It’s no surprise that the most popular managed service is security. Cybersecurity threats are a daily occurrence and continue to get more sophisticated, with identity-based attacks now the primary vector. For example, 2023 saw a 72% increase in data breaches … Read More
The disruption began Saturday (5am Pacific time, Jan .24) affecting approximately 1.8 billion Gmail users worldwide with widespread email misclassification.
The disruption began Saturday (5am Pacific time, Jan .24) affecting approximately 1.8 billion Gmail users worldwide with widespread email misclassification.
5 Taste Uthappam is a popular South Indian Restaurant only menu. Variety of mini Uthappam served in a single banana leaf platter with coconut chutney and sambar. Some popular flavours include onion, masala, dry fruits, podi and vegetable. I had heard about this uthappam before, but I had never actually tasted it. During our last...
Spicy Indian red chicken curry is a rich, colorful and flavourful dish made with chicken, spices, curd, garlic and Kashmiri red chilli. The chicken pieces are marinated with spices and slowly cooked in the red chilli garlic paste. The red chicken curry pairs beautifully with roti, naan, parotta, pulav, biryani or even with hot steamed...
Pizza dosa is a tasty and easy snack made by topping thick dosa with sauce, veggies, cheese and few spices. It is a nice fusion recipe that mixes Indian dosa with pizza style toppings. I usually make this when there is sudden pizza craving at home. It tastes very good and kids enjoy it a lot.
This recipe is very handy and does not need any special preparation. You can make it using leftover dosa batter also. It is more healthy and cost effective compared to ordering pizza outside. Making this pizza dosa recipe at home feels simple and satisfying. You can make and enjoy.
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About Pizza Dosa
Pizza dosa is basically a thick dosa or uttapam style base topped with vegetables, sauce and cheese. The dosa batter works as the base and gives soft texture inside with crisp bottom. It is cooked slowly so the toppings get cooked nicely. This recipe is very beginner friendly also.
The taste of this recipe is cheesy, slightly spicy and very flavorful. The veggies in this add nice crunch while cheese melts and bind everything together. Sauce gives a tangy taste which goes really well with the dosa base. This tastes best only when served hot or warm, it is good way to make dosa more interesting for kids.
You can just try different toppings according on what you have at home or what you like to add in. You can add in some tomato, olives or even paneer if you like. You can also add more cheese and some more veggies of your choice. This recipe can be adjusted easily as per taste preference.
I usually make pizza dosa for evening snacks or weekend dinner. It does not take much time and looks attractive also. Most kids will love pizza so make this dosa pizza and treat your kids, just requires dosa batter and available veggies in your pantry.
This is a kid friendly recipe, you can even make the pizza dosas small small to make it look even more cute and appealing for the kids to get attracted.This can be great for breakfast or even as a after school snack, easy to make no oven required.
Pizza Dosa Ingredients
Dosa batter - Take slightly thick batter. I used this as base. It should be slightly thick so it holds toppings well. Thin batter will spread too much.
Capsicum - I have used chopped capsicum for crunch and color. It gives nice bite. You can use any color capsicum.
Onion - I used this for flavor and sweetness. It adds the taste when sautéed. You can skip if you don't like.
Sweet corn - I have used for mild sweetness. Kids usually like it. You can replace with paneer also.
Pizza sauce - I have used readymade pizza sauce. It gives tangy taste. You can use pasta sauce also.
Cheese - I have used grated cheese for topping. As melts nicely and makes it more filling. You can add more if you like cheesy taste.
Oil - I have used for cooking the dosa. It helps dosa to cook evenly. You can use butter also.
Chilli flakes - I have added this for mild spice. Add according to taste.
Oregano - I have used oregano for pizza flavor. It gives nice aroma and flavor.
1.Get ready with all your ingredients. In a kadai with a teaspoon of oil saute onion and capsicum for 2 minutes. Take your dosa batter.
2.Heat dosa tawa. Take 2 ladles full of dosa batter and pour it over the tawa, dont spread it. Drizzle oil, cook covered until the top is seen cooked.Cook in low medium flame.
3.Simmer, Now spread a tablespoon of pasta sauce, sprinkle onion, capsicum and boiled sweet corn. Finally sprinkle grated cheese.
4.Cook covered for a minute until cheese turns goey. Carefully remove from dosa tawa. Sprinkle chilli flakes, oregano, cut into wedges and Serve hot!
Serve hot!
Expert Tips
Dosa batter consistency - I always keep the batter thick. If batter is thin, dosa will spread too much and toppings may fall off.
Cooking flame - I cook on low to medium flame only. High flame can burn the base before cheese melts properly.
Veggies sautéing - I usually saute onion and capsicum lightly.This helps them cook faster on the dosa.
Cover and cook - I cook it covered after adding toppings. This helps the cheese to melt evenly.
Do not spread - I just pour the batter and let it spread on its own. This keeps it thick like uttapam.
Serving and Storage
Serve this hot from tawa. This recipe taste warm when cheese is gooey. You can also cut them into wedges and serve with ketchup. It is best eaten fresh. Storing is not recommended as dosa becomes soggy.
FAQS
1.Can I try with leftover batter?
Yes you can just use leftover batter, it still tasted good.
2.Can I make without cheese?
Yes you can skip cheese if you want. But cheese gives pizza like taste.
3.Why my pizza dosa is not crisp?
Mostly batter is too thick or flame is very low. Adjust flame and oil slightly.
4.Can I add more toppings?
Yes you can add tomato, paneer or olives. Add toppings as per your taste.
5.Is this suitable for kids?
Yes kids love this recipe. You can reduce spice and add more cheese.
