Anthropic's Mythos model created fake online identities and attempted to socially engineer human maintainers into approving malicious code during a cyber evaluation by the U.K. AI Security Institute under permissive conditions.
Binance performs monthly simulated phishing attacks on its employees to test security hygiene, with remediation training for failures and potential termination for repeated failures, highlighting crypto industry's social engineering attack preparedness.
Kaspersky identified "OkoBot," a new malware framework targeting crypto investors by stealing wallet data and credentials. Separately, SlowMist warned of fake LinkedIn recruitment campaigns delivering remote access trojans to Web3 developers, posing significant cybersecurity risks.
Apple is developing 'Trust Insights' for iOS 17 to detect if users are performing sensitive actions under duress, going beyond traditional biometric verification. This new framework aims to counter social engineering scams by analyzing user behavior and context, offering developers a tool to enhance security for high-risk operations like financial transfers and account modifications.
Multi-stage social engineering scams, parcel delivery fraud, utility payment scams with fake QR codes, and dating site schemes were the most common in early 2026. Scammers use tactics like number spoofing and impersonation to coerce victims into transferring money or granting access to sensitive accounts.
Google's cybersecurity teams expose UNC3753's financially motivated data theft campaign targeting US professional, legal, and financial services via vishing and social engineering, with a 3-day ransom deadline.
North Korean state-affiliated hackers stole over $2 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, a 51% increase from 2024, targeting Web3 projects and exchanges for anonymous fund transfer, according to CrowdStrike's 2026 report.
‘GothFerrari’ was sentenced for his part in a criminal enterprise that stole crypto through social engineering and physical break-ins.
WhatsApp has released security updates addressing two critical vulnerabilities. One flaw could allow malicious media loading via AI-generated messages, while another on Windows could disguise harmful files. While no exploitation is reported, these bugs could facilitate social engineering. Users are urged to update their apps immediately for enhanced security.
The move follows two nine-figure exploits of DeFi protocols Drift and KelpDAO in April, as DPRK hackers shift to social engineering tactics.
Eine großangelegte Phishing-Welle in Deutschland zielt auf Politiker, Journalisten, Diplomaten und Militärs ab. Die Angreifer geben sich als Signal-Support aus und locken Nutzer zur Herausgabe ihrer Zugangsdaten. Die Signal Foundation betont, dass die App nicht gehackt wurde – Verschlüsselung und Infrastruktur seien sicher. Die Täter übernehmen kompromittierte Konten und spähen Kontakte aus. Die Bundesstaatsanwaltschaft ermittelt, russische Spione werden vermutet.
The group spent tens of millions of dollars on luxury items and real estate, using funds stolen from crypto users in social engineering scams.
EasyDNS CEO Mark Jeftovic said the social engineering attack was highly sophisticated and the company is conducting further investigation to determine how the breach occurred.
