Cybersecurity

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s What to Watch For A new survey from the Pew Research Center puts a number on something many of us have suspected: online shopping scams are alarmingly common. According to the study, published November 19, 2025, about 32% of U.S. adults – roughly one in three – say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. With the holiday shopping season upon us, that figure is likely to climb. Here’s what the data shows and how you can avoid becoming a statistic. ...

Microsoft reports 8.3 billion email phishing threats in Q1 2026: What you need to know Microsoft’s latest email threat report for the first quarter of 2026 paints a stark picture: attackers are sending more phishing emails than ever, and they’re using AI and QR codes to slip past traditional filters. The company detected 8.3 billion phishing attempts in Q1 2026 alone — a figure that’s hard to wrap your head around, but one that directly affects anyone who uses email for work or personal life. ...

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams, Pew Finds – How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up with nothing but an empty bank account, you’re not alone. According to a new Pew Research Center survey published in November 2025, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33% of American shoppers—a number that warrants attention whether you shop every week or only during the holiday rush. ...

Is That Chrome Extension Spying on You? How to Spot a Malicious Productivity Tool A recent investigation by the FBI into a breach of its own surveillance systems has drawn attention to a growing threat: malicious Chrome extensions disguised as productivity tools. These extensions can bypass standard security controls and exfiltrate data from both individuals and organizations. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself. ...

Chrome Extensions Turned Dangerous: Are Your Productivity Tools Spying on You? If you use Chrome for work or personal browsing, you probably have a handful of extensions installed – a password manager, an ad blocker, perhaps a note‑taking tool or a grammar helper. They make life easier. But recent investigations have uncovered a troubling trend: attackers are quietly turning these trusted add‑ons into backdoors for data theft and credential harvesting. This isn’t a theoretical risk; it’s happening now. ...

Chrome Extensions Can Spy on You: How to Spot a Dangerous One and Stay Safe Most Chrome extensions start with a good intention: block ads, take notes, or improve grammar. But the same permissions that make them useful can also turn them into a hidden surveillance tool. In recent months, attackers have increasingly weaponized seemingly innocent “productivity” extensions to siphon passwords, read email, and even move laterally inside corporate networks. Understanding how this happens — and what you can do about it — is no longer optional for anyone who uses the browser daily. ...

Your Chrome Extensions Could Be Spying on You: How to Stay Safe If you use Chrome at work or at home, you’ve probably added a few extensions to save time, block ads, or take notes. They feel harmless—clipboard managers, grammar checkers, PDF tools. But recent reporting has revealed that some of these seemingly benign add-ons can turn into surveillance tools, quietly exfiltrating passwords, emails, or browsing history. ...

How to Spot a Malicious Chrome Extension Before It Steals Your Data You probably have a handful of extensions in your browser right now—a password manager, an ad blocker, maybe a grammar checker or a tab organizer. They’re convenient, and most do exactly what they promise. But a recent report from Security Boulevard highlights a growing problem: attackers are increasingly using Chrome extensions as backdoors into personal accounts, corporate systems, and sensitive data. ...

Careful With That ‘Productivity’ Chrome Extension: It Could Be a Backdoor If you use Chrome—and most people do—you have probably installed an extension to help you get things done. A grammar checker, a note taker, a tab manager, a coupon finder. They are convenient, often free, and seem harmless. But a recent report from Security Boulevard (March 2026) shows how attackers are turning these same tools into backdoors, sometimes even using them to infiltrate government systems. The good news is that with a little care, you can keep using extensions without opening the door to trouble. ...

Chrome Extension Warning: How to Spot and Stop Malicious Productivity Tools If you’ve ever installed a Chrome extension to take notes, check grammar, or block ads, you’re not alone. Millions of us trust these small add-ons to make our browsing faster and easier. But recent security reports show that some productivity extensions have a hidden purpose: stealing your data, recording your keystrokes, and even passing your online activity to attackers. ...