If you have any more questions about this pizza dosa recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this pizza dosa recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
Pizza dosa is a tasty and easy snack made by topping thick dosa with sauce, veggies, cheese and few spices. It is a nice fusion recipe that mixes Indian dosa with pizza style toppings. I usually make this when there is sudden pizza craving at home. It tastes very good and kids enjoy it a lot.
Vella Adai is a sweet and tasty adai made using rice and lentils especially for Karthigai Deepam. The batter is mixed with jaggery and then cooked like soft utappam. This is usually made during festivals, but many times it is prepared for evening tea time snack also.
The taste is mild and comforting, and jaggery gives nice sweetness without being too much. Cardamom flavor comes slightly and it smells really good while cooking. It tastes too good when served hot with butter. I make this adai when I want something sweet but not too heavy.
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About Vella Adai
Vella Adai is a sweet dish made with rice and different lentils together so it is healthy too. Rice and lentils are grinded in to a batter, then mixed with jaggery syrup and cooked on tawa. The batter consistency is thick so the adai comes out soft in the center. I keep making it often as everyone in my home enjoys this adai so much.
The texture of this adai is soft and little fluffy, not crispy like dosa. Since jaggery is added, the adai gets golden brown faster while cooking so cook in low medium flame. Coconut adds mild richness and cardamom gives that nice traditional smell. Cooking in low flame is important for this recipe.
You can slightly change the taste by adding ghee instead of oil or by adding few chopped nuts. Some people like it more sweet, so jaggery quantity can be adjusted. Making it thick gives better texture, thin batter will not give that soft feel. This recipe needs bit planning to soak the rice and lentils, but once the batter is ready cooking is easy.
I usually make this adai during festivals or on weekends when there is enough time to soak rice and dal.
Vella Adai Ingredients
Raw rice - I used as base for this adai. It gives body and structure once cooked. I soaked it well so grinding becomes easy and batter turns smooth.
Mixed dals (toor dal, chana dal, moong dal, urad dal) - I added these dals for protein, nuttiness and filling texture. You can skip one dal if not available but using mix of dals gives best flavor.
Jaggery - I add to sweeten the adai. I just make the syrup and strain it to remove impurities. It adds natural sweetness and gives nice color.
Coconut - I have used grated coconut for richness and flavor. It gives soft bite in between. You can add more if you like more coconut taste.
Cardamom powder - I add it for aroma and flavor. It gives that festival sweet smell and nice taste.
Why This Recipe Works
It is a simple traditional sweet that uses basic ingredients only.
Jaggery gives natural sweetness and nice golden color.
This has thick batter, it makes the adai soft and fluffy in center.
Cooking on low flame helps adai cook evenly without burning.
It works well as festival dish or evening snack also.
1.First prepare jaggery syrup. Mix jaggery with water and heat it up for few minutes until it is slightly thick (no consistency needs to be checked). Heat it up until jaggery gets dissolved. Strain the jaggery syrup to remove impurities.
2.Strain the syrup and then, collect it in a bowl. Heat it up and cook for few minutes to make the syrup thick like honey in consistency.
3.Measure and take raw rice along with other dals. Soak together in water for 2 to 3 hours, Set aside.
4.Rinse it well, then add it to a mixer jar. Add water as little as possible and grind into a slightly coarse thickish batter.
5.It should be this thick. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add jaggery syrup.
6.Mix well to form a flowing batter slightly thicker than dosa batter. Add coconut and cardamom powder.
7.Finally heat a dosa tawa. Take a ladle full of batter and pour it on the tawa ,spread it slightly. Drizzle oil. Cook in low medium flame.
8.Flip to other side for cooking and cook till golden brown and the ends start turning crisp. Similarly repeat to finish the batter.
Karthigai adai ready. Serve hot with butter!
Expert Tips
Batter consistency - I grind the batter thick by adding very little water. If batter is runny, adai will spread too much.
Jaggery syrup - I added jaggery syrup slowly and mixed well. If batter becomes thick after adding syrup, add little water only.
Cooking flame - I cooked the adai in low to medium flame. Since jaggery is there, it browns fast if flame is high.
Oil or ghee - I used gingelly oil while cooking for nice aroma. You can use ghee also, it gives very good flavor.
Tawa choice - I used iron dosa tawa for best results. Thick adai cooks evenly on iron tawa.
Serving and Storage
Serve Karthigai Vella Adai hot with butter on top. This can be served for breakfast or dinner. It goes well with tea or coffee also. Best taste is when served fresh and hot. Store leftover in airtight container and finish on that day itself and reheat lightly on tawa before serving.
FAQS
1.Can I make without jaggery?
You can use sugar, but taste will not be same. Jaggery gives traditional flavor.
2.Is soaking really needed?
Yes soaking rice and dals is important for soft batter and smooth grinding.
3.Can I make adai thin like dosa?
You can make it thinner, but thick adai tastes better and stays soft.
4.Can I add in nuts?
Yes, you can just chop and add some nuts for the crunch.
5.Which oil is best for this adai?
I prefer gingelly oil, but ghee also works very well for flavor.
If you have any more questions about this Karthigai Adai do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Karthigai Adai? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
Vella Adai is a sweet and tasty adai made using rice and lentils especially for Karthigai Deepam. The batter is mixed with jaggery and then cooked like soft utappam. This is usually made during festivals, but many times it is prepared for evening tea time snack also.
Course dinner, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Keyword 30 mins recipes, adai recipes, cardamom powder recipe, coconut recipes, dal recipes, diwali snacks, rice recipes, sweet recipes
Panai Olai Kozhukattai is a special delicious kozhukattai made with rice flour, green gram dal & palm jaggery as main ingredients. Panai Olai Kozhukattai is unique in preparation and very artistic for people who wish to experiment with varieties. This recipe is mostly made during special days and village functions. The flavor is very unique because of the palm leaf smell.
