A new vulnerability in WhatsApp messages has been identified. The cybersecurity company Kaspersky reports that users can be attacked through a document received via message, and upon opening it, a virus is installed that takes control of the computer.

WhatsApp is once again a target for hackers through user chats. The warning is to be vigilant with messages from contacts to avoid further damage.

According to the cybersecurity company, this is a global attack. “The list of affected countries includes Spain, Mexico, Brazil, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Australia, Russia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.”

The situation is not easy considering that the attackers infiltrate the platform, and the message appears to be from a friend or coworker. “At a technical level, it’s based on a file in a format called VBScript, which is very well hidden so that the computer’s antivirus software doesn’t trigger it. To deceive the victim, the attackers change the document’s name according to the language of the country they want to target.”

One of the clues analyzed by Kaspersky is user complaints on social media about stolen accounts, where cybercriminals begin to indiscriminately release the infected file to see how many people they can actually fall for it.

The situation worsens once the complete package is downloaded with a program called ManageEngine Endpoint Central, “which allows a company’s IT staff to remotely control computers and connects them directly to the hackers’ servers.” If the user has the WhatsApp Desktop application on Windows, there’s not much they can do, “since the hidden code can be opened directly with a double-click due to the operating system’s built-in tools.”

M.Pino

Source: computerhoy

(Reference image source: Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash)

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La entrada Viruses in documents sent via WhatsApp attack desktop computers apareció primero en Bitfinance.

With over 1,100 attendees and 12 presentations, the 3rd International Cybersecurity Congress, under the theme “The Future of Cybersecurity is Agentic,” organized by the Venezuelan Banking Association (Asobanca), solidified its position as one of the leading regional forums for discussion on digital security. It demonstrated the growing interest of organizations in strengthening the protection of their technological resources and preparing for an increasingly demanding business environment aligned with international standards.

In a context of new opportunities for the country, where digital transformation and eventual integration with international markets demand higher standards of protection, the Congress brought together international experts from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Panama, as well as national experts, to discuss the main emerging risks, new cyber threats, and the capabilities that organizations must develop to protect their operations.

During the opening of the Congress, Pedro Pacheco Rodríguez, executive president of the Venezuelan Banking Association (Asobanca), highlighted the speed at which the technological environment is evolving and the impact this has on corporate security strategies.

“In the last edition, the central theme was Artificial Intelligence (AI), and in just one year we already have to talk about artificial intelligence agents (AIAs),” he stated, referring to a new technological stage in which systems no longer just respond to instructions, but also plan, decide, and execute tasks autonomously.

One of the first warnings came from Rafael Núñez, CEO of Más Que Seguridad, who cautioned about the advancement of agentic AI for both defense and attack. He explained that while traditional hacking required high levels of technical expertise, today there are systems capable of perceiving, reasoning, and planning actions autonomously, lowering barriers for attackers and exponentially increasing the attack surface.

He also warned of a paradigm shift: the attack surface is no longer limited to traditional malware, but extends to the logical manipulation of systems, in a context where digital fraud is becoming increasingly industrialized and sophisticated.

Núñez emphasized that the Asobanca event and its convening had indeed positioned itself as a major, regionally recognized event on digital security.

From a forensic perspective, Pascual González Rodríguez, head of investigations and supervisor of the Computer Crimes Division of the Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations Corps (CICPC) and former member of Interpol’s Americas Group against Cybercrime, highlighted the role of digital forensics in strengthening investigations and responses to cyber incidents. “Every attack leaves a trace; we must know how to read and interpret them,” he stated, while warning about the sustained growth of incidents in Venezuela and the increase in users exposed by data leaks and vulnerabilities in technological platforms.

The discussion analyzed how artificial intelligence agents (AIAs), new attack models, and quantum computing are transforming the protection of digital ecosystems

Among other presentations, Karina Bierkamp, ​​cybersecurity manager at Setrys, offered a perspective on the Venezuelan context. She asserted that many organizations are vulnerable not due to a lack of tools, but rather to mindset problems and poor practices. During her presentation, she warned about the high level of exposure of leaked credentials and vulnerabilities in application programming interfaces (APIs), which have become potential channels for information leaks. “Hackers don’t need to be geniuses to get in because they’re often already inside,” she cautioned.

The human factor also took center stage at the Congress. Juan Camilo Reyes (Colombia), Vice President of Business Development for Cybersecurity and Fraud in South America at Mastercard, noted that phishing remains one of the most persistent threats worldwide and that, in many cases, a single wrong click is enough to compromise entire security efforts. He also drew attention to the disconnect that still exists between fraud and cybersecurity teams within organizations, pointing out that working in silos limits the ability to anticipate and respond to incidents.

