‘Red flags’: Top 5 scams targeting Aussies
From sextortion to cryptocurrency investment scams, here are the fresh ways scammers are trying to get money from Aussies.
Security
First look at ex-priest after child abuse charges
A former priest has been charged with sending sexually explicit photos to a 14-year-old boy online and grooming him for sex.
Aussies sent ‘weird’ parcels in new scam
A bizarre scam involving parcels of fabric, stuffed toys or even flower petals has ramped up across Australia in recent weeks.
Meta agrees to huge payout for Aussies
Tech giant Meta has agreed to pay out a whopping sum to Australians who were impacted by a major privacy scandal.
Aussie cane toads, kangaroos and sharks stump Apple Intelligence
Image Playground is one of the most fun new features of Apple Intelligence, but how good it is in coming close to reality? We put it to the test.
Spy alliance’s dire warning on Aussie kids
The world’s most powerful spy alliance has issued a rare warning amid concerns young Aussies and minors are being radicalised online at an alarming new rate.
Nazi threat sparks call for hate database
An inquiry into the rising threat of right wing extremism has delivered a set of options to roll back the hatred, including a new national hate crimes database.
Chilling CCTV warning Aussies need to hear
Facial recognition technology is used at your favourite venues across the country, and Aussies have no idea.
New move to protect Aussies from scammers
SMS scammers pretending to be banks, government services and other companies will be crippled by a new SMS ID register.
Banks failing against email scams, report
New research has revealed most Aussie banks are failing to fully protect customers from email and phishing scams.
Disturbing stat about Aussie workers
Australian workers are falling for bogus phishing attacks at almost twice the global rate, concerning research shows.
Worrying trend emerging in cybercrime
A new report has revealed a worrying increase in cybercriminal attacks on wealthy private schools, using sinister techniques to hack sensitive data.
Bunnings releases CCTV after being slammed
Bunnings has released horrific security footage from its stores after the retailer was slammed over its use of cameras.
Major relief for Aussies with stolen data
Hundreds of thousands of Australians who had their data stolen can breathe a sigh of relief.
Aussies warned of new Centrelink scam
Australians have been warned about a cruel scam website that claims to promote a “cost-of-living bonus payment” from Centrelink.
Major new support for scam victims
Victims of scams could have an easier time getting compensation with the federal government announcing the latest crackdown on fraudsters.
Millions of Aussies warned over vile scam
An urgent warning has been issued after hundreds of Australians were targeted in a terrifying extortion scam.
Age limits first step in big tech battle
The Albanese government says it’s holding ‘big tech to account’ and age limits for kids on social media are the first step.
Aussies’ private information sold for profit
Australians’ private information is being shared hundreds of times a day with online advertisers who resell and distribute it to unknown parties, putting people at risk of targeted scams.
Elon Musk’s big legal loss to Australia
A court has ruled on whether the Elon Musk-owned X Corp must comply with an infringement notice issued when the company was called Twitter.
Aussie finance sector’s big AI move
An industry-first agreement will look to protect one Australian fund’s workers in the age of ChatGPT with a new “gold standard”.
Staggering cost of cyber attacks revealed
The eye-watering cost of cyber attacks on small businesses across the country has been revealed, with one business owner revealing he was forced to start again.
Chinese owned EVs ‘are listening to you’
The Australian government “don’t know” what capabilities are hidden inside Chinese-made EVs, but one owner claims to have uncovered a secret.
Parents’ bold answer to social media ‘cancer’
Parents are begging to raise social media age restrictions even further than 16, warning that “tech companies now own our children”.
‘Gold rush’: Your data used to train AI
An Australian expert has warned about how little Aussies know about their data being used to train AI.
‘Prey’: Terrifying truth of Meta-verse
If your Instagram or Facebook account is hacked, don’t expect to get help without coughing up some cash – and the scam itself is terrifying.
Minister’s reaction to Meta’s big move
Meta has added stronger protections for underage users on its Instagram platform, but the government has said that won’t change its plan to crackdown on age restrictions.
