A new era of the PGA Tour has begun, and the game of golf will look a lot different at the end of next year.PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced on Tuesday that he is leaving the tour next year, and top NFL executive Brian Rolapp was announced as the PGA Tour's CEO.The game of golf has had quite the discourse over the last three years, particularly due to LIV Golf, which is funded by the Saudis.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMIt has been over two years since both tours announced they had been in negotiations - but nothing final has ever materialized.Rolapp, who was speculated to take over Roger Goodell's role, admitted that he has "a lot to learn," but two-time major champ Xander Schauffele told Fox News Digital shortly after the news broke that he is excited about what is to come."I think the search committee did a really thorough search to find the best candidate. Someone working on the business side of the NFL for 22 years, he seemed really excited for the opportunity," Schauffele told Fox News Digital. "He sees a lot of potential in where the Tour can go, he wants to hold on to tradition and legacy, but also not really get stuck in that way, as well, if that makes sense. The NFL is constantly pushing its product, and I think someone with that sort of mindset coming in is always a good thing."Schauffele's sentiments about Rolapp and tradition did not come by accident. Rolapp said in an open letter posted to social media that his "goal as CEO is to honor golf's traditions but not be overly bound by them."XANDER SCHAUFFELE DEFENDS 'FAIR' US OPEN CONDITIONS AT OAKMONT: 'EVERYONE HAD TO PLAY THE SAME COURSE'"I'm honored to step into the role of CEO of the PGA Tour. Golf has one of the deepest histories and many of the most timeless traditions in all of sports," Rolapp said. "That history and those traditions have inspired generations of players and fans, creating both a game and a Tour that millions around the world love. At the same time, professional golf is evolving, as are the ways fans consume sports."Over the past few years, the TOUR has made meaningful progress in addressing these changes - from creating more opportunities for players to improving the competitive structure and enhancing the fan experience. But there's still significant work to do, and incredible opportunity remains ahead. From creating the highest quality golf product that includes the best players in the world, to strengthening commercial partnerships - as I spoke to players, board member, and fans in recent months, I felt drawn to this potential."It will be a big change for Rolapp, going from two decades with a league of 32 team owners to an organization with nearly 200 players who operate independently."The players own the tour it's their tour," Rolapp said. "Having said that and we talked a little bit about this in our player meeting I think they know whats good for fans is also good for the tour. Working in the sports business as long as I have, sometimes its not that complicated. If you think whats best for the fan, its usually best for everybody involved. So I think were going to keep that mindset here."The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday the Justice Department will be filing suit against Kentucky for a policy that allows illegal immigrants residing in the Bluegrass State to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public universities.U.S. v. Andrew Beshear was filed in the Lexington-based Eastern District federal court, alleging the law "unconstitutionally discriminates against U.S. citizens not afforded the same privilege," perceptibly from out-of-state."No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens," Bondi said."The Department of Justice just won on this exact issue in Texas, and we look forward to fighting in Kentucky to protect the rights of American citizens."NY AG, 19 OTHERS FILE 2 LAWSUITS AGAINST TRUMP ADMIN, ALLEGING FEDERAL MONEY TIED TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENTWhen reached for comment, a representative for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said he had no role in creating the policy and that it is enforced by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (KCPE) which is an independent agency."We havent been served with this lawsuit and had no advance notice, nor any prior discussion with the Department of Justice about it," Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley told Fox News Digital.Staley said the regulation was issued "before 2010" and that KCPE, not Beshear, has sole authority to determine tuition-related residency requirements."The governor has no authority to alter CPEs regulations and should not be a party to the lawsuit."LA IMMIGRATION RIOTS PREVENTABLE IF SACRAMENTO DEMS HAD ACTED, GOP SAYSMelissa Young, a KCPE spokesperson, said the agency just found out about the lawsuit on Tuesday morning and that they are not prepared to offer detailed comment.The KCPEs general counsels office is still in the process of reviewing the relevant regulations, and the agency is conducting a review before stating its formal position on the suit, Young told Fox News Digital.Republicans, who control the state legislature, lambasted Beshear and said they have tried to correct the law.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPState Rep. T.J. Roberts of Burlington noted he has authored House Bill 352 to strip illegal immigrants from any classification of Kentucky residency, particularly for educational tuition purposes.He praised Bondi and President Donald Trump for standing up for "unconstitutional discrimination against U.S. citizens," which he blamed on the governor."The Beshear administration has been given the chance to right this wrong first when I introduced legislation to shed light on the issue, and again following a successful legal challenge in Texas. Unfortunately, the governor has chosen to ignore those opportunities and instead continues to defy the Constitution, manipulate the regulatory process to advance his own agenda, and misuse the powers of his office to elevate his national political ambitions. Its a shameful disservice to the people of Kentucky," Roberts said.