From IBM, Yonathan Ledo (Ecuador) and Alexander Patarra (Brazil) addressed the impact of quantum computing on current cryptographic systems, warning of the urgent need to move toward crypto-agile processes capable of identifying cryptographic assets and planning transitions to new algorithms resistant to future threats. “This isn’t just for banks; it affects the entire industry. Cryptography is everywhere,” they pointed out, emphasizing that the challenge is no longer just protecting future data, but also the data that organizations currently safeguard.

Learning from what happened to Digitel and Cashea

While the presentations provided insight into the evolution of threats, the panel “From Vulnerability to Strength: Lessons from Cyberattacks” grounded the conversation in real-world experiences, demonstrating how a cybersecurity crisis unfolds and is managed after an attack has already occurred.

During the discussion, representatives from Cashea and Digitel openly shared the lessons learned from facing real incidents, addressing operational, technical, reputational, and communication decisions.

On behalf of Cashea, Ernesto Vincelli (Argentina) highlighted the importance of communicating the incident early to the community and users to alert them to potential secondary risks, reinforce official channels, and maintain trust. “One of the most difficult, yet most important, decisions was communication,” he explained, adding that the company decided to publish a post-mortem technical report detailing what happened and reaffirming that paying ransoms is not a viable solution.

On behalf of Digitel, Gabriel Díaz acknowledged that the organization was unprepared to face an incident of this magnitude when it occurred. The company suffered disruptions to its digital channels and compromised internal accounts, a situation that forced it to implement deep cleanup processes, recreate access credentials, and rethink its security policies. Beyond the technological aspects, Díaz emphasized that the main challenge was cultural and organizational, recognizing that the lack of investment and prior preparation created significant vulnerabilities. Based on this experience, he explained, the organization strengthened its capabilities by creating a cybersecurity committee, conducting regular drills, performing black-box and white-box analysis, and implementing new response frameworks.

The panel reached a clear conclusion: cyberattacks are no longer a hypothetical scenario, but a real possibility that demands preparation, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration within organizations.

A human and emotional perspective through music

To close the day, Elisa Vegas, director of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Symphony Orchestra, presented the immersive experience “What Does a Cyberattack Sound Like?”, a performance that led the audience to reflect on cybersecurity from a human and emotional perspective. Through music, she reminded them that behind every technological threat there are also people, teams, and decisions, highlighting the importance of communication and teamwork as essential elements for facing any crisis.

Concluding the day, Pedro Pacheco Rodríguez, president of Asobanca, announced the fourth edition of the International Cybersecurity Congress, to be held on May 27, 2027.

With information from Asobanca, other international and national media, and social networks  

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La entrada Rafael Núñez: Asobanca’s 3rd International Cybersecurity Congress establishes itself as a leading regional event apareció primero en Bitfinance.

NATO announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and ESET on Wednesday, May 27, to better address cyber threats and attacks. The announcement was made during the International Conference on Cyber ​​Conflicts (CyCon) in Tallinn, Estonia.

According to the organization, the alliance with the technology company and the two cybersecurity firms will facilitate the exchange of information and best practices in the field of cybersecurity, as well as foster coordinated activities to address issues of common interest.

Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Cyber ​​Defense and Digital Transformation, stated that “deterrence and defense in cyberspace and the digital sphere are not just a matter of reliable hardware and software, but also of shared norms and principles.”

NATO’s bet is that the non-commercial strategic alliance with Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and ESET will enable systems to be more secure, resilient, and recover more quickly from attacks.

M.Pino

With information from international media and social networks

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La entrada NATO to combat cyberattacks with the help of Microsoft, ESET, and Palo Alto Networks apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The alarming increase in email account takeovers led Google to issue an alert, given that cybercriminals are now not only stealing passwords but also capturing authentication codes and even session cookies.

With this advancement in their methodology, attackers can take control of an account without having to overcome additional security measures.

According to Chrome Sync, “browser syncing is incredibly convenient… and dangerously pervasive. When you turn on syncing in Chrome, Google stores a massive amount of your private data in the cloud: browsing history, open tabs, passwords, payment methods, addresses, phone numbers, information stored in Google Pay, etc.” In other words, the user’s digital life.

