Reader, do you like the idea that your device is watching you? đź‘€
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I've never met anyone who is in favor of such a thing.
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Apple just recently revealed this could be the case with their macOS users.
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It was discovered that hackers are spying on Mac users through certain Microsoft apps and potentially overtaking their devices.
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All Mac fans should know what's going on with this latest security vulnerability.
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The cybersecurity pros at Cisco Talos found 8 vulnerabilities in various popular Microsoft apps including Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
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The problem is, hackers are injecting malware into the apps with malicious code that gives access to user-given permissions.
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This access allows them to use the app's camera and microphone, send emails from the victim's account, access sensitive information, and gain higher permissions. With all of this going on, hackers can ultimately take over a device.
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Phishing with Your Name
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When a hacker accesses a device through the Microsoft apps, they can send emails from the stolen accounts in the victim’s name, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the recipient to tell if it’s real or if it’s a phishing attempt.
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And we’re more likely to open emails from people we know, and click on links or attachments—especially when compared to emails from strangers or spam emails.
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Knowing this, sending phishing emails using a hijacked name gives hackers a big advantage to getting attachments opened and bad links to be clicked.
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Giving permissions to an app should be carefully considered, especially when it comes to what the app needs to function.
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Practical tip:
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For instance, with Microsoft Word—most users don’t need to access the camera and microphone, so it doesn’t make sense to grant permissions.
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And now, knowing the security risks some Microsoft apps have, it may not make sense to do it at all.
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Microsoft says they’ve released updates for increased protection, reminding users to keep their software updated.
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You can access permissions through the app’s preferences, so it would help to look and see what you’ve agreed to, and what you can change for better security.
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