Regardless of the web browser we use, criminals are always on the hunt. Threat actors generally prefer malicious extensions or add-ons; therefore, browser vendors like Mozilla offer background protections and public support to minimize these threats as much as possible. Despite such a measure, on July 4th, the Socket Threat Research Team's report revealed that threat actors are still targeting Firefox users.
According to Kush Pandya, security engineer at Socket Threat Research Team, said that while the “investigation focuses on Firefox extensions, these threats span the entire browser ecosystem.” However, the particular Firefox investigation revealed a total of eight potentially harmful extensions, including user session hijacking to earn commissions on websites, redirection to scam sites, surveillance via an invisible iframe tracking method, and the most serious: authentication theft.
Users are advised to read the technical details of the extensions. According to Forbes, Mozilla is taking positive action to protect Firefox users from such threats. The company has taken care of the extensions mentioned in the report. According to Mozilla, the malicious extension impacted a very small number of users; some of the extensions have been shut down.
“We help users customize their browsing experience by featuring a variety of add-ons, manually reviewed by our Firefox Add-ons team, on our Recommended Extensions page,” said a Firefox spokesperson. To protect the users, Mozilla has disabled “extensions that compromise their safety or privacy, or violate its policies, and continuously works to improve its malicious add-on detection tools and processes.”
To protect against these threats, Mozilla has advised users to Firefox users to take further steps, cautioning that such extensions are made by third parties. Users should check the extension rating and reviews, and be extra careful of extensions that need excessive permissions that are not compatible with what the extension claims to do. If any extension seems to be malicious, “users should report it for review,” a Firefox spokesperson said.
The discovered infrastructure comprises domains used for distributing payload and extra IP addresses that are linked to GrayAlpha. Insikt Group found a custom PowerShell loader called PowerNet, which decompresses and launches NetSupport RAT. Insikt Group discovered another custom loader called MaskBat that shares similarities with FakeBat but is hidden and has strings linked to GrayAlpha.
The experts discovered three main primary infection techniques:
All the infection vectors were used simultaneously, and a detailed analysis by the experts revealed the individual alleged to be a member of GrayAlpha operation.
Individuals and organizations are suggested to implement app allow-lists to stop the download of authentic-looking spoof files that contain malware. If allow-lists are not possible, detailed employee security training is a must, especially in detecting malvertising. Besides this, the use of tracking rules like YARA and Malware Intelligence Hunting queries given in this report is important for identifying both present and past compromises. Due to the continuous evolution nature of malware, these rules should be regularly and teamed with wider identification techniques, such as monitoring of network artifacts and use of Recorded Future Network Intelligence.
In the future, experts must keep an eye on the wider cybercriminal ecosystem to predict and address emerging threats in a better way. The constant advancement in the cybercrime industry raises the chance of attacks against organizations. Generally, APT operations are linked to state-sponsored entities, but GrayAlpha shows that threat actors can show the same level of persistence. Similar to the ransomware-as-service (RaaS) model, threat actors are getting more sophisticated day by day, raising the need for adaptive and comprehensive security measures.
A recent cyberattack has revealed how scammers are now using reliable websites and tailored links to steal people's login credentials. This new method makes it much harder to spot the scam, even for trained eyes.
How It Was Caught
A cybersecurity team at Keep Aware was silently monitoring browser activity to observe threats in real time. They didn’t interrupt the users — instead, they watched how threats behaved from start to finish. That’s how they noticed one employee typed their login details into a suspicious page.
This alert led the team to investigate deeper. They confirmed that a phishing attack had occurred and quickly took action by resetting the affected user’s password and checking for other strange activity on their account.
What stood out was this: the phishing page didn’t come from normal browsing. The user likely clicked a link from their email app, meaning the scam started in their inbox but took place in their browser.
How the Scam Worked
The employee landed on a real, long-standing website known for selling outdoor tents. This site was over 9 years old and had a clean online reputation. But cybercriminals had broken in and added a fake page without anyone noticing.