If you add to this the fact that Chrome functions as a universal password manager, if a hacker gains access to your account, it “opens the door to banking services, social networks, online stores, work tools, and any platform whose data is stored in the browser.”

A similar situation occurs with cookie theft, a technique that is gaining ground and allows attackers to “bypass login mechanisms and behave as if they were you, without the system detecting anything unusual.”

The good news is that users can protect themselves. One of the main safeguards is to disable Chrome Sync or use the “Custom sync” option to exclude particularly sensitive data such as passwords and payment information.

In addition, Google reminds users that “it is possible to encrypt all synced information using a passphrase. While this option does disable some features—such as Smart Lock—it significantly increases security. It’s a small sacrifice in exchange for preventing an intrusion from compromising your entire digital identity.”

For its part, Google is implementing new tools to mitigate attacks, even after data has been stolen, such as passkeys, Device Bound Session Credentials (currently in beta), and the new Shared Signals Framework, which will allow Google to react automatically when partner platforms detect suspicious activity.

M.Pino

Source: muycomputer

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La entrada Google issues alert over increase in account takeovers apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Cybercrimes in the Venezuelan financial system continue to increase, as warned by the country’s Banking Association, highlighting identity theft and phishing as the most common methods.

Digital fraud cases are being carried out against corporations, SMEs, and individuals in increasingly sophisticated ways. In this regard, the ABV emphasizes “the need to strengthen a culture of prevention among users and companies.” The warning is based on a study conducted in October 2025 among private banks in the country, which concludes that phishing and identity theft remain the most frequent criminal activities.

On the other hand, the association details that banking institutions remain the primary target of cybercriminals, who “send fake links via email, social media, or search engines, mimicking the official websites of financial institutions.”

The ABV calls for the implementation of strong security measures leading up to 2026, when, according to its estimates, AI will be the main tool hackers use to commit their digital crimes.

M.Pino

With information from finanzasdigital.com

(Reference image: Shamin Haky on Unsplash)

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La entrada Venezuelan Banking Association warns of increased digital fraud apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Cybercriminals are advancing their ransomware attacks, finding loopholes through which to infect computers. In response, Google Drive is strengthening security with new features that are not limited to a threat alert, but also help recover lost items in the event of an attack.

In this regard, the technology company recently announced “the deployment of a dual feature that combines the detection of behaviors associated with ransomware with the ability to restore files from previous versions.”

The update will be released in beta on October 14 for both Google Workspace and personal account users. “This is a layer of protection that will be activated by default and seeks to immediately stop the spread of damage when a threat is detected on the local system,” according to Google.

On the other hand, the company detailed that the detection system is based on Drive for desktop version 114 or higher, capable of recognizing patterns characteristic of malicious encryption attacks. “When suspicious activity is detected, synchronization is automatically stopped, preventing compromised files from being replicated in the cloud.”

At the same time, the user receives a notification, “and, if applicable, the Workspace account administrator, allowing for a more agile and contained response.”

Regarding the restoration feature, they indicated that it “allows the recovery of affected files without having to resort to local copies or third-party services. From the Drive interface itself, users can select multiple damaged items and return them to a state prior to the attack.”

This is a relatively simple operation, as it is manual, guided step by step, “and represents a direct response to one of the most critical ransomware scenarios: when there is no recent backup or when it has also been encrypted.”

The feature will initially be released for the Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, and Education editions of Google Workspace. Administrators must enable it from the configuration panel, which means it won’t be activated automatically in all cases.

M.Pino

Source: muycomputer

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La entrada Google Drive strengthens security against ransomware with new features apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Germany wants to make the protection of important equipment and companies against cyberattacks a law, and has therefore submitted the corresponding request to the European Union.

According to Claudia Plattner, President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the German Ministry of the Interior is actively promoting this issue.

Plattner told the German Press Agency that the German official expects the legislation to come into force in early 2026, after “consultation with the federal states and affected associations on the draft, which, among other things, establishes the obligation to conduct risk analyses and report security incidents.”

The implementation of the European NIS 2 Directive seeks to strengthen the cybersecurity of companies and institutions. Major companies are considered, among others, to include large firms in the “energy, transport, drinking water, food production, wastewater, and telecommunications” sectors.

In the event of a cyberattack, these companies would cease to operate and cause profound harm to the population. For this reason, the German government is insisting on legislation on the subject, which would allow for the implementation of security measures to “prevent and manage cyberattacks. This will affect approximately 29,000 companies in the future, which is a considerably higher number than until now.”

