Core Insights - The Q2/2025 Gen Threat Report highlights a significant rise in cyber threats, particularly those utilizing AI, with a focus on fake pharmacies and ransomware [1][2][3] Cyber Threat Trends - There has been a 21% increase in data breaches, with nearly 16% more breached emails reported [7] - Financial scams surged by 340% from April to June 2025, with many linked to deceptive ads on Facebook [6][7] - Sextortion scams doubled, indicating a growing trend in personal-targeted cybercrime [1][7] - Tech support scams on Facebook accounted for 14% of all blocked threats, driven by fake help pages [7] PharmaFraud Operations - Gen researchers identified over 5,000 fraudulent online pharmacy websites, collectively referred to as "PharmaFraud," which have been responsible for 1 million blocked attacks [3][4] - These scams employ tactics such as malicious code injection, manipulated search results, and AI-generated content to appear legitimate [4] Ransomware Developments - Gen uncovered a critical flaw in FunkSec, the first known AI-assisted ransomware, allowing victims to recover files without payment through a free decryptor [5] Emerging Threats - There was a 317% increase in malicious push notifications, often disguised as legitimate alerts [7] - Remote access attacks rose by 62%, particularly involving the Wincir RAT and cloud service abuses [12] Company Initiatives - Gen offers various protective solutions, including Norton Genie and Scam Guardian, to help users avoid falling victim to these scams [8]

Core Insights - Avast has launched Scam Guardian and Scam Guardian Pro to enhance scam protection using AI technology, addressing the rise in data breaches and scams [1][2] - The new offerings aim to democratize access to advanced scam protection, with Scam Guardian available for free and Scam Guardian Pro as a premium option [1][4] Group 1: Product Features - Scam Guardian utilizes proprietary AI trained on scam data to detect not only malicious URLs but also analyze context and language for identifying deceptive intent [3] - Key features of Scam Guardian include Email Guard, which scans and flags emails for scams, and Web Guard, which analyzes websites for hidden scams [4][6] - Scam Guardian Pro will introduce additional AI-powered tools later in the year to protect against scams in SMS and phone calls [4] Group 2: Market Context - The Gen Threat Report indicates a significant increase in data breaches, with breached records rising by over 186% from January to March 2025, and phishing scams increasing by 466% in the same period [2] - The rise in sophisticated scams, enhanced by AI, makes it crucial for individuals to have access to effective scam protection [2][3]