The Problem

Bad Actors Overtake Browser Control

An executive’s wife was browsing Safari when she received an alert that claimed the computer was hacked and her sensitive information was at risk and providing her with a support number to call. She called the number, unknowingly getting in touch with bad actors who she enabled to gain remote control of her computer under the guise of stopping the hack.

The security alert was a convincing social engineering scam designed to solicit personal information, swindle money, and spread malware. As the bad actors “repaired” her computer, she left it unattended for several hours, enabling the hackers to conduct malicious acts on the home network and even penetrate the corporate network.

After noticing that instances of the Safari on the home network weren’t working appropriately, the executive called BlackCloak for assistance.

BlackCloak Steps In

The executive onboarded BlackCloak’s Concierge Cybersecurity and Privacy™ solution to being immediate remediation of the problems with the computer. The BlackCloak team held a discovery call to determine how the bad actors gained access to the home device and conducted a thorough device and home network security analysis.

It was discovered that three malicious Chrome extensions were downloaded: My Search Finder, Search Tab, and Hide My History. The browser hijacking software can monitor users’ browsing activity, eavesdrop on web activity, redirect users to malicious websites, and gather personal information. The BlackCloak team was able to successfully remove the malicious browser extensions and return Safari to its original, and now safe, status.