This Kozhukattai tastes mildly sweet with nice earthy flavor from karupatti. The texture is soft with slight bite from moong dal and coconut. It also looks artistic when opened from the leaf. Though it looks little difficult, once you start making it becomes easy.
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About Panai Olai Kozhukattai
Panai olai kozhukattai is steamed sweet dumpling commonly made in South Tamil Nadu areas. It is cooked inside palm leaves which gives special flavor to the kozhukattai. The mix of rice flour and palm jaggery makes it naturally sweet and filling. It is mostly made during village festivals.
The texture of this recipe is soft and slightly chewy when hot. The filling is mixed into the dough itself so every bite has taste. Palm jaggery gives deep sweetness which is not sharp. Cardamom adds mild aroma and balances the flavor nicely. It reminds me of village style cooking.
This kozhukattai recipe can be made without palm leaf also, but the taste will change. Palm leaf gives light smoky smell when steamed. You can adjust sweetness or coconut based on your liking. Still palm leaf version tastes best. The smell while steaming itself feels very traditional.
I usually make this when fresh palm leaves are available. It takes some time but the final taste is really worth it. I usually make this when I feel like trying something traditional at home.
I saw this Panai olai kozhukattai recipe in an old magazine last year but it was only after Karthigai Deepam but made a quick note of it. I tried this kozhukattai this year and the kozhukattais were just too good to resist.
Last month I was casually mentioning about this Kozhukatai to hubby and asked if he can buy me the panai olai and then forgot about it. One fine day he brought me few palm leaves, yayyy I tried these kozhukattais the very next day itself as I always have palm jaggery in stock. These kozhukattais tasted so good with the flavour of palm leaf and palm jaggery that I loved it so much.
Panai Olai Kozhukattai Ingredients
Rice flour - Added this as the base for this kozhukattai. It gives softness and helps to hold the shape well. Use fresh good quality flour for better taste.
Palm jaggery - I added this for sweetness and deep flavor. It gives that earthy taste. Try not to replace it with sugar.
Green moong dal - I have dry roasted and ground this coarsely. It gives slight bite and nice texture.
Grated coconut - I have added coconut for moisture and taste. It balances the jaggery well. Fresh coconut gives better flavor.
Cardamom powder - I have used this for aroma. It reduces strong jaggery smell. Add according to your taste.
Why This Recipe Works
It is made using simple traditional ingredients only.
1.First crush palm jaggery, I used my hand mortar and pestle. Measure and transfer crushed palm jaggery to a pan.
2.Add water till immersing level. Crush it well using a potato masher.
3.Heat it up and cook for few minutes until the jaggery melts completely. Strain to remove impurities. Cool down for later use.
4.Wash the palm leaves, cut the center portion about 4 to 5 inches long and set aside. Dry roast green gram dal till slightly browned. Cool down for few minutes.
5.Transfer to a mixer and grind to a coarse mixture.Now in a bowl add rice flour,green gram mixture,grated coconut and cardamom powder.
6.Mix it well, I transferrred it to a wider bowl. Then add palm jaggery syrup little by little
7.Keep mixing and the syrup fully, mix well.If it is still dry, sprinkle little water to form a dough like this, not too dry and not too goey.
8.Gather it together to form a dough. Open the palm leaf, grease it with oil, now stuff it with the dough lengthwise.
9.Tie it with a thread, I used palm leaf threads itself. Finish all the dough like this.Now arrange it in a steamer pot, I used my idli steamer.
10.As a final step steam it for atleast 15-20 minutes. Open and carefully remove the kozhukattais from the palm leaf.
Serve hot !
Expert Tips
Palm jaggery syrup - I always strain the syrup after melting. Do not skip this or small dirt may be there.
Dough consistency - I keep the dough soft and slightly moist. If it feels dry, sprinkle little water and mix.
Palm leaf handling - I wash the leaves well and wipe it clean. Greasing helps while opening later.
Filling amount - I just do not overfill the leaf. Too much dough will make tying difficult.
Steaming - I steam till cooked well and nice smell comes. Under steaming will make inside raw.
Serving and Storage
Serve them hot directly after steaming, it tastes best that way. This goes well as snack or festive sweet. Eat it fresh for good flavor. If storing, keep in fridge and reheat by steaming again. Do not store for long time as palm leaf smell fades.
FAQS
1.Can I make this without palm leaf?
Yes you can make normal kozhukattai, but flavor will be different.
2.Is palm jaggery compulsory?
Yes it gives the main taste. Do not skip karupatti here.
3.Why my kozhukattai became hard?
Mostly dough was dry or over steamed.
4.Can I use store bought rice flour?
Yes you can, but homemade gives better texture.
5.Is this good for kids?
Yes you can give to your kids, you can also some nuts to it.
If you have any more questions about this Panai Olai Kozhukattai Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Panai Olai Kozhukattai Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
Panai Olai Kozhukattai is a special delicious kozhukattai made with rice flour, green gram dal & palm jaggery as main ingredients. Panai Olai Kozhukattai is unique in preparation and very artistic for people who wish to experiment with varieties. This recipe is mostly made during special days and village functions. The flavor is very unique because of the palm leaf smell.
Course Snack
Cuisine Indian
Keyword easy kozhukattai recipe, how to make kozhukattai, kozhukattai recipe, kozhukattai recipes, recipes
First crush palm jaggery, I used my hand mortar and pestle. Measure and transfer crushed palm jaggery to a pan.
