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How hackers are targeting X verification accounts to trick you

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How hackers are targeting X verification accounts to trick you

If you use X, formerly known as Twitter, you might’ve seen gray or gold-verified accounts promoting cryptocurrencies. 

They often pose as actual cryptocurrencies. While you would think these cryptocurrencies are legitimate — in reality, it’s the work of hackers who hijack X accounts.

These hackers target politicians, companies and other official accounts that you trust in order to trick you into buying into their crypto scam.

Some act as middlemen, selling accounts to malicious actors.

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Example of X verified accounts with gray and gold check marks (X Corp.)

Using trusted accounts for crypto scams

Cybersecurity experts MalwareHunterTeam found accounts belonging to a Canadian senator, a Brazilian politician and a nonprofit all being used to push cryptocurrencies. According to their reports, hackers used the Canadian politician’s account to pose as a legitimate cryptocurrency project, whose actual account isn’t even verified.

FBI’S POST HONORING MLK FLAGGED BY X WITH FACT-CHECKING COMMUNITY NOTE

That attack is two-fold. Not only are hackers trying to trick X users into thinking that they’re an actual cryptocurrency project, they also use that gold or gray check mark to make you think they are trustworthy.

Cybersecurity firm Mandiant also had its X profile taken over. Hackers changed the profile to impersonate the Phantom crypto wallet. They then promised free tokens to users who clicked a link.

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Retweet by a hacker (MalwareHunter Team)

The screenshot above shows how the attacker used the official Phantom account to retweet posts that warned users to “never rush into clicking links.” This was probably a tactic to make their future crypto scam posts look more credible.​

US WATER UTILITIES TARGETED BY FOREIGN HACKERS, PROMPTING CALLS FOR CYBERSECURITY OVERHAUL

However, a BleepingComputer report found that users who clicked on the link would get redirected to download the real Phantom cryptocurrency wallet. That’s when hackers would attack — draining unsuspecting users’ crypto wallets.

Phantom X account (MalwareHunter Team)

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MORE: THE NEW IPHONE SECURITY THREAT THAT ALLOWS HACKERS TO SPY ON YOUR PHONE

How to stay safe on X

Even though these hackers are doing everything they can to trick you into giving them your money, you can take these 10 steps to protect yourself.

1. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true

The old adage is usually right. Most hackers hope you don’t see through their schemes and think that you’re getting an incredible deal. However, you have to ask yourself: Why would a company just give out free cryptocurrency? Wouldn’t there be a catch? What’s in it for the company?

2. Do your research

Before investing in cryptocurrency, you should make sure you have thoroughly looked into it. Make sure you know what you’re investing in, and you’ve spent ample time researching it. Just clicking on a social media post and trusting it usually isn’t a great idea and can make you a target for hackers.

3. Use a strong password

Use a strong password that you don’t reuse on other websites. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. It will help you to create unique and difficult-to-crack passwords that a hacker could never guess. Second, it also keeps track of all your passwords in one place and fills passwords in for you when you’re logging into an account so that you never have to remember them yourself. The fewer passwords you remember, the less likely you will be to reuse them for your accounts.

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4. Use two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your X account. When you log in, you need to enter both a password and a verification code or use a security key. This way, only you can access your account. To enroll, you need to have a verified email address linked to your account. X uses your email address to communicate with you and keep your account secure.

Once you turn on this feature, you need two things to log in to your account: your password and a secondary verification method. You can choose from a code, an app confirmation, or a physical security key.

5. Require email and phone number to request a reset password link or code

Having an up-to-date email address attached to your account is a great way to improve your account security. Also, adding a phone number to your account is a great step to keep your account secure. With a phone number on your account, you’ll be able to enroll in security features like login verification. It will also allow for faster account recovery. If you ever lose access to your account, having a phone number attached can make it easier for you to get back into your X account.

6. Be cautious of suspicious links

Be cautious of suspicious links, and always make sure you’re on twitter.com before you enter your login information.

7. Don’t fall for fake promises

Never give your username and password out to third parties, especially those promising to get you followers, make you money, or verify you.

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8. Make sure your software is updated

Make sure your computer software, including your browser, is up to date with the most recent upgrades and antivirus software.

9. Have good antivirus software on all your devices

The best way to protect yourself from having your data breached is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. Having good antivirus software actively running on your devices will alert you of any malware in your system, warn you against clicking on any malicious links in phishing emails, and ultimately protect you from being hacked. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.

10. Check to see if your account has been compromised 

If you really think your X account has been hacked, then you should check to see if your account has been compromised. You can do this by visiting the Security and Login section of your account settings and reviewing the devices and locations where you have logged in. If you see any suspicious activity, such as logins from unknown devices or locations, you should immediately change your password and enable two-factor authentication. You should also report any unauthorized access to X.

If you suspect you’re a victim of a social media scammer

If you suspect you’re a victim of a social media scammer, you need to take urgent action immediately. Here are some immediate steps to take.

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Secure your account

Immediately change your password to lock potential hackers out. If you’re locked out of your account, contact X’s support immediately to recover it.

Inform your contacts

Let your friends and family know so that they’re aware. That way, hackers won’t dupe them with messages or requests coming from your compromised account.

Monitor account activities

Keep an eye on your active sessions, messages sent, and any changes made to your account. You should try to report and reverse any unfamiliar activity.

Seek expert help

If you believe your personal information, such as financial data or other sensitive details, has been compromised, consider reaching out to cybersecurity professionals or services. They can guide you on further recovery and protection steps.

Use identity theft protection 

If you want a service that will walk you through every step of the reporting and recovery process, one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from this type of fraud is to subscribe to an identity theft service.

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Theft protection companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security number, phone number, and email address. They can also alert you if it is on sale on the dark web or if someone is using it to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

MORE: HOW TO OUTSMART CRIMINAL HACKERS BY LOCKING THEM OUT OF YOUR DIGITAL ACCOUNTS

Kurt’s key takeaways

These hackers are trying to take advantage of your trust and hope you let your guard down. That’s why it’s so important to be vigilant. While they are trying to fool you with official-looking accounts, try to verify them using the person or organization’s website or other social media accounts. While X’s gray and gold verification marks are usually legitimate, they’re not 100% foolproof.

What do you think X or other social media platforms should do to prevent or stop crypto scams? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

 Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Malicious browser extensions hit 4.3M users
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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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