The page showed a message saying the user had received a “Confidential Document” and asked them to type in their email to view a payment file. This is a typical trick — creating a sense of urgency to get the person to act without thinking.
Tactics Used by Hackers
The fake page was designed to avoid being studied by experts. It blocked right-clicking and common keyboard shortcuts so that users or researchers couldn’t easily inspect it.
It also had smart code that responded to how the person arrived. If the phishing link already included the target’s email address, the page would automatically fill it in. This made the form feel more genuine and saved the user a step — making it more likely they’d complete the action.
This technique also allowed attackers to keep track of which targets clicked and which ones entered their information.
Why It Matters
This attack shows just how advanced phishing scams have become. By using real websites, targeted emails, and smooth user experiences, scammers are getting better at fooling people.
To stay safe, always be cautious when entering personal information online. Even if a site looks familiar, double-check the web address and avoid clicking suspicious email links. If something feels off, report it before doing anything else.
For years, companies protected sensitive data by securing emails, devices, and internal networks. But work habits have changed. Now, most of the data moves through web browsers.
Employees often copy, paste, upload, or transfer information online without realizing the risks. Web apps, personal accounts, AI tools, and browser extensions have made it harder to track where the data goes. Old security methods can no longer catch these new risks.
How Data Slips Out Through Browsers
Data leaks no longer happen only through obvious channels like USB drives or emails. Today, normal work tasks done inside browsers cause unintentional leaks.
For example, a developer might paste secret codes into an AI chatbot. A salesperson could move customer details into their personal cloud account. A manager might give an online tool access to company data without knowing it.
Because these activities happen inside approved apps, companies often miss the risks. Different platforms also store data differently, making it harder to apply the same safety rules everywhere.
Simple actions like copying text, using extensions, or uploading files now create new ways for data to leak. Cloud services like AWS or Microsoft add another layer of confusion, as it becomes unclear where the data is stored.
The use of multiple browsers, Chrome, Safari, Firefox — makes it even harder for security teams to keep an eye on everything.
Personal Accounts Add to the Risk
Switching between work and personal accounts during the same browser session is very common. People use services like Gmail, Google Drive, ChatGPT, and others without separating personal and office work.
As a result, important company data often ends up in personal cloud drives, emails, or messaging apps without any bad intention from employees.
Studies show that nearly 40% of web use in Google apps involves personal accounts. Blocking personal uploads is not a solution. Instead, companies need smart browser rules to separate work from personal use without affecting productivity.
Moving Data Is the Most Dangerous Moment
Data is most vulnerable when it is being shared or transferred — what experts call "data in motion." Even though companies try to label sensitive information, most protections work only when data is stored, not when it moves.
Popular apps like Google Drive, Slack, and ChatGPT make sharing easy but also increase the risk of leaks. Old security systems fail because the biggest threats now come from tools employees use every day.
Extensions and Unknown Apps — The Hidden Threat
Browser extensions and third-party apps are another weak spot. Employees often install them without knowing how much access they give away.
Some of these tools can record keystrokes, collect login details, or keep pulling data even after use. Since these risks often stay hidden, security teams struggle to control them.
Today, browsers are the biggest weak spot in protecting company data. Businesses need better tools that control data flow inside the browser, keeping information safe without slowing down work.
Cyber scammers give new warnings as they do not stop scamming unsuspecting web shoppers through a new phishing campaign posing to be online stores. Many of these fake stores Google has removed from its search results, but links remain on social media and other sites, hence why all internet users need to know how to spot these dangerous sites.
How the Scam Works
In its latest research, Human Security's Satori team has found that cyber thieves are taking advantage of a method that leads internet users from legitimate online platforms to fake online shopping. The attackers inject a malicious program that creates fake product listings in genuine websites. This tactic pushes these fake listings up to the top rank of the search results; hence, users who click on such pages are attracted by what seems to be a good deal. When you click on such links, you are redirected to a phishing site by a malicious person who actually controls the site.