Cops storm home of ‘computer geek’
The alleged mastermind behind an encrypted messaging platform allegedly used by the mafia is a 32-year-old “computer geek” who lives with his parents, police say.
Cruel detail at heart of Aussie scams
Aussies scammed out of millions of dollars have revealed the one change they want and the cruel detail at the heart of their pursuits for relief from their banks.
PM’s social media ban like ‘whack-a-mole’
As the PM shores up plans for a social media ban for Aussie teenagers, Facebook’s head of global affairs has called the proposal a ‘whack-a-mole nightmare’ for parents.
Big question Amazon can’t answer
Amazon executives are being grilled on the company’s murky development of AI and how audio recordings from inside homes are used.
Major change coming to driver’s licence
The new program will allow Aussies to securely use their phone to share personal information, instead of handing over sensitive documents such as their passport.
Scammer swindles $900k from small business
There’s a disturbing trend of sophisticated scams swindling huge sums of money from honest Aussies, with the latest steal involving genuine-seeming invoices.
Update on major Aussie cyber breach
A Sydney university has given an update on the investigation into a major breach of its IT network that affected thousands.
Sign of where Australia’s priorities lie
The new Immigration and Home Affairs Minister has only been in the job for five minutes but is already heading overseas to visit a key ally.
Tech giant’s big move on dodgy apps
A mobile phone giant has revealed its latest move on cyber security as experts raise alarm bells over a rise in malware attacks.
‘Sorry’: Update after blue screen of death
The boss of the company now synonymous with the “blue screen of death” fiasco has “personally” apologised for the worldwide outage.
Massive threat issued to tech giants
The eSafety Commissioner has officially put the tech giants on notice: Do more to protect Aussie kids or cop massive fines.
‘Blue screen of death’ company accepts fate
The company responsible for the “blue screen of death” that left millions of people stranded says it’s “absolutely” prepared for compensation claims.
Tech outage effects could linger for weeks
Computer systems at businesses across the Australian economy could be dealing with the fallout from the Microsoft outage for weeks to come.
Blue Screen of Death workaround revealed
After a faulty update plunged computers and tech systems all over the world into chaos, a workaround to the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” has been revealed.
‘Be careful’: Chilling warning amid IT crisis
Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil says there have been reports of phishing scams amid the CrowdStrike IT outage.
What services are still out across Australia
Many people are still struggling after a global IT outage left airlines, banks and businesses scrambling.
Aussies up in arms over tech outage
Hysterical Aussie shoppers have warned each other to “stock up on toilet paper” as a global tech outage causes chaos at supermarkets across the country.
Outage a warning for ‘cyber warfare’
A major tech outage dubbed the “biggest the world has ever seen” could be a “dress rehearsal” for what a cyber terror attack could look like, an expert has warned.
Porn driving spike in nude AI attacks
Sparked by a string of deepfake porn and sexually explicit images created at Australian high schools, experts say unfiltered AI tools have collided with misogyny.
‘No, Alexa!’: Mum stops AI at vital moment
Home assistants and chatbots powered by AI are going rogue, with chilling examples emerging.
Warning as tax scams on the rise
Authorities have warned taxpayers to be aware of tax scams targeting Aussies as they submit their tax returns.
Tricky scammer move exposed
Telstra cybersecurity experts have warned scammers are more likely to target Aussies on particular days. Here’s what you need to watch out for.
Warning over ‘clever’ Google scam
Google Chrome users are the latest group of people to be targeted in a new scam.
Students caught hacking sensitive school system
A group of students have been expelled from a Catholic high school after it was discovered they had been hacking an IT system to access sensitive information.
Warning over new nbn scam
Unsuspecting Aussies are being duped by opportunistic scammers pretending to be nbn workers.
Horror Nazi note left in Jewish student’s bag
The complexity of the anti-Semitic prejudice hitting Australian Jews has been laid bare in one shocking story.
