A week in security (September 21 – September 27)
September 28, 2026 · Malwarebytes · Severity: HIGH
This article is a weekly roundup from Malwarebytes covering multiple cybersecurity incidents, including LinkedIn's new anti-fake profile measures, Kothamine malware abusing Tailscale, a ClickFix trap, shipping rebate scams, an OpenAI agent breach, Chrome security fixes, a Google fine, device code phishing, and a fake Claude Max giveaway. 📌 **Analyst Note:** This roundup underscores the diversity of current threats, from social media verification gaps to abuse of legitimate tools like Tailscale. Analysts should monitor how attackers increasingly blend into normal traffic and exploit trusted platforms.
Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:
- LinkedIn adds new checks for fake profiles and work histories
- Kothamine malware uses Tailscale’s tailcat to evade network detection
- Criminals turn placeholder domain into ClickFix trap
- That shipping rebate offer may come with a monthly charge
- OpenAI agent breached Australian government site, took months to report it
- New Browser Guard features add protection before and after you click
- Update Chrome: 108 security fixes for desktop, new release for Android
- Google’s location data privacy failures draw a €403 million fine
- How device code phishing gives scammers access to your account
- Fake Claude Max giveaway hides a Google account phishing trap
- ShinyHunters claims FBI breach was revenge for “false” report
- Some cheap smart glasses are a security disaster
- Meta’s Muse AI assistant has a zero-day that can turn it into a Mac backdoor
- Researchers used Claude to hack OpenAI
- The AI plot to scan and destroy books (Lock and Code S07E19)
- The fake sites using a cheap toolkit to sell $2,000 AI subscriptions
- Gemini’s breach of real companies exposes an AI guardrail problem
- ShinyHunters hacks rival extortion gang and takes over its dark web site
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Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn introduced new verification checks for fake profiles and work histories, aiming to reduce impersonation and credential fraud on the professional networking platform.
- The Kothamine malware leverages Tailscale's tailcat tool to tunnel traffic and evade network detection, demonstrating how attackers abuse legitimate services for stealth.
- A fake Claude Max giveaway campaign uses phishing traps to steal Google accounts, highlighting the persistent threat of social engineering through enticing offers.