real time. In early 2024, a British engineering firm lost 20 million pounds after scammers used live deepfake video to impersonate company executives during a Zoom call. The attackers looked and sounded like trusted leaders and convinced an employee to transfer funds.
Real-time video manipulation tools are now being sold on criminal forums. These tools can swap faces and mimic speech during video calls in multiple languages, making it easier for attackers to run scams across borders.
Illustration of a person video conferencing on their laptop.(Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
AI is running phishing and scam operations at scale
Social engineering has always been a part of cybercrime. Now, AI is automating it. Attackers no longer need to speak a victim’s language, stay online constantly, or manually write convincing messages.
Tools like GoMailPro use ChatGPT to create phishing and spam emails with perfect grammar and native-sounding tone. These messages are far more convincing than the sloppy scams of the past. GoMailPro can generate thousands of unique emails, each slightly different in language and urgency, which helps them slip past spam filters. It is actively marketed on underground forums for around $500 per month, making it widely accessible to bad actors.
Another tool, the X137 Telegram Console, leverages Gemini AI to monitor and respond to chat messages automatically. It can impersonate customer support agents or known contacts, carrying out real-time conversations with multiple targets at once. The replies are uncensored, fast, and customized based on the victim’s responses, giving the illusion of a human behind the screen.
AI is also powering large-scale sextortion scams. These are emails that falsely claim to have compromising videos or photos and demand payment to prevent them from being shared. Instead of using the same message repeatedly, scammers now rely on AI to rewrite the threat in dozens of ways. For example, a basic line like “Time is running out” might be reworded as “The hourglass is nearly empty for you,” making the message feel more personal and urgent while also avoiding detection.
By removing the need for language fluency and manual effort, these AI tools allow attackers to scale their phishing operations dramatically. Even inexperienced scammers can now run large, personalized campaigns with almost no effort.
Stolen AI accounts are sold on the dark web
With AI tools becoming more popular, criminals are now targeting the accounts that use them. Hackers are stealing ChatGPT logins, OpenAI API keys, and other platform credentials to bypass usage limits and hide their identity. These accounts are often stolen through malware, phishing, or credential stuffing attacks. The stolen credentials are then sold in bulk on Telegram channels and underground forums. Some attackers are even using tools that can bypass multi-factor authentication and session-based security protections. These stolen accounts allow criminals to access powerful AI tools and use them for phishing, malware generation, and scam automation.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IS ON THE DARK WEB
Illustration of a person signing into their laptop.(Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
MALWARE STEALS BANK CARDS AND PASSWORDS FROM MILLIONS OF DEVICES
Jailbreaking AI is now a common tactic
Criminals are finding ways to bypass the safety rules built into AI models. On the dark web, attackers share techniques for jailbreaking AI so it will respond to requests that would normally be blocked. Common methods include:
Telling the AI to pretend it is a fictional character that has no rules or limitations
Phrasing dangerous questions as academic or research-related scenarios
Asking for technical instructions using less obvious wording so the request doesn’t get flagged
Some AI models can even be tricked into jailbreaking themselves. Attackers prompt the model to create input that causes it to override its own restrictions. This shows how AI systems can be manipulated in unexpected and dangerous ways.
AI-generated malware is entering the mainstream
AI is now being used to build malware, phishing kits, ransomware scripts, and more. Recently, a group called FunkSac was identified as the leading ransomware gang using AI. Its leader admitted that at least 20% of their attacks are powered by AI. FunkSec has also used AI to help launch attacks that flood websites or services with fake traffic, making them crash or go offline. These are known as denial-of-service attacks. The group even created its own AI-powered chatbot to promote its activities and communicate with victims on its public website..
Some cybercriminals are even using AI to help with marketing and data analysis after an attack. One tool called Rhadamanthys Stealer 0.7 claimed to use AI for “text recognition” to sound more advanced, but researchers later found it was using older technology instead. This shows how attackers use AI buzzwords to make their tools seem more advanced or trustworthy to buyers.
Other tools are more advanced. One example is DarkGPT, a chatbot built specifically to sort through huge databases of stolen information. After a successful attack, scammers often end up with logs full of usernames, passwords, and other private details. Instead of sifting through this data manually, they use AI to quickly find valuable accounts they can break into, sell, or use for more targeted attacks like ransomware.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web
Poisoned AI models are spreading misinformation
Sometimes, attackers do not need to hack an AI system. Instead, they trick it by feeding it false or misleading information. This tactic is called AI poisoning, and it can cause the AI to give biased, harmful, or completely inaccurate answers. There are two main ways this happens:
Training poisoning: Attackers sneak false or harmful data into the model during development
Retrieval poisoning: Misleading content online gets planted, which the AI later picks up when generating answers
In 2024, attackers uploaded 100 tampered AI models to the open-source platform Hugging Face. These poisoned models looked like helpful tools, but when people used them, they could spread false information or output malicious code.
A large-scale example came from a Russian propaganda group called Pravda, which published more than 3.6 million fake articles online. These articles were designed to trick AI chatbots into repeating their messages. In tests, researchers found that major AI systems echoed these false claims about 33% of the time.
Illustration of a hacker at work(Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
HOW SCAMMERS USE AI TOOLS TO FILE PERFECT-LOOKING TAX RETURNS IN YOUR NAME
How to protect yourself from AI-driven cyber threats
AI-powered cybercrime blends realism, speed, and scale. These scams are not just harder to detect. They are also easier to launch. Here’s how to stay protected:
1) Avoid entering sensitive data into public AI tools: Never share passwords, personal details, or confidential business information in any AI chat, even if it seems private. These inputs can sometimes be logged or misused.
2) Use strong antivirus software: AI-generated phishing emails and malware can slip past outdated security tools. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.
3) Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA):2FA adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts, including AI platforms. It makes it much harder for attackers to break in using stolen passwords.
4) Be extra cautious with unexpected video calls or voice messages: If something feels off, even if the person seems familiar, verify before taking action. Deepfake audio and video can sound and look very real.
5) Use a personal data removal service: With AI-powered scams and deepfake attacks on the rise, criminals are increasingly relying on publicly available personal information to craft convincing impersonations or target victims with personalized phishing. By using a reputable personal data removal service, you can reduce your digital footprint on data broker sites and public databases. This makes it much harder for scammers to gather the details they need to convincingly mimic your identity or launch targeted AI-driven attacks.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap – and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
6) Consider identity theft protection: If your data is leaked through a scam, early detection is key. Identity protection services can monitor your information and alert you to suspicious activity. Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
7) Regularly monitor your financial accounts: AI-generated phishing, malware, and account takeover attacks are now more sophisticated and widespread than ever, as highlighted in the 2025 AI Security Report. By frequently reviewing your bank and credit card statements for suspicious activity, you can catch unauthorized transactions early, often before major damage is done. Quick detection is crucial, especially since stolen credentials a
