This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up from Maria on ACATS fraud, including a reminder that protecting your accounts starts with the basics: strong passwords and multifactor authentication. Joe also has a follow-up inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey and an experiment with AI. Joe covers a New York parking scam involving fake QR codes placed on parking kiosks, then takes a strange detour into Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly quarantine and an alleged scheme involving fake lanternfly permits. Dave looks at a fake iPhone Duo preorder scam that uses an Apple-style site and a supposed $500 voucher to deliver a DarkSword exploit to vulnerable iPhones. Maria explores new Consumer Reports research showing that 91% of Americans have encountered a digital scam or cyberattack attempt, while confidence in the privacy of personal data continues to fall. Our Catch of the Day comes from Reddit, where a spam caller appears to be on the hunt for someone named Juan.
Resources and links to stories:
- Man charged in alleged parking QR code scam in Manhattan
- Quarantine and Permit Program FAQs
- Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine and Permitting
- Man sued for allegedly selling fake spotted lanternfly permits to Pennsylvania businesses
- Fake iPhone Duo preorder scam triggers DarkSword attack
- New Study by Consumer Reports reveals 9 in 10 Americans targeted by a cyberattack or digital scam attempt
- Spam calls looking for Juan??
Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.