January 29th, 2025

Microsoft is testing a new "scareware blocker" feature for the Edge browser that uses machine learning to detect tech support scams. This feature adds a first line of defense by using computer vision to compare full screen pages to thousands of sample scams and alerts users when a scam page is detected. Additionally, new side-channel vulnerabilities in Apple processors, named FLOP and SLAP, can steal sensitive information from web browsers. These attacks can be executed remotely through malicious web pages using JavaScript or WebAssembly code. Furthermore, a new phishing scam is using a unique method to hide malicious links inside PDF files, which are sent via SMS text messages, making them difficult for both users and security systems to detect. The links are disguised by using a font color that matches the background and placing the text under a graphic.