EXCLUSIVE: A Biden-era decision could potentially keep a convicted murderer from being deported from the United States, at least while a key legal battle plays out in court.Fox News rode along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles, the center of recent anti-ICE civil unrest, and the agency arrested Salvadoran national Alexander Alfredo Palacios Guevara, who not only has the murder conviction, but also two counts of attempted murder dating back to 1994, an HSI source said.The man told Fox News, "I have CAT, I have CAT," which turned out to be a Convention against Torture he was granted by the Biden-era Board of Immigration Appeals on Dec. 18, according to DHS sources.ABREGO GARCIA RETURN TO US PROMPTS NEW QUESTIONS FOR OTHER IMMIGRANTS DEPORTED BY TRUMPSpecifically, he was given DCAT Deferral of Removal under the Convention Against Torture, meaning that he believes theres a risk of him getting tortured if he is sent back to El Salvador."This criminal alien should never have been roaming the streets of Los Angeles. Not only is he a member of the ruthless Surenos gang, but he also has multiple convictions for murder, assault and rape or sexual abuse of a minor," an ICE spokesperson told Fox News. "A highly unusual Biden-era legal decision from December allowed this dangerous criminal to live in American communities. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are removing public safety threats as it always should have been," the statement continued.APPEALS COURT DENIES DOJ BID TO BLOCK RETURN OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA FROM EL SALVADOR PRISONThe order resulted in him being briefly released by ICE but then taken back into custody the next day because of the massive public safety risk.Guevara remains in federal custody amid the possibility of sending him to a third country, something the United States has attempted before with convicted criminals, like sending them to South Sudan.CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGEThe South Sudan flight last month resulted in a Boston federal judge ruling against third-party removals. Still, the Department of Homeland Security is waiting for the Supreme Court to overturn the decision.ACLU LAWYER WARNS UNDER TRUMP 'ANYBODY CAN BE PICKED UP' AND DEPORTED WITH NO JUDICIAL OVERSIGHTWhen Fox News asked if he was a convicted murderer, Guevara responded, "Im free."Fox News reached out to his immigration attorney asking about who hes concerned will torture him in El Salvador and for more details about his case, but there has been no response yet. The nation's eyes turned onto Los Angeles earlier this month as ICE narrowed in on operations in the region, which led to protests and riots in the city and throughout the country.

The viral confrontation between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith seems to have everlasting effects.After a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks back in March, the two had what Smith called an "unexpected" incident in which the NBA's all-time leading scorer voiced his concerns about Smith's remarks about his son, Bronny.Smith had been critical of the Lakers' use of Bronny and his father's apparent handling of the situation, but Smith said on Wednesday's "First Take" that there was a further reason for the courtside interaction.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"I have nothing to say about that. I dont like him, and he dont like me" he said, via Awful Announcing. "He hid behind his son, tried to make something out of nothing, as if I was dogging his son, which I was not. The real issue was we dont like each other. And he used that as an excuse to confront me. I got it."Smith, though, said he is keeping his personal feelings about James away from his analysis of him."Hes one of the greatest players whos ever lived. Im going to show him that respect, and Im going to cover him objectively. When he does great, Im gonna applaud. When he doesnt do great, Im not gonna applaud."NBA TROPHY DESIGNER CRAFTS EXCLUSIVE MICHELOB ULTRA BOTTLES WITH DIAMONDS, REAL GOLD FOR TITLE WINNERSAt the time of the incident, Smith suggested the interaction had been between a pair of fathers, more than an exchange between a basketball player and a sports television star.Smith also said that he would be open to having further discussions with James privately, saying the Lakers star "knows how to get in contact with (him) if he wanted to."Smith added that if a one-on-one discussion had happened with James, the sports commentator would have told the four-time NBA MVP that he would "never speak negatively" about Bronny, who split time in the NBA and G-League throughout the 2024-25 season.Fox News' Chantz Martin contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

