Trusting the wrong package. [Only Malware in the Building]

GDPR (noun) [Word Notes]

A data privacy legal framework that applies to all countries in the European Union, regulating the transmission, storage, and use of personal data associated with residents of the EU.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/general-data-protection-regulation⁠ [https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/general-data-protection-regulation] Audio reference link: “Mr. Robot Predicts JPM Coin!” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Feb. 2019, ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ee-cHbCI0s.  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ee-cHbCI0s.%C2%A0]

Trusting the wrong package. [Only Malware in the Building]

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenalarson/], ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.proofpoint.com/] intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.proofpoint.com/us/podcasts/discarded]. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by her co-hosts ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.n2k.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bittner-27231a4/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Keith Mularski⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-mularski-b737551/], former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Qintel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/qintel/]. Being a security researcher is a bit like being a detective: you gather clues, analyze the evidence, and consult the experts to solve the cyber puzzle. This week, our hosts dive into the evolving threat of software supply chain attacks and the growing risks facing the open-source ecosystem. As developers increasingly rely on third-party packages and AI-powered coding tools, attackers are finding new ways to abuse trusted software to reach a wider range of targets. The discussion explores why these attacks are becoming more common, what recent incidents reveal about the state of software security, and what organizations can do to better protect themselves. Sources:  ⁠ [https://cyberscoop.com/supply-chain-attack-shai-hulud-npm/] Shai-Hulud worm returns stronger and more automated than ever before [https://cyberscoop.com/supply-chain-attack-shai-hulud-npm/]⁠ [https://cyberscoop.com/mini-shai-hulud-supply-chain-malware-attack/] ‘Mini Shai-Hulud’ malware compromises hundreds of open-source packages in sprawling supply-chain attack [https://cyberscoop.com/mini-shai-hulud-supply-chain-malware-attack/]⁠ [https://cms.thecyberwire.com/%C2%A0%E2%81%A0https://www.sans.org/blog/what-we-learned-axios-npm-supply-chain-compromise-emergency-briefing] What We Learned: Axios NPM Supply Chain Compromise Emergency Briefing [https://www.sans.org/blog/what-we-learned-axios-npm-supply-chain-compromise-emergency-briefing] Your AI Gateway Was a Backdoor: Inside the LiteLLM Supply Chain Compromise [https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/26/c/inside-litellm-supply-chain-compromise.html]

Graduation day grifts

This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/varmazis/] and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bittner-27231a4/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bittner-27231a4/] alongside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joecarrigan/] are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up on Joe’s rental scam story, as listener Ben suggests the scammers may go the extra mile because they could keep collecting rent for months before anyone realizes the property was never theirs to rent out. Also, another listener writes in with some “Chook Psychology 101." Maria’s story is on scammers targeting recent college graduates with fake student loan relief offers, job scams, and rental listings designed to steal personal information, deposits, and money through high-pressure tactics. Joe’s story is on Congress pressuring major telecom companies to do more to stop the flood of scam calls and texts still reaching Americans despite billions already being blocked every year. Dave’s story is on Android 17 adding new protections aimed at stopping banking scams, including stronger privacy controls and defenses against malicious calls during sensitive actions. Our Catch of the Day is on a text scam where scammers use scare tactics by sending fake messages about court dates and legal trouble. Resources and links to stories: * BBB warns of scams targeting new graduates [https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/05/11/bbb-warns-scams-targeting-new-graduates/] * Congressional committee asks telecoms to do more to prevent scams as losses surge [https://www.wral.com/news/ap/a5445-congressional-committee-ask-telecoms-to-do-more-to-prevent-scams-as-losses-surge/] * Android 17 to expand banking scam call and privacy protections [https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/android-17-to-expand-banking-scam-call-and-privacy-protections/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Inside-the-alleged-2-5-million-Dubai-Crown-Prince-romance-scam-2020297]Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://therecord.media/fin6-recruitment-scam-malware-campaign]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [hackinghumans@n2k.com].

ChatGPT (noun) [Word Notes]

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A conversational language model developed by the company OpenAI.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/chatgpt⁠ [https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/chatgpt] Audio reference link: jeongphill. “Movie - Her, First Meet OS1 (Operation System One, Os One, OS1).” YouTube, YouTube, 29 June 2014, ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV01B5kVsC0⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV01B5kVsC0].

The friendly skies aren’t friendly.

This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/varmazis/] and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bittner-27231a4/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bittner-27231a4/] alongside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joecarrigan/] are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up on a phishing scam targeting people tied to Japan’s pension system, with listener Don Roley warning that martial arts communities connected to Japan may also be in scammers’ sights. Joe’s story is on two scams that actually ended well, including a Baltimore man who avoided losing millions in a sweepstakes scam thanks to help from local reporters and law enforcement. Dave’s got the story of a retired engineer who lost thousands after calling a fake airline support number he found through a Google search while trying to rebook a Lufthansa flight. Maria’s story is on suspicious “child safety kits” sent home through schools that collect deeply personal information from parents while quietly serving as lead generation for life insurance sales. From the scams subreddit comes today’s Catch of the Day, where a scammer trying to score a quick fifty bucks was met instead with a barrage of old-timey biblical insults, eventually spiraling into rage messages. Resources and links to stories: * Springfield Child Safety Kits determined not to be a scam [https://www.wwlp.com/news/fraud-awareness/springfield-authorities-warn-of-fake-school-child-safe-kit-scam/] * Sweepstakes scam targets Baltimore-area man who was promised $9.4 million and a Mercedes-Benz [https://www.wmar2news.com/matterformallory/sweepstakes-scam-targets-baltimore-area-man-who-was-promised-9-4-million-and-a-mercedes-benz#google_vignette] * Scam of elderly man goes so well, con artists strike again. But their timing is horrible [https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/scam-elderly-man-goes-well-120000372.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACoO7q4vRhd33ftG3Ak2pN42Aw23uyziwT35V0ggRRHVx1EEkH46nZkEOoHn8vaeSYg_8jknuCkpTYYilp5WPyGjngMUZAO_VtrltdU4LNsMCULF_RUqpv98tSe5S0GDER8kHHa_1Rmpyjh9fRrbJSPr9Kr5IIxrlLLzbAYFn6Gv] * Hearken, brethren! Behold how I did smite a worker of iniquity with the Word, and brought him unto great wrath. [https://www.reddit.com/r/scammers/comments/1szyl0h/hearken_brethren_behold_how_i_did_smite_a_worker/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Inside-the-alleged-2-5-million-Dubai-Crown-Prince-romance-scam-2020297]Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://therecord.media/fin6-recruitment-scam-malware-campaign]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [hackinghumans@n2k.com].