WhatsApp Begins Limited Beta Testing of On-Device Scam Alert to Detect Fraud While Preserving End-to-End Encryption

Scammers Use *#62# USSD Command to Fabricate Surveillance Claims and Steal Victims' Funds

Fraudsters are exploiting the USSD command *#62# to convince targets that their phones are being tapped, then directing them to hand over cash to supposed couriers. The scheme begins with a familiar pretext such as a doorphone replacement or parcel delivery, after which the victim is tricked into revealing a verification code that the attackers themselves sent. A fake government official then claims the victim's account has been compromised and an extremist has been granted power of attorney. Victims are instructed to visit a counterfeit state website, enter *#62#, and interpret the displayed forwarding number as proof of interception. In reality the code only reveals call-forwarding settings for when the phone is unreachable, often showing a voicemail or missed-call service number. T-Bank warns that the displayed number has no connection to surveillance and urges anyone receiving such calls to hang up and contact the real organization through official channels.

Aroshka Cloud Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged False Claims of SOC 24/7 Operations and High-End Infrastructure

StackWorks has published the fourth installment in its investigative series on Aroshka Cloud, detailing how the cloud storage provider accused the studio of orchestrating a DDoS attack shortly after the third part appeared. The service published five posts claiming technical evidence linked StackWorks to the attack, including IP traces from Moscow, Ufa, and Stavropol, while asserting that its SOC 24/7 team mitigated a 3.5 Gbit/s assault within seconds. StackWorks responded with a pre-trial claim demanding removal of the posts and a public retraction, which Aroshka Cloud rejected within seven minutes. Analysis of the provider’s own Kwork job postings reveals requests for template-based support staff, a five-VDS server pool, and later up to eight NVIDIA H200 GPUs with InfiniBand, contradicting public statements about multi-country data centers and round-the-clock security engineers. Further inconsistencies include mismatched time zones in email headers, inflated user statistics, and reliance on the BeDrive script rather than custom development. The investigation continues with plans to involve law enforcement regarding suspicious visitor logs.

Reports Surface on Alleged De-Anonymization of Admins Running Major Russian Hacker Forums

An independent researcher has compiled publicly available information pointing to the possible identities of administrators behind prominent Russian-language darknet forums including exploit.in and duty-free.to. The analysis traces exploit.in back to its 2006 launch by a user known as Toha, later linked to Ukrainian authorities or associates, with the forum reportedly transferred or sold. Forum moderator Quake3, identified in open sources as Anatoly Kravchuk, ceased activity in October 2026 and appears on a German police wanted list. Additional details from forum posts and anonymous Telegram channels name Mikhail Rytikov, known as Abdulla, as a key figure tied to server hosting and operations. The report also notes the recent involvement of known Russian hacker wazawaka on duty-free.to and highlights the declining viability of several legacy forums due to law enforcement actions. All claims are presented as unverified public speculation without new original sourcing.