M.Pino

Source: deutschland.de

(Reference image source: Growtika on Unsplash)

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La entrada Germany requests a cyberattack protection law apareció primero en Bitfinance.

From Venezuela, engineer Lino Simoes, general manager of MásQueSeguridad (MQD), urges Latin American companies to rethink cybersecurity as an “essential investment for business resilience,” highlighting that cyberattacks in the region increased by 40 % in 2024, according to the OAS-CICTE.

“In challenging economies like ours, every dollar counts. But reducing cybersecurity to an ‘expense’ is a catastrophic mistake: protecting data means ensuring business continuity,” Simoes points out. “A single breach can cost up to four times more than implementing robust solutions, not counting reputational damage.”

Why is investing in cybersecurity profitable?

Lino Simoes bases his position on three pillars:

1. Protection of critical assets:

“78% of Venezuelan SMEs depend on digital data (according to CAVEDATOS). Losing them to ransomware paralyzes operations and generates fines as a result of international data protection regulations.”

2. International competitiveness:

“Companies with ISO 27001 certifications access global markets. Investors demand security guarantees. 65% reject projects without clear protocols (as reflected in the Deloitte LATAM 2024 Study).”

3. Long-term savings:

“Early vulnerability detection reduces remediation costs by 90%. Clients in Colombia and Panama recover their investment in 18 months.”

Landmark case

– A Venezuelan agro-industrial company avoided losses of USD $280,000 after a phishing attempt targeting its financial department, thanks to MásQueSeguridad’s proactive monitoring system. The previous investment was USD $12,000.

A compelling statement

“The right question is not: Can we afford to invest in security? But rather: Can we risk not doing so?” Simoes states, adding that “in Latin America, where digital fraud is growing by 25% annually, this determines which companies survive.”

About MasQueSeguridad

– We are a leading cybersecurity solutions firm for Latin America, based in Venezuela. We specialize in ISO 27001 audits, incident response, and digital awareness training.

Contact Information

Mail: contacto@masqueseguridad.com.ve

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La entrada Cybersecurity is a strategic investment, not an expense; says Lino Simoes of MásQueSeguridad apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Digital crimes are a threat to virtually every productive sector worldwide. Just as they empty people’s bank accounts, steal personal data, and impersonate others, hackers are finding new ways to affect sectors such as industry, healthcare, manufacturing, education, telecommunications, and supply chains, among others.

Internet criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods, including the use of AI that allows for virtually imperceptible impersonation, to breach the protective barriers of individuals and businesses, as well as universities, oil facilities, healthcare centers, manufacturers, and more.

Among the most common attack methods is the introduction of malware into both personal and corporate computers to steal information. But cybercriminals also commit crimes through phishing, asset theft, card cloning at points of sale, malicious applications, and cyberespionage.

Losses from cyberattacks are in the millions. Beyond companies seeing their data exposed or simply losing it to hackers, there’s also the theft of assets, money in bank accounts that ends up in the hands of cybercriminals, data ransom demands, and operational disruption.

Solving all of this comes at a cost. In this sense, some projections of losses from cyberattacks this year point to more than $10.5 trillion.

M.Pino

With information from international media

(Reference image source: Growtika on Unsplash)

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La entrada Cybercrimes cause millions in losses worldwide apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Phishing is one of the cyberattack techniques that, along with ransomware, affects thousands of victims around the world. Internet criminals recruit users by impersonating regular sources of information such as banks, government agencies, stores, among others.

People receive messages that appear to be genuine, sent from the real source, usually taking advantage of key dates and events of personal interest to sneak in real offers.

When the user opens these malicious messages or links, cyberattackers enter the system and steal their personal data, bank passwords, bank card numbers.

Among the common recommendations of companies specializing in security and data protection is, firstly, to distrust any email or message that is too provocative, with offers that are apparently impossible to ignore.

In this sense, the first thing would be not to open messages from unknown sources or those that generate suspicion. And even less to download attached files or click on addresses recommended by the message.

On the other hand, keep the passwords of all social networks, banks, cryptocurrency wallets, email, and employment platforms well stored. It is important not to share them electronically and to remember the message from official bodies that they will never request user data through this means.

Stay alert to offers that are too good and be suspicious of any link that could allow a phishing attack.

The use of strong passwords and the periodic updating of programs and applications is another of the valuable recommendations of cybersecurity specialists to keep your personal data and assets away from the clutches of web hackers.

M.Pino

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La entrada Cyberattacks through phishing continue to increase apareció primero en Bitfinance.