Add water till immersing level. Crush it well using a potato masher.
Heat it up and cook for few minutes until the jaggery melts completely. Strain to remove impurities. Cool down for later use.
Wash the palm leaves, cut the center portion about 4 to 5 inches long and set aside.Dry roast green gram dal till slightly browned. Cool down for few minutes.
Transfer to a mixer and grind to a coarse mixture.Now in a bowl add rice flour,green gram mixture,grated coconut and cardamom powder.
Mix it well, I transferrred it to a wider bowl.Then add palm jaggery syrup little by little.
Keep mixing and the syrup fully, mix well.If it is still dry, sprinkle little water to form a dough like this, not too dry and not too goey.
Gather it together to form a dough.Open the palm leaf,grease it with oil,now stuff it with the dough lengthwise.
Tie it with a thread, I used palm leaf threads itself.Finish all the dough like this.Now arrange it in a steamer pot, I used my idli steamer.
As a final step steam it for at least 15-20 minutes .Open and carefully remove the kozhukattais from the palm leaf.
Serve Pani Olai Kozhukattai hot!
Notes
Palm jaggery syrup - I always strain the syrup after melting. Do not skip this or small dirt may be there.
Dough consistency - I keep the dough soft and slightly moist. If it feels dry, sprinkle little water and mix.
Palm leaf handling - I wash the leaves well and wipe it clean. Greasing helps while opening later.
Filling amount - I just do not overfill the leaf. Too much dough will make tying difficult.
Steaming - I steam till cooked well and nice smell comes. Under steaming will make inside raw.
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The global e‑commerce market is accelerating faster than ever before, driven by expanding online retail, and rising consumer adoption worldwide. According to McKinsey Global Institute, global e‑commerce is projected to grow by 7–9% annually through 2040.
At Kaspersky, we track how this surge in online shopping activity is mirrored by cyber threats. In 2025, we observed attacks which targeted not only e‑commerce platform users but online shoppers in general, including those using digital marketplaces, payment services and apps for everyday purchases. This year, we additionally analyzed how cybercriminals exploited gaming platforms during Black Friday, as the gaming industry has become an integral part of the global sales calendar. Threat actors have been ramping up their efforts during peak sales events like Black Friday, exploiting high demand and reduced user vigilance to steal personal data, funds, or spread malware.
This report continues our annual series of analyses published on Securelist in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, which examine the evolving landscape of shopping‑related cyber threats.
Methodology
To track how the shopping threat landscape continues to evolve, we conduct an annual assessment of the most common malicious techniques, which span financial malware, phishing pages that mimic major retailers, banks, and payment services, as well as spam campaigns that funnel users toward fraudulent sites. In 2025, we also placed a dedicated focus on gaming-related threats, analyzing how cybercriminals leverage players’ interest. The threat data we rely on is sourced from the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), which processes anonymized cybersecurity data shared consensually by Kaspersky users. This report draws on data collected from January through October 2025.
Key findings
In the first ten months of 2025, Kaspersky identified nearly 6.4 million phishing attacks which targeted users of online stores, payment systems, and banks.
As many as 48.2% of these attacks were directed at online shoppers.
We blocked more than 146,000 Black Friday-themed spam messages in the first two weeks of November.
Kaspersky detected more than 2 million phishing attacks related to online gaming.
Around 1.09 million banking-trojan attacks were recorded during the 2025 Black Friday season.
The number of attempted attacks on gaming platforms surged in 2025, reaching more than 20 million, a significant increase compared to previous years.
More than 18 million attempted malicious attacks were disguised as Discord in 2025, a more than 14-time increase year-over-year, while Steam remained within its usual five-year fluctuation range.
Shopping fraud and phishing
Phishing and scams remain among the most common threats for online shoppers, particularly during high-traffic retail periods when users are more likely to act quickly and rely on familiar brand cues. Cybercriminals frequently recreate the appearance of legitimate stores, payment pages, and banking services, making their fraudulent sites and emails difficult to distinguish from real ones. With customers navigating multiple offers and payment options, they may overlook URL or sender details, increasing the likelihood of credential theft and financial losses.
From January through to October 2025, Kaspersky products successfully blocked 6,394,854 attempts to access phishing links which targeted users of online stores, payment systems, and banks. Breaking down these attempts, 48.21% had targeted online shoppers (for comparison, this segment accounted for 37.5% in 2024), 26.10% targeted banking users (compared to 44.41% in 2024), and 25.69% mimicked payment systems (18.09% last year). Compared to previous years, there has been a noticeable shift in focus, with attacks against online store users now representing a larger share, reflecting cybercriminals’ continued emphasis on exploiting high-demand retail periods, while attacks on banking users have decreased in relative proportion. This may be related to online banking protection hardening worldwide.
Financial phishing attacks by category, January–October 2025 (download)
In 2025, Kaspersky products detected and blocked 606,369 phishing attempts involving the misuse of Amazon’s brand. Cybercriminals continued to rely on Amazon-themed pages to deceive users and obtain personal or financial information.
Other major e-commerce brands were also impersonated. Attempts to visit phishing pages mimicking Alibaba brands, such as AliExpress, were detected 54,500 times, while eBay-themed pages appeared in 38,383 alerts. The Latin American marketplace Mercado Libre was used as a lure in 8,039 cases, and Walmart-related phishing pages were detected 8,156 times.
Popular online stores mimicked by scammers, January–October 2025 (download)
In 2025, phishing campaigns also extensively mimicked other online platforms. Netflix-themed pages were detected 801,148 times, while Spotify-related attempts reached 576,873. This pattern likely reflects attackers’ continued focus on high-traffic digital entertainment services with in-service payments enabled, which can be monetized via stolen accounts.
