Subj : Small business security warning - new malware is spoofing tools s
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Tue Sep 23 2025 18:45:10

Small business security warning - new malware is spoofing tools such as 
ChatGPT, Microsoft Office and Google Drive, so be on your guard

Date:
Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:32:00 +0000

Description:
Criminals are creating fake apps to infiltrate SMB infrastructure and deploy 
malware.

FULL STORY
======================================================================Cybercri
minals spoof trusted tools like ChatGPT and Office to target small businesses 
with malware PUAs and fake apps hitting SMBs hardest Backdoors, Trojans, and 
downloaders dominate threat types across Europe and Africa 

Cybercriminals are constantly abusing the trust small and medium-sized 
businesses (SMB) have in certain tools to try and smuggle malware onto their 
IT infrastructure, experts have warned. 

A report from Kaspersky has claimed ChatGPT, Microsoft Office apps, and the 
Google Workspace suite are among the most spoofed products as hackers try and 
do their worsr. 

It found companies are being bombarded with fake applications - in almost a 
quarter of incidents (24%) across Europe, the cybercriminals tried to deploy 
a backdoor. Trojans (17%) and downloaders (16%) are also rather popular. In 
Africa, backdoors dominate with more than half of all recorded incidents 
(55%), followed by DangerousObjects (highly suspicious files or behaviors 
that are not yet classified under a specific malware category - 14%), and 
trojans (13%). Backdoors, trojans, and more 

Small businesses face enterprise-level threats, often with startup-level 
budgets, says Marc Rivero, Lead Security Researcher at the Global Research 
and Analysis Team (GreAT) at Kaspersky. 

The key is knowing where to focus their limited resources for maximum 
protection. The best defense against sophisticated malware isn't the most 
expensive tool - it's understanding how attackers think and closing the doors 
they're looking for. 

In Europe, Austria was the most attacked country, taking up 40% of all 
detected cases in which Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAS) and other 
malware were disguised as trusted tools. 

Italy (25%), Germany (11%), Spain (10%), and Portugal (6%) rounded up the top 
five, with notable mentions being France, and the UK. Africas Austria in this 
context is Morocco with 41% of all detected PUAs targeting SMBs. Tunisia 
(24%), Algeria (16%), and Senegal (7%) were said to also be heavily impacted. 

Hackers have always leaned onto passing trends to try and deploy malware. 
When ChatGPT first emerged, it did not have an app - just an in-browser 
interface. Cybercriminals saw this as an opportunity to advertise - via 
stolen Facebook Business accounts - GPT apps for both desktop and mobile, 
through which they distributed infostealers, backdoors, and various trojans. 
You might also like Fake ChatGPT and NovaLeads clones deliver ransomware as 
hackers exploit AI hype and SEO for malicious gain Take a look at our guide 
to the best authenticator app We've rounded up the best password managers



======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/smbs-are-being-hit-hard-by-malware-spoo
fing-tools-such-as-chatgpt-microsoft-office-and-google-drive


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