Cybercriminals are stealing Internet browser cookies from South Africans en masse

mylesillidge

mylesillidge

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Netflix accounts taken over in South Africa

Cybercriminals are stealing Internet browser cookies from South Africans en masse and using them to bypass login screens for platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Reddit.

Research by the international cybersecurity firm NordVPN found that over 263 million browser cookies from South Africa were present in infostealer datasets across the Internet.
 
Bad Ballie said:
Sounds like a massive failure by the browser creators to me.
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Sounds like the only solution is to buy a NordVPN sub because we have to protect Netflix, i.e an advertorial for Nord.

Your hijacked account is not stolen. You can force a log out of all devices and it definitely will stop working for them if you change your password.
 
Perhaps more concerning is that the company’s study found that 96% of the analysed logs came from devices already running active security software.
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so winblows users then.

This meant that infostealers were still able to steal cookie information despite protections. Briedis recommended that users regularly clear cookies.
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NO idiot. It means that it was able to steal because YOU let an ill intend software onto you system.
 
Mirai said:
Sounds like the only solution is to buy a NordVPN sub because we have to protect Netflix, i.e an advertorial for Nord.

Your hijacked account is not stolen. You can force a log out of all devices and it definitely will stop working for them if you change your password.
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I don't know why they (and you) focus on the stealing and not on the stealer.

You still need to get rid of the malware on your system that is doing the stealing.
 
Mirai said:
Sounds like the only solution is to buy a NordVPN sub because we have to protect Netflix, i.e an advertorial for Nord.
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Why do you believe a vpn would protect you from this?
 
For all Chrome users, all I can say is DBSC, and it has been active on Chrome for more than a year already without many even knowing. This is not as 'en masse' as some wants it to be.
 
JustAsk said:
I don't know why they (and you) focus on the stealing and not on the stealer.

You still need to get rid of the malware on your system that is doing the stealing.
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Because stealing means someone takes something away from you so that you no longer have it.

I'm not providing a comprehensive solution here. Just explaining that if they don't take your password and hijack it, it's not actually stolen, it's being shared with unauthorised third parties.
 
Another reason to have the browser clear all cookies when closing it.
 
garyc said:
Another reason to have the browser clear all cookies when closing it.
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@garyc and @Brainrot - We concure with this hoping Chrome adds this feature like Edge for Android has.
Android Apps are not preventing this but at least using a browser still remains a winner if correctly setup.
DBSC Only functions on Chrome for Windows, the Android version is the development stage, unfortunately.
 
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I do a private window in my browser if I do need to log into online banking as a precaution, but I have no illusions that any one method is safe.
 
How are these so called "infostealers" installed on your device and what are they exactly?

"Criminals infect users’ devices with infostealers through social engineering, then exploit stolen cookies to hijack other users’ Netflix or YouTube viewing sessions, or even access email accounts."
 
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bwana said:
Why do you believe a vpn would protect you from this?
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Me thinks it's sarcasm, don't you?
Use my promo code MBB for a 70% discount...😂.

The Big African Cookie Steal.

"Why would anyone need to quote the FBI to confirm that one can use cookies to impersonate a logged-in user? Would one quote a physicist, doctor, a whatever, to confidently be able to say that getting one's hand smashed with a large and heavy hammer at high velocity could potentially lead to broken bones?" ~Some Super Smart Person
 
airborne said:
How are these so called "infostealers" installed on your device and what are they exactly?

Criminals infect users’ devices with infostealers through social engineering, then exploit stolen cookies to hijack other users’ Netflix or YouTube viewing sessions, or even access email accounts.
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A lot of work to watch content available on the high seas.

No other interesting sites to mention perhaps.
 
Mirai said:
Sounds like the only solution is to buy a NordVPN sub because we have to protect Netflix, i.e an advertorial for Nord.

Your hijacked account is not stolen. You can force a log out of all devices and it definitely will stop working for them if you change your password.
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I prefer Winscribe to be honest (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) and will take your forced log out at face value, only have a Prime video account for the wife, so don't really know how they work. Still think that is someone can access your browser then its a failure ofthe system though.
 
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