How scammers exploited shopping hype in 2025
In 2025, Black Friday-related scams continued to circulate across multiple channels, with fraudulent email campaigns remaining one of the key distribution methods. As retailers increase their seasonal outreach, cybercriminals take advantage of the high volume of promotional communications by sending look-alike messages that direct users to scam and phishing pages. In the first two weeks of November, 146,535 spam messages connected to seasonal sales were detected by Kaspersky, including 2,572 messages referencing Singles day sales.
Scammers frequently attempt to mimic well-known platforms to increase the credibility of their messages. In one of the recurring campaigns, a pattern seen year after year, cybercriminals replicated Amazon’s branding and visual style, promoting supposedly exclusive early-access discounts of up to 70%. In this particular case, the attackers made almost no changes to the text used in their 2024 campaign, again prompting users to follow a link leading to a fraudulent page. Such pages are usually designed to steal their personal or payment information or to trick the user into buying non-existent goods.
Beyond the general excitement around seasonal discounts, scammers also try to exploit consumers’ interest in newly released Apple devices. To attract attention, they use the same images of the latest gadgets across various mailing campaigns, just changing the names of legitimate retailers that allegedly sell the brand.
Scammers use an identical image across different campaigns, only changing the retailer’s branding
As subscription-based streaming platforms also take part in global sales periods, cybercriminals attempt to take advantage of this interest as well. For example, we observed a phishing website where scammers promoted an offer for a “12-month subscription bundle” covering several popular services at once, asking users to enter their bank card details. To enhance credibility, the scammers also include fabricated indicators of numerous successful purchases from other “users,” making the offer appear legitimate.
In addition to imitating globally recognized platforms, scammers also set up fake pages that pretend to be local services in specific countries. This tactic enables more targeted campaigns that blend into the local online landscape, increasing the chances that users will perceive the fraudulent pages as legitimate and engage with them.
Non-existent Norwegian online store and popular Labubu toys sale
Banking Trojans
Banking Trojans, or “bankers,” are another tool for cybercriminals exploiting busy shopping seasons like Black Friday in 2025. They are designed to steal sensitive data from online banking and payment systems. In this section, we’ll focus on PC bankers. Once on a victim’s device, they monitor the browser and, when the user visits a targeted site, can use techniques like web injection or form-grabbing to capture login credentials, credit card information, and other personal data. Some trojans also watch the clipboard for crypto wallet addresses and replace them with those controlled by the malicious actors.
As online shopping peaks during major sales events, attackers increasingly target e-commerce platforms alongside banks. Trojans may inject fake forms into legitimate websites, tricking users into revealing sensitive data during checkout and increasing the risk of identity theft and financial fraud. In 2025, Kaspersky detected over 1,088,293* banking Trojan attacks. Among notable banker-related cases analysed by Kaspersky throughout the year, campaigns involving the new Maverick banking Trojan distributed via WhatsApp, as well as the Efimer Trojan which spread through malicious emails and compromised WordPress sites can be mentioned, both illustrating how diverse and adaptive banking Trojan delivery methods are.
*These statistics include globally active banking malware, and malware for ATMs and point-of-sale (PoS) systems. We excluded data on Trojan-banker families that no longer use banking Trojan functionality in their attacks, such as Emotet.
A holiday sales season on the dark web
Apparently, even the criminal underground follows its own version of a holiday sales season. Once data is stolen, it often ends up on dark-web forums, where cybercriminals actively search for buyers. This pattern is far from new, and the range of offers has remained largely unchanged over the past two years.
Threat actors consistently seize the opportunity to attract “new customers,” advertising deep discounts tied to high-profile global sales events. It is worth noting that year after year we see the same established services announce their upcoming promotions in the lead-up to Black Friday, almost as if operating on a retail calendar of their own.
We also noted that dark web forum participants themselves eagerly await these seasonal markdowns, hoping to obtain databases at the most favorable rates and expressing their wishes in forum posts. In the months before Black Friday, posts began appearing on carding-themed forums advertising stolen payment-card data at promotional prices.
Threats targeting gaming
The gaming industry faces a high concentration of scams and other cyberthreats due to its vast global audience and constant demand for digital goods, updates, and in-game advantages. Players often engage quickly with new offers, making them more susceptible to deceptive links or malicious files. At the same time, the fact that gamers often download games, mods, skins etc. from third-party marketplaces, community platforms, and unofficial sources creates additional entry points for attackers.
The number of attempted attacks on platforms beloved by gamers increased dramatically in 2025, reaching 20,188,897 cases, a sharp rise compared to previous years.
Attempts to attack users through malicious or unwanted files disguised as popular gaming platforms (download)
The nearly sevenfold increase in 2025 is most likely linked to the Discord block by some countries introduced at the end of 2024. Eventually users rely on alternative tools, proxies and modified clients. This change significantly expanded the attack surface, making users more vulnerable to fake installers, and malicious updates disguised as workarounds for the restriction.
It can also be seen in the top five most targeted gaming platforms of 2025:
Platform
The number of attempted attacks
Discord
18,556,566
Steam
1,547,110
Xbox
43,560
Uplay
28,366
Battle.net
5,538
In previous years, Steam consistently ranked as the platform with the highest number of attempted attacks. Its extensive game library, active modding ecosystem, and long-standing role in the gaming community made it a prime target for cybercriminals distributing malicious files disguised as mods, cheats, or cracked versions. In 2025, however, the landscape changed significantly. The gap between Steam and Discord expanded to an unprecedented degree as Steam-related figures remained within their typical fluctuation range of the past five years, while the number of attempted Discord-disguised attacks surged more than 14 times compared to 2024, reshaping the hierarchy of targeted gaming platforms.