While the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision against youth transgender treatments dismayed many Democrats as a "stunning setback," one member of the party from deep blue California says she "couldn't be happier.""I am absolutely thrilled," Erin Friday, parental rights advocate and lifelong Democrat, told "Fox & Friends First" on Thursday.The Golden State mom and attorney, whose involvement with the transgender issue began when her own daughter briefly questioned her gender, said she felt that her heart had "absolutely burst" and she "broke down in tears" of joy upon hearing the court's decision.'WE WON': SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS OVER SCOTUS RULING DEALING 'FATAL BLOW' TO TRANSGENDER SURGERIES ON MINORSSpeaking to Fox News' Carley Shimkus, she predicted the ruling will have "far-reaching effects" that go beyond gender interventions on kids and explained that some concurring opinions have established "important" legal precedents for other cases dealing with hot-button transgender issues like biological men playing in women's sports."What these justices wrote was so important," Friday said."Justice Alito wrote about sex being biological, and that's going to be used in these sports cases to get the males out of girls' sports."SOTOMAYOR WARNS SKRMETTI DECISION WILL CAUSE 'UNTOLD HARM' TO TRANSGENDER CHILDREN IN SCATHING DISSENT"Justice Thomas wrote extensively about the lack of evidence on these gender interventions on children, what's happening in Europe, and the harms that are being perpetrated on our children in the United States with this so-called gender ideology, and there's some language in this opinion that also destroys the notion that there's even such a thing as gender identity."At the same time, Friday said Congress needs to "save" children in blue states still backing such treatments by taking action to codify a ban on such treatments nationwide."We need to protect all the children in the United States, not just those who are lucky enough to live in Republican states," she added.Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Madison Colombo contributed to this report.

An extensive four-day search for a New Hampshire man who had been missing in a notorious range of the Rocky Mountains ended in tragedy earlier this week.Russell Hardy, 55, set out on a hiking adventure on Pikes Peak, in the front range of the Rockies, after arriving in Colorado on June 10, according to the El Paso County, Colorado Sheriff's Office. He began his hike the next day, and was meant to return home by June 12, but never did.Pikes Peak stands at 14,110 feet, making it one of the tallest mountains in the United States.SKIER PLUMMETS 1,000 FEET DOWN MOUNTAINWhen Hardy's family reported him missing on June 13, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, alongside the Teller County Sheriff's Office, launched a joint search-and-rescue operation to locate him.The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said that the massive search involved teams from both law enforcement agencies who used K-9 teams and drones in their attempt to locate Hardy.On Monday, a hiker discovered Hardy's body near the summit of Pikes Peak in El Paso County.SECOND MISSING HIKER FOUND DEAD IN MAINE AS AUTHORITIES CONCLUDE MASSIVE SEARCH OPERATIONPolice say foul play is not suspected."While there is no indication of foul play, this appears to be a tragic outcome of a man confronting the challenges of nature," the sheriff's office said."Our deepest condolences are with Mr. Hardys family during this difficult time," said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. "Although this is not the outcome anyone hoped for, the dedication shown by everyone involved remains deeply appreciated. Over 100 volunteers from agencies across the Pikes Peak region assisted in the search, braving varying weather conditions and challenging terrain for the mission."On behalf of myself and Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all deputies, volunteers, rangers, and support personnel who committed themselves to this effort."In a Thursday morning release, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said the Army Reserve helped recover Hardy's body."At the request of local authorities, Army Reserve aviation assets from Charlie Company, 7158th General Support Aviation Battalion supported a recovery operation on Pikes Peak," said Captain Britney Tingstrom of the 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Officer. "The mission was conducted in coordination with the El Paso County Sheriffs Office and El Paso County Search and Rescue to assist in the safe retrieval of a deceased individual from a remote location.The sheriff's office said it is continuing its investigation and that the county coroner's office will soon officially confirm Hardy's identity.