‘Disgraceful’: AI nude scandal slammed
Up to 50 young girls have been targeted, with pictures of their faces used to create explicit images.
‘Malicious’ way Aussies are being hacked
Australians are warned to be vigilant amid a surge in malicious viruses hidden in emails and popular video games.
Medibank sued after cyber attack hits 9.7m
Medibank is being taken to court after the personal information of 9.7 million Australians was stolen in a cyber attack.
Hacked Aussie health provider collapses
An Australian e-prescription provider has collapsed weeks after a massive data breach had resulted in customer information being posted on the dark web.
‘Rising threat’ Aussies not prepared for
The rise of AI is opening new pathways for hackers to exploit Aussies – and its rapid evolution is leaving a shortage of experts to stop it.
500 million customers in ‘Ticketmaster hack’
Hackers Shiny Hunters are allegedly trying to sell the information for $US500,000 on the dark web.
New scam warning after Aussies lose $15.5m
Australians are being urged to watch out for one specific type of scam, after a total $15.5m was lost last year.
‘Dynamic strain’: Dire outlook for telcos
As Telstra swings the axe on thousands of jobs, a major warning has been issued that Aussie telcos are under “dynamic strain” amid sliding margins in the sector.
‘Everyone a target’: New terror facing Aussies
A spike in reported cyber breaches has raised alarm bells about the nation’s capacity to defend itself against escalating attacks – with everyone now a “prime target”.
Thousands hit in uni cyber breach
7,500 people have been affected by a cyber breach at Western Sydney University.
Election boss warns over misinformation
The man in charge of running the federal election has sounded the alarm on the growing problem of misinformation on social media.
How to save Aussie teens from terror groups
An expert has outlined why Aussie teens are at risk of being snared by extremist or terror groups and how authorities can help stop that.
Warning over early morning text
Police are warning Australians not to click on any links sent in unsolicited text messages about a Coles Rewards program.
Text proves scammers have gone too far
The voice of Queensland Premier Steven Miles has been cloned using artificial intelligence technology to produce an eerily accurate impersonation of the leader.
State’s big move for kids on social media
As parents grow more worried about the pernicious effects of social media on youngsters, one state is moving to ban it all for kids under the age of 14.
Musk’s X issues warning over e-safety bid
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner and lawyers for X have faced off in Federal Court over a widely circulated video of a stabbing attack on a Sydney bishop.
‘Beware’: Chilling warning over AI scam
Police in one state have issued a major warning amid an emerging trend of disturbing scams.
‘Prominent’ Aussies caught in data breach
The drivers licenses of more than a million Aussies who attended RSLs and pubs may have been exposed in a shocking data breach, with a 46-year-old man now in custody.
How Australians lost $2.7bn to scams
A new report has revealed Australians lost a whopping $2.7bn to scams last year, with one group the biggest victims.
‘Safe room for terrorists’: Tech giants slammed
Big tech companies aren’t doing enough to stop terrorists and extremists spreading dangerous content on their platforms, the nation’s top spy says.
Bad news if your home has one of these
A “shocking” three-month oversight by a major Aussie company has put hundreds of thousands of people at risk of being targeted by criminals.
Creepy stalker’s chilling letter to cop
The chilling letter a creepy stalker sent to the cop who arrested him for making a hoax bomb threat has been revealed in court.
Retail giant responds after millions warned
A popular foreign retailer under increased scrutiny has defended its collection and use of Australian shoppers’ data.
Millions of Aussies warned about retail giant
More than one million Aussies are using a popular foreign retailer each month, which is under increased scrutiny over handling of user data.
Warning to online banking customers
An online banking customer has urged others to update their passwords after they couldn’t access their account.
Elon Musk sues Australia over trans furore
Global tech titan Elon Musk is pursuing legal action over a post on his social media platform that was allegedly harmful to a transgender activist.
‘Serious risks’: Creepy voice clone tech
With just 15 seconds of sample audio, a powerful new piece of technology can accurately clone someone’s voice and have them say anything, sparking “serious risks” for society.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security