Attempts to attack users through malicious or unwanted files disguised as Steam and Discord throughout the reported period (download)
From January to October, 2025, cybercriminals used a variety of cyberthreats disguised as popular related to gamers platforms, modifications or circumvention options. RiskTool dominated the threat landscape with 17,845,099 detections, far more than any other category. Although not inherently malicious, these tools can hide files, mask processes, or disable programs, making them useful for stealthy, persistent abuse, including covert crypto-mining. Downloaders ranked second with 1,318,743 detections. These appear harmless but may fetch additional malware among other downloaded files. Downloaders are typically installed when users download unofficial patches, cracked clients, or mods. Trojans followed with 384,680 detections, often disguised as cheats or mod installers. Once executed, they can steal credentials, intercept tokens, or enable remote access, leading to account takeovers and the loss of in-game assets.
Threat
Gaming-related detections
RiskTool
17,845,099
Downloader
1,318,743
Trojan
384,680
Adware
184,257
Exploit
152,354
Phishing and scam threats targeting gamers
In addition to tracking malicious and unwanted files disguised as gamers’ platforms, Kaspersky experts also analysed phishing pages which impersonated these services. Between January and October 2025, Kaspersky products detected 2,054,336 phishing attempts targeting users through fake login pages, giveaway offers, “discounted” subscriptions and other scams which impersonated popular platforms like Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and gaming stores.
Example of Black Friday scam using a popular shooter as a lure
The page shown in the screenshot is a typical Black Friday-themed scam that targets gamers, designed to imitate an official Valorant promotion. The “Valorant Points up to 80% off” banner, polished layout, and fake countdown timer create urgency and make the offer appear credible at first glance. Users who proceed are redirected to a fake login form requesting Riot account credentials or bank card details. Once submitted, this information enables attackers to take over accounts, steal in-game assets, or carry out fraudulent transactions.
Minor text errors reveal the page’s fraudulent nature. The phrase “You should not have a size limit of 5$ dollars in your account” is grammatically incorrect and clearly suspicious.
Another phishing page relies on a fabricated “Winter Gift Marathon” that claims to offer a free $20 Steam gift card. The seasonal framing, combined with a misleading counter (“251,110 of 300,000 cards received”), creates an artificial sense of legitimacy and urgency intended to prompt quick user interaction.
The central component of the scheme is the “Sign in” button, which redirects users to a spoofed Steam login form designed to collect their credentials. Once obtained, attackers can gain full access to the account, including payment methods, inventory items, and marketplace assets, and may be able to compromise additional services if the same password is used elsewhere.
Examples of scams on Playstation 5 Pro and Xbox series X
Scams themed around the PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X appear to be generated from a phishing kit, a reusable template that scammers adapt for different brands. Despite referencing two consoles, both pages follow the same structure which features a bold claim offering a chance to “win” a high-value device, a large product image on the left, and a minimalistic form on the right requesting the user’s email address.
A yellow banner promotes an “exclusive offer” with “limited availability,” pressuring users to respond quickly. After submitting an email, victims are typically redirected to additional personal and payment data-collection forms. They also may later be targeted with follow-up phishing emails, spam, or malicious links.
Conclusions
In 2025, the ongoing expansion of global e-commerce continued to be reflected in the cyberthreat landscape, with phishing, scam activity, and financial malware targeting online shoppers worldwide. Peak sales periods once again created favorable conditions for fraud, resulting in sustained activity involving spoofed retailer pages, fraudulent email campaigns, and seasonal spam.
Threat actors also targeted users of digital entertainment and subscription services. The gaming sector experienced a marked increase in malicious activity, driven by shifts in platform accessibility and the widespread use of third-party tools. The significant rise in malicious detections associated with Discord underscored how rapidly attackers adjust to changes in user behavior.
Overall, 2025 demonstrated that cybercriminals continue to leverage predictable user behavior patterns and major sales events to maximize the impact of their operations. Consumers should remain especially vigilant during peak shopping periods and use stronger security practices, such as two-factor authentication, secure payment methods, and cautious browsing. A comprehensive security solution that blocks malware, detects phishing pages, and protects financial data can further reduce the risk of falling victim to online threats.
In the race to secure cloud infrastructure, intrusion prevention systems (IPS) remain one of the most critical yet complex at the cloud network layer of defense. For many organizations, deploying IPS in the cloud is a balancing act between agility and control.
Karthigai Pori is a simple and traditional sweet snack we mostly make for Karthigai Deepam festival. It is made by mixing nel pori with a light jaggery syrup along with small bits of coconut and some fried gram dal. This snack has a mild sweetness and a nice chewy feel that suits well for festival evenings.
The flavors are not too heavy, so even if you eat a little extra it doesn't feel tiring. Many people love this simple taste and flavor, this homemade version always tastes better. The mix of jaggery and pori gives a soft crunch that feels quite comforting when eaten fresh.
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About Karthigai Pori
Karthigai Pori is a quick sweet which you can make at home with just few simple things. Also puffed rice stays crisp even after mixing it with the jaggery syrup, so it feels very light when you eat it. The jaggery holds the pori together and gives sweetness. The fried gram dal and coconut bits give little crunchy bites in between.
This dish is usually made for Karthigai festival in many South Indian homes. It does not have a strong flavor but has a warm, homely taste that comes only from jaggery and fresh coconut. Many people make two versions of this, one with pori left loose and another shaped into small balls. Both taste almost same, just the texture changes little.