One expert says Iran could hit America with a "high-impact" cyberattack as its confrontation with Israel escalates each day.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei threatened the United States during an interview with Al Jazeera English on Wednesday, saying that American intervention alongside Israel would mean "all-out war.""Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region," he said.Theresa Payton, former White House chief information officer and CEO of the cybersecurity firm Fortalice Solutions, told Fox News Digital that Iran could use cyberattacks as it becomes more and more desperate.IRAN WARNS US JOINING CONFLICT WOULD MEAN 'ALL-OUT WAR,' REFUSES DEMANDS TO GIVE UP DISPUTED NUCLEAR PROGRAM"I think everything's on the table right now as it relates to Iran, especially if they are running out of weaponry and missiles. They could resort to cyber incidents and cyberattacks," Payton said. "So we could see Iran strike everything from everyday citizens to U.S. elected officials, media outlets, as well as critical infrastructure."Payton said Iran would look to target something that is "high-impact, very visible and very inconvenient." For example, Payton said energy, utility and water supplies could be areas that Iran would want to target in order to cause major disruptions.Iran has a history of cyberattacks targeting America.Seven people linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were indicted by the Department of Justice in 2016 for their involvement in a denial-of-service attack on the websites of companies such as Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.Federal prosecutors said the denial-of-service attacks took place against 46 countries, which were primarily in the financial sector.ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT: LIVE UPDATESThe attacks allegedly took place over 176 days and prevented customers from logging on to their online accounts, costing the banks tens of millions of dollars as they responded to the coordinated cyberattacks.In 2022, three Iranian nationals were indicted after attempting to conduct a cyberattack against Boston Children's Hospital. Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray detailed how serious the threat was during a conference hosted by Boston College."We got a report from one of our intelligence partners indicating Boston Children's was about to be targeted, and understanding the urgency of the situation, the cyber squad in our Boston field office raced out to notify the hospital," Wray said. "Quick actions by everyone involved, especially at the hospital, protected both the network and the sick kids that depend on it."Payton said Iran has a "track record" when it comes to cyberattacks, so the threat should be taken seriously."They've done everything from spear phishing political campaigns and getting information from political campaigns. They have masqueraded as government officials. They had actually hit financial services with distributed denial-of-service attacks over the years. And they have hit out at critical infrastructure, not just in the United States, but in other countries as well," she said. "And so they do have a track record of hits and misses as it relates to cyber incidents. And so that's why a cyber intrusion is very much a potential, on-the-table scenario for Iran."Reuters contributed to this report.

Singer Boy George got called out in a particularly sharp way by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling after he picked a fight with the author this week on transgender rights.In an X post from June 11, Rowling asked, "Which rights have been taken away from trans people?"The singer, whose full name is George O'Dowd, and was convicted of falsely imprisoning and assaulting a male escort in 2007 and served four months in prison in 2009, responded to Rowling's post, saying, "The right to be left alone by a rich bored bully!"'HARRY POTTER' ACTOR STANDS BY JK ROWLING AT TONY AWARDS AMID CRITICISM OF HER TRANSGENDER VIEWSRowling posted a reply of her own, calling out the differences between the author and singer, citing gender, fame, O'Dowd's crime and freedom of speech.In her lengthy reply, she addressed why she believes it is critical to keep biological men out of womens spaces."For more than half my life I was a regular anonymous person," Rowling said. "Some of those years were spent in poverty. That's why I understand the importance of single-sex spaces for women who're reliant on state-funded services. That's why I understand why mixed public changing rooms are a problem for women. That's why I have a problem with men 'identifying' into women's rape crisis centres, domestic abuse and homeless shelters that are supposed to be single-sex. I don't stand against gender identity ideology because I personally still need those services, but because my life has taught me exactly how vulnerable women are when they don't have the money/influence I have now."JK ROWLING FIRES BACK AT LIBERAL COMEDIAN AFTER HE DOUBLES DOWN ON TRANS ATHLETE STANCEThe world-famous author and advocate for women also brought up Boy Georges assault and prison time."You yourself have been convicted of violent assault," Rowling said in the post. "The overwhelming number of people who commit crimes of violence are male, just like you. That's why I don't want to see men identifying into women's prison cells or any of the spaces mentioned above. Not all men are violent or predatory, but enough are to make safeguarding necessary."She ended her reply by saying she thinks that the singer no longer values "non-conformity.""Lastly, I'm a writer who believes in freedom of speech and belief," Rowling said. "As we both know, the safe, fashionable thing in the arts world right now is to do exactly what you're doing: parrot TWAW [Trans Women Are Women] and sneer at the unenlightened plebs who think sex is important and matters. For a man who was once all about non-conformity, George, you couldn't have become more predictably or more tediously conformist."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREIn a Monday reply on X about the feud with Rowling, Boy George addressed her personal appearance."The demolition of her filler face is more laughable! The dragon has been slayed!" he stated in the post.In a subsequent post on Tuesday, he said, "I do not hate women. I cannot be clearer than that. I don't hate men either. I'm just not anti trans. We have [lived] together for centuries without having to be separated. Some men need to be taught to respect women more and some women need [to] stop blaming all men for the bad deeds of the few."

