Gen's New Threat Report Highlights Rising PharmaFraud and Cybercrime Trends Amid AI Advancements
In its Q2/2025 Gen Threat Report, Gen Digital, a leading name in the cybersecurity realm, sheds light on the alarming rise of PharmaFraud and the evolving landscape of cybercrime, particularly influenced by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). The report uncovers how cybercriminals are adapting to new technologies, making it increasingly challenging for individuals to identify genuine threats. The findings of the report are nothing short of shocking, revealing that Gen has successfully blocked over 1 million attacks from fraudulent pharmacy sites targeting unsuspecting consumers who look for quick access to medications.
The rapid growth of AI tools has enabled fraudsters to create more convincing scams. These scammers operate over 5,000 fraudulent pharmacy websites selling medications that people often seek discreetly or at discounted prices, including erectile dysfunction drugs, weight loss pills, and antibiotics. Often, these sites come with polished layouts, fake reviews, and misleading customer service details, making it almost impossible for buyers to discern their legitimacy. Unfortunately, many who venture onto these sites fall victim to financial scams that could lead to identity theft. Common red flags include unbelievably low prices on prescription medications, missing or vague contact information, requests for cryptocurrency payments, and insecure checkout processes.
Furthermore, Gen's research team has made significant strides in understanding and combatting AI-powered ransomware. They discovered a critical vulnerability in FunkSec, the first ransomware variant known to use AI, allowing them to develop a free decryptor that helps victims recover their encrypted files without paying a ransom. This breakthrough highlights Gen's commitment to cybersecurity and assisting users targeted by ransomware.
Another alarming finding from the Q2 report is the drastic surge in financial scams, which rose by a staggering 340% between April and June of 2025. A significant portion of these scams can be traced back to deceptive advertisements and bogus pages on platforms like Facebook. Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated techniques, including deepfake videos and chatbots, to extract sensitive personal and financial information. The study found that 14% of all blocked threats on Facebook were due to technical support scams, wherein scammers created fake pages that locked users' browsers and directed them to phony support numbers.
The report also notes significant increases in various other cyber threats. Data breaches have risen by 21%, with nearly 16% more breached emails. Some notorious malware, such as Lumma Stealer, continues to operate with new tactics after its initial takedown. Attack notifications surged by over 300%, and remote access attacks have seen a 62% increase, driven mainly by revived threats like the Wincir RAT, taking advantage of popular cloud services.
Gen has taken active steps to shield people from these rising threats with effective security tools such as Norton Genie for scam protection and Scam Guardian, recently included with Avast antivirus products. LifeLock also plays a vital role in safeguarding users against identity theft resulting from data breaches.
The 2025 Gen Threat Report serves as a crucial reminder of the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, especially with AI's growing influence. Awareness and proactive cybersecurity measures are more critical than ever in this fight against increasingly sophisticated fraudsters. To read the full report, visit Gen's official website.
The rapid growth of AI tools has enabled fraudsters to create more convincing scams. These scammers operate over 5,000 fraudulent pharmacy websites selling medications that people often seek discreetly or at discounted prices, including erectile dysfunction drugs, weight loss pills, and antibiotics. Often, these sites come with polished layouts, fake reviews, and misleading customer service details, making it almost impossible for buyers to discern their legitimacy. Unfortunately, many who venture onto these sites fall victim to financial scams that could lead to identity theft. Common red flags include unbelievably low prices on prescription medications, missing or vague contact information, requests for cryptocurrency payments, and insecure checkout processes.
Furthermore, Gen's research team has made significant strides in understanding and combatting AI-powered ransomware. They discovered a critical vulnerability in FunkSec, the first ransomware variant known to use AI, allowing them to develop a free decryptor that helps victims recover their encrypted files without paying a ransom. This breakthrough highlights Gen's commitment to cybersecurity and assisting users targeted by ransomware.
Another alarming finding from the Q2 report is the drastic surge in financial scams, which rose by a staggering 340% between April and June of 2025. A significant portion of these scams can be traced back to deceptive advertisements and bogus pages on platforms like Facebook. Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated techniques, including deepfake videos and chatbots, to extract sensitive personal and financial information. The study found that 14% of all blocked threats on Facebook were due to technical support scams, wherein scammers created fake pages that locked users' browsers and directed them to phony support numbers.
The report also notes significant increases in various other cyber threats. Data breaches have risen by 21%, with nearly 16% more breached emails. Some notorious malware, such as Lumma Stealer, continues to operate with new tactics after its initial takedown. Attack notifications surged by over 300%, and remote access attacks have seen a 62% increase, driven mainly by revived threats like the Wincir RAT, taking advantage of popular cloud services.
Gen has taken active steps to shield people from these rising threats with effective security tools such as Norton Genie for scam protection and Scam Guardian, recently included with Avast antivirus products. LifeLock also plays a vital role in safeguarding users against identity theft resulting from data breaches.
The 2025 Gen Threat Report serves as a crucial reminder of the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, especially with AI's growing influence. Awareness and proactive cybersecurity measures are more critical than ever in this fight against increasingly sophisticated fraudsters. To read the full report, visit Gen's official website.
Topics Consumer Technology）
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