You also get different pori varieties in stores, but for this dish nel pori gives a better taste and holds the syrup properly. Some even add peanuts, dry ginger or little more cardamom for extra smell. The recipe stays simple and easy to adjust depending on what you like, and it still comes out good.
I usually make this in small batches at home because it stays fresh for a few days and is easy to snack in evenings. Kids also like it since the sweetness is not overpowering.
Nel pori - I used fresh nel pori because it gives a nice light crunch and holds the jaggery syrup well.
Jaggery - I used jaggery for making the syrup, it gives a soft sweetness and nice color. You can use the lighter jaggery also if you want a pale shade.
Water - I have used a small amount of water only to dissolve the jaggery. Adding more water will make it take long time to thicken.
Cardamom powder - I added this for a mild sweet smell which suits very well with pori. You can skip it if you don't like it.
Dry ginger powder - I use a tiny pinch as it gives a warm taste and balances the sweetness. You can avoid if you don't like it.
Fried gram dal - I have added fried gram for extra crunch here and there. You can add peanuts if you want more bite.
Coconut - I used chopped coconut bits and fried them lightly for a nice aroma. You can add fresh coconut also but it will not stay fresh for long.
Ghee - I fried the coconut bits in little ghee for flavor. You can use coconut oil also but ghee gives better smell.
How to make Karthigai Pori Step by Step
1.Remove the nel skin (the husk) from the pori and make it ready
2.Fry coconut bits in ghee till golden, add this and fried gram dal to nel pori. Mix well and Set aside for later use.
3.Measure jaggery and add it in a pan, add water and dissolve it well.
4.Heat it up for 2 minutes just for the jaggery to get dissolved. Strain to remove impurities.
5.Heat it up again and keep cooking, add elachi powder. Consistency check : Keep a separate plate ready filled with little water. Take a drop of jaggery syrup and put it in water, it should stand firm and not dissolve as shown below. This is enough no need to check rolling and all.
6.When this consistency is reached, add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, pori and switch off. Mix well so that the syrup coats the pori evenly. Let the mixture cool down then later spread in a plate.
Store in airtight container and enjoy! In summary this karthigai is easy to make and tastes so delicious hence you can make as snack anytime.
Expert Tips
Jaggery consistency - I usually check the syrup by dropping a little in water, it should stay firm. This level is enough for coating the pori well.
Do not add extra water - I have seen that adding more water makes the syrup take long time to thicken, so keep it minimal.
Mix quickly - I usually add the pori as soon as the syrup reaches the right stage because it coats better when still hot.
Use a wide pan - I have used a wide pan as it makes mixing easier and the pori does not break.
Coconut freshness - I usually fry the coconut bits well so that they stay fresh longer and do not release moisture later.
Serving and Storage
Serve this as a snack or even as a small sweet after your meal. It goes well with tea also if you like something mild and sweet in the evening time.
Store leftovers in a airtight box after it cools down fully. It stays good for almost three to four days in room temperature.
FAQS
1.Can I make this with regular pori?
You can use regular pori, but nel pori gives better crunch and flavor for this dish.
2.Can I skip coconut bits?
Yes, you can skip it or replace with peanuts if you want more crunch.
3.My pori turned soft, what went wrong?
The syrup might have cooked too long or the pori was not fresh. Using fresh pori always gives better result.
4.Can I shape them into balls?
Yes, but the syrup needs to reach little stronger stage. Follow the same recipe and shape while it is still warm.
5.How long does it stay good?
It stays good for few days in airtight container, but finish early if you used fresh coconut.
If you have any more questions on making of this Karthigai Pori do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Karthigai Pori? Do let me know how you liked it.Tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
Karthigai Pori is a simple and traditional sweet snack we mostly make for Karthigai Deepam festival. It is made by mixing nel pori with a light jaggery syrup along with small bits of coconut and some fried gram dal. This snack has a mild sweetness and a nice chewy feel that suits well for festival evenings.
Remove the nel skin (the husk) from the pori and make it ready.
Fry coconut bits in ghee till golden, add this and fried gram dal to nel pori. Mix well and set aside.
Measure jaggery and add it in a pan, add water and dissolve it well.
Heat it up for 2mins just for the jaggery to get dissolved. Strain to remove impurities.
Heat it up again and keep cooking, add cardamom powder.
Consistency check : Keep a separate plate ready filled with little water. Take a drop of jaggery syrup and put it in water, it should stand firm and not dissolve. This is enough no need to check rolling and all.
When this consistency is reached, add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, pori and switch off. Mix well so that the syrup coats the pori evenly. Let the mixture cool down then later spread in a plate.
Store Karthigai Pori in airtight container and enjoy!
Notes
Nel pori - I used fresh nel pori because it gives a nice light crunch and holds the jaggery syrup well.
Jaggery - I used jaggery for making the syrup, it gives a soft sweetness and nice color. You can use the lighter jaggery also if you want a pale shade.
Water - I have used a small amount of water only to dissolve the jaggery. Adding more water will make it take long time to thicken.
Cardamom powder - I added this for a mild sweet smell which suits very well with pori. You can skip it if you don't like it.
Dry ginger powder - I use a tiny pinch as it gives a warm taste and balances the sweetness. You can avoid if you don't like it.
Fried gram dal - I have added fried gram for extra crunch here and there. You can add peanuts if you want more bite.
Coconut - I used chopped coconut bits and fried them lightly for a nice aroma. You can add fresh coconut also but it will not stay fresh for long.
Ghee - I fried the coconut bits in little ghee for flavor. You can use coconut oil also but ghee gives better smell.
Sorghum Dosa is a light and healthy dosa made using sorghum, rice and urad dal. It comes soft in middle and little crisp at edges, making it so good to have for breakfast or even dinner. The flavor is mild, earthy and comforting with that small nutty taste from sorghum.