ESPN star Stephen A. Smith suggested on Wednesday that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was responsible for some of the resentment toward her in the WNBA.Smith and "First Take" panelists Monica McNutt and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo broke down the skirmishes between Fever and Connecticut Sun players. Clark was on the receiving end of an eye poke from Sun guard Jacy Sheldon and was then bumped to the floor by Marina Mabrey.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMClark and Sun players were talking trash throughout the game as tensions began to rise early and eventually boil over. Fever guard Sophie Cunningham also got into the fray with a hard foul on Sheldon late in the game. Both players were ejected.Smith reiterated his stance that he believed there was "resentment" toward Clark but said he had no problem with the frenzy that took place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, noting the highly competitive nature of all the athletes on the court."Now, heres the thing about, because I want to make sure everyone understands what Im about to say," Smith began. "Caitlin Clark being that golden goose per se, that rising tide thats lifting all boats, I stand by my past proclamations that theres resentment toward her because of that. But I want to take it a step further. Theres also resentment toward her because she instigates resentment toward her sometimes. Oh, Caitlin can clap at ya now, Caitlin can antagonize ya now.SPARKS FACE BACKLASH AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA USERS ACCUSE WNBA TEAM OF POSTING THIRST TRAPS"Remember, in college, the whole Angel Reese thing started because when Caitlin was giving it to everybody else, she was the one waving in their face and thats why when Angel Reese and LSU got a whole of her, Angel Reese was like (waves hand in front of face), Yeah, its your turn. Thats where it came from. It was instigated by Caitlin Clark. She got a comeuppance and she was big enough to embrace it and accept it and say, Yo, I deserve it, it was my turn because they got me good."Smith pointed out that Clark does her fair share of trash talking and can dish it out as well as anyone.He then compared her to Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird."On top of the fact that she could play but shes kinda like what Larry Bird was when Larry Bird was shooting the lights out and stuff like that but Larry Bird also talked junk," he said. "Dr. J was one of the nicest, sweetest people on the planet. People were saying he was making house calls, helping invite the NBA into Americas living room, and Dr. J swung on Larry Bird. Why? Because Larry Bird says, Im gonna hit this jumper right here on you, Bam! Im gonna hit this 3 right here on you, Bam! Caitlin Clark is that person as well. The vitriol that she gets, some of it is self-induced, I just happen to love it because thats sports."The WNBA gave an additional fine to Cunningham for her involvement in the fracas after the Sheldon foul. She received a standard fine automatically for the Flagrant-2 foul. Mabreys technical foul was upgraded to a Flagrant-2 foul, and she received a standard fine for that.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Hacking keeps evolving, just like any other profession. Cybercriminals are always upgrading their tools, especially malware, to find new ways to scam people and steal data or money. The old tricks no longer work as well. Basic phishing rarely fools anyone twice, so hackers constantly look for new ways to break in.They rely on whatever grabs your attention and doesn't raise suspicion, things like social media ads, fake banking apps or updates that look completely normal. One of the fastest-growing threats in this space is Crocodilus.First detected in early 2025, this Android banking Trojan takes over your contact list to make its scams look more legitimate and harder to spot.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, youll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.TheCrocodilus malware was first documented by ThreatFabric cybersecurity researchers in late March 2025. They highlighted its extensive data theft and remote control capabilities.Crocodilus uses Facebook to infect devices. It appears in ads that look normal, but once clicked, the malware installs itself on your device. In some cases, it mimicked banking and e-commerce apps in Poland, promising users free points in exchange for downloading an app. The link led to a fake site that delivered the malware. Although the ad was only live for a few hours, it still reached thousands of users, most of whom were over 35, a group more likely to have money in the bank.Smaller but growing campaigns have also been reported in the United States, where Crocodilus disguised itself as crypto wallet tools, mining apps and financial services. These fake apps are often distributed through social media ads or phishing links, targeting Android users who are less likely to question a "legit-looking" financial app. While not yet widespread, the presence of Crocodilus in the U.S. underscores its global reach and rapidly evolving tactics.ANDROID SECURITY UPGRADES OUTSMART SCAMS AND PROTECT YOUR PRIVACYThe Trojan has also been spotted in Spain, where it disguised itself as a browser update, targeting nearly every major Spanish bank. In Turkey, it posed as an online casino app. And the threat doesn't stop there.One of the biggest concerns with Crocodilus is its ability to add fake contacts to your phone, inserting entries like "Bank Support" into your contact list. So, if an attacker calls pretending to be from your bank, your phone may not flag it because it appears to be a trusted number, making social engineering scams much more convincing.The latest version also includes a more advanced seed phrase collector, especially dangerous for