On such rogue sites, they will force you to pay using the actual service providers that have a history of legitimacy, therefore giving you more confidence. After you pay, you never receive the product and lose your cash. Maybe some consumers have effectively filed a credit card chargeback, but recovery is not always possible.
A Massive Phishing Campaign
According to the latest research, the cybercrooks have managed to compromise more than 1,000 websites to spread false business proposals. The thieves had established 121 fake online shops, where the amount of dollars in money lost by hundreds of thousands of gullible people was going into millions. According to Human Security, hundreds of thousands of people have been duped by these cheats.
Be Alert with These False Sites Signs
The victim will not get caught again if he can see the following signs:
- Deals That Seem Too Good to Be True: Something that you bought a little below its selling price is a red flag. Confirm if the website is legit before you go further.
- Inconsistent Website Names: Sometimes, the domain name, popup titles, and payment processing pages can have different names. Fake sites often have inconsistent names in these details.
- Order Process Quality: Be cautious when the ordering process appears suspicious or lacks most normal security measures, such as autofill with an address.
- Check Reviews: Look for reviews of the website from outside sources. Recognize that some reviews are completely false. Some review sites are much better about guaranteeing legitimacy.
This phishing scam, they have called "Phish 'n' Ships." This campaign effectively makes use of search engine optimization tricks to push these phony listings up as top results, giving them a spurious sense of legitimacy to unsuspecting users. In spite of these having been largely removed by Google, the criminals' strategies are changing day by day.
Continued Threat Against Browser Users
These attacks are highly likely to be affected in all major web browsers, but researchers warn that "Phish 'n' Ships" has not been suppressed, because it remains active.
Even though Google succeeded in taking down some of its parts partially, criminals will most likely change their attack in order to continue scamming further.
Meanwhile, Malwarebytes has detected another threat in Bing search results. Cybercrooks have misused the terms "Keybank login" and other similar ones to reroute innocent surfers fraudulently to phishing sites aimed at stealing banking credentials. Sometimes, even the top result of the search is a malicious link.
Security Tips for Ad Campaigns
Before launching online ads, organisations should make sure that the advertising associates they hire are well-equipped to handle malvertising. Key best practices for this include ad monitoring for threats, latent "cloaked" malicious scanning and processes in place in case of attacks.
By being vigilant and checking websites, users can avoid becoming a victim of these very sophisticated scams.
The European digital rights group NOYB (None Of Your Business) has filed a privacy complaint against Mozilla, claiming that the PPA feature in Firefox tracks users’ online behavior without their explicit consent. According to NOYB, this practice violates the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates that users must be informed and give consent before any tracking can occur.
Privacy Preserving Attribution is a method designed to measure the effectiveness of online advertisements without relying on invasive third-party cookies. Instead of allowing individual websites to track users, PPA shifts this responsibility to the browser itself. The idea is to provide advertisers with the data they need while protecting users’ privacy.
However, the implementation of PPA has raised significant concerns. Critics argue that by enabling this feature by default, Mozilla has effectively bypassed the need for user consent. This move has been seen as contradictory to Mozilla’s long-standing reputation as a champion of online privacy.
The GDPR is one of the most stringent privacy regulations in the world, and it requires that any form of data processing must be transparent and consensual. NOYB’s complaint suggests that Mozilla’s PPA feature does not meet these criteria. If the complaint is upheld, Mozilla could face substantial fines and be forced to alter its approach to user tracking.
In response to the allegations, Mozilla has defended the PPA feature, stating that it is designed to balance the needs of advertisers with the privacy rights of users. Mozilla argues that PPA is a more privacy-friendly alternative to traditional tracking methods and that it does not collect any personally identifiable information.
Despite these assurances, the controversy has highlighted a broader issue within the tech industry: the tension between innovation and privacy. As companies strive to develop new technologies, they must also navigate the complex landscape of privacy regulations and user expectations.