cryptocurrency users. Crocodilus monitors your screen and uses pattern matching to detect and extract sensitive data, such as private keys or recovery phrases, all before quietly sending it to the attacker.MASSIVE DATA BREACH EXPOSES 184 MILLION PASSWORDS AND LOGINSCrocodilus shows us what the next wave of mobile threats might look like. It uses real ads to get into your phone. It blends into your digital life in ways that feel familiar. It does not need flashy tricks to succeed. It just needs to appear trustworthy.This kind of malware is designed for scale. It targets large groups, works across different regions and updates fast. It can pretend to be a bank, a shopping app or even something harmless like a browser update. The scary part is how normal it all looks. People are not expecting something this malicious to hide inside something that looks like a gift.The creators of Crocodilus understand how people think and act online. They are using that knowledge to build tools that work quietly and effectively. And they are not working alone. This kind of operation likely involves a network of developers, advertisers and distributors all working together.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?HR FIRM CONFIRMS 4M RECORDS EXPOSED IN MAJOR HACK1. Avoid downloading apps from ads or unknown sources: Crocodilus often spreads through ads on social media platforms like Facebook. These ads promote apps that look like banking tools, e-commerce platforms or even crypto wallets. If you click and install one, you might be unknowingly downloading malware. Always search for apps directly on trusted platforms like the Google Play Store. Do not install anything from random links, especially those shared through ads, messages or unfamiliar websites.2. Avoid suspicious links and install strong antivirus protection: Crocodilus spreads through deceptive ads and fake app links. These can look like legitimate banking tools, crypto apps or browser updates. Clicking on them may quietly install malware that hijacks your contacts, monitors your screen or steals login credentials. To stay safe, avoid clicking on links from unknown sources, especially those that promise rewards or warn of urgent problems. Installing strong antivirus software on your Android device adds another layer of protection. It can scan downloads, block malicious behavior and warn you about phishing attempts before they become a bigger issue.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.3. Review app permissions carefully before and after installation: Before you install an app, take a moment to look at the permissions it asks for. If a shopping app wants access to your contacts, messages or screen, that is a red flag. After installing, go to your phone settings and double-check what permissions the app actually has. Malware like Crocodilus relies on overreaching permissions to steal data and gain control. If anything seems unnecessary, revoke the access or uninstall the app entirely.4. Keep your Android device updated at all times: Security patches are released regularly to block known vulnerabilities. Crocodilus is designed to take advantage of outdated systems and bypass newer Android restrictions. Byupdating your phone and apps regularly, you reduce the chances of malware slipping through. Set your device to install updates automatically when possible and check manually every so often if you are not sure.5. Consider using a data removal or monitoring service:While not a direct defense against malware, data removal services can help minimize the damage if your information has already been leaked or sold. These services monitor your personal data on the dark web and offer guidance if your credentials have been compromised. In a case like Crocodilus, where malware may harvest and transmit banking info or crypto keys, knowing your data exposure early can help you act before scammers do.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web6. Turn on Google Play Protect: Google Play Protect is a built-in security feature on Android phones that scans your apps for anything suspicious. To stay protected, make sure its turned on. You can check this by opening the Play Store, tapping your profile icon and selecting Play Protect. From there, you can see if it's active and run a manual scan of all your installed apps. While it may not catch everything, especially threats from outside the Play Store, its still an important first layer of defense against harmful apps like Crocodilus.7. Be skeptical of unfamiliar contacts or urgent messages: One of the newer tricks Crocodilus uses is modifying your contact list. It can add fake entries that look like customer service numbers or bank helplines. So, if you receive a call from "Bank Support," it might not be real. Always verify phone numbers through official websites or documents. The same applies to messages asking for personal details or urgent logins. When in doubt, do not respond or click any links. Contact your bank or service provider directly.DONT CLICK THAT LINK! HOW TO SPOT AND PREVENT PHISHING ATTACKS IN YOUR INBOXCrocodilus is one of the most advanced Android banking Trojans seen so far. It spreads through social media ads, hides inside apps that look real and collects sensitive data like banking passwords and crypto seed phrases. It can also add fake contacts to your phone to trick you during scam calls. If you use Android, avoid downloading apps from links in ads or messages. Only install apps from trusted sources like the Google Play Store. Keep your phone updated, and be careful if something looks too good to be true because it probably is.Who should be held accountable when malware like Crocodilus spreads through platforms like Facebook? Let us know by writing to us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips anbd security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.