You can make this dosa as it fills the tummy but still feels light. Sorghum, also called cholam, is rich in fiber and iron, and it keeps you full for long time. It's one nice way to include millets in daily food without feeling too plain or healthy. You can even use the same batter for idli also, which makes it more helpful.
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About Sorghum Dosa
Sorghum Dosa or Chola Dosa is a South Indian style dosa made with sorghum, rice and urad dal. The ingredients are soaked, ground smooth then left to ferment overnight. After fermentation, the batter becomes soft and bit airy which helps dosa to turn light and slightly crisp.
This dosa tastes little different from regular dosa but has nice earthy flavor that goes so well with chutney and sambar. When cooked well, the dosa turns golden at edges and stays soft in center. I feel the taste of this dosa is mild and homely.
There are few variations also. You can also use cholam flour for quick version but I like to soak and grind whole grain, it gives better texture and that fresh aroma after cooking. You can even mix other millets like varagu or thinai along with cholam for a change in taste and flavor.
Sorghum is also known as Jowar in Hindi, we call it Cholam in Tamil, It is also called as white millet. This is a good source of dietary fiber, it is gluten-free, high in protein, cholesterol free millet. I usually make this on weekends or when I feel to eat something simple and healthy. It takes some soaking time but very less effort otherwise.
Sorghum Dosa Ingredients
Sorghum (Cholam) - I used whole cholam grain here. It gives earthy taste and soft texture after fermentation. You can use sorghum flour also but dosa will come little dense.
Idli Rice - I add idli rice along with sorghum to get that light crispness and proper spreading texture. It balances the dosa taste well.
Urad Dal - I used whole urad dal as it gives soft texture and good fermentation. You can use split dal too but whole gives better result.
Fenugreek Seeds - I add few methi seeds while soaking. It helps in fermentation and gives light flavor and nice color to dosa.
Oil - I used few drops of oil while making dosa. It makes dosa golden and helps in easy lifting. You can use gingelly oil for more flavor.
1.Measure all the ingredients and soak it in a wide bowl with enough water till immersing level. Soak this for at least 3-4 hours.
2.Rinse it well, mittu is helping me with this, then wash it well at least twice. Then grind it to a thickish batter with little water. The batter consistency should be neither thick nor thin. I grinded it in my wet grinder, you can do it mixer too but grinder is recommended.
3.Add required salt, mix it and keep it undisturbed for it to ferment. Leave it in warm place for at least 8 hours, I left it overnight. See the fermented batter the next day, it has raised well.
4.You can see the tetxure, mix it once then add water to make the batter thin.
5.Adjust and add water till it is in pour-able and spreadable consistency. Heat a dosa tawa, if you sprinkle water it should give shh sound then the tawa is hot, now add 2 small ladle full of batter and spread it in concentric circles. Drizzle oil over the sides and in the middle.
6.Cook till it becomes golden in the center and the edges starts lifting up, flip to other side and cook for 2 minutes turn again flip over and fold it. Remove from tawa and Serve.
Serve hot with chutney and sambar.
Expert Tips
Soaking- I soak everything for 3 to 4 hours as it helps in smooth grinding and soft dosa.
Fermentation - Batter needs at least 8 hours of resting. Keep it in warm place, in cold weather it may take little longer.
Consistency - The consistency should be slightly thick while grinding. Later you can add water to get pouring consistency.
Tawa Heat - Make sure tawa is hot before spreading batter. When you sprinkle water, it should make small sizzling sound.
Oil - I drizzle little oil on the sides while cooking. It makes dosa crisp and adds nice flavor too.
Serving and Storage
Serve this hot with coconut chutney or sambar. I drizzle small spoon of ghee or gingelly oil on top, it gives nice flavor and little shine too. This dosa tastes best when served hot and hot. If you have leftover batter, keep it in fridge, it stays good for two days.
FAQS
1.Can I make with ready made flour?
Yes, you can use the flour, but dosa will not be as soft as made with whole grains.
2.Can I skip rice?
You can, but dosa may turn bit thick and not spread easily. Rice helps with softness and texture.
3.Why my batter did not ferment well?
Maybe weather was cold. Keep it near stove or warm area for few more hours.
4.Can I make idli with same batter?
Yes, just keep batter thick and you can make soft idlis also.
5.How long can I store the batter?
You can keep in fridge up to 2 days. Mix well before making dosa again.
If you have any more questions about this Sorghum Dosa do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Sorghum Dosa? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
Sorghum Dosa is a light and healthy dosa made using sorghum, rice and urad dal. It comes soft in middle and little crisp at edges, making it so good to have for breakfast or even dinner. The flavor is mild, earthy and comforting with that small nutty taste from sorghum.
Measure all the ingredients and soak it in a wide bowl with enough water till immersing level. Soak this for at least 3-4 hours.
Rinse it well, then wash it well at least twice.
Then grind it to a thickish batter with little water. The batter consistency should be neither thick nor thin. I grinded it in my wet grinder, you can do it mixie too but grinder is recommended.
Add required salt, mix it and keep it undisturbed for it to ferment.
Leave it in warm place for at least 8 hours, I left it overnight. See the fermented batter the next day, it has raised well.
You can see the texture, mix it once then add water to make the batter thin.
Adjust and add water till it is in pour-able and spreadable consistency.
Heat a dosa tawa, if you sprinkle water it should give shh sound then the tawa is hot, now add 2 small ladle full of batter and spread it in concentric circles. Drizzle oil over the sides and in the middle.
Cook till it becomes golden in the center and the edges starts lifting up, flip to other side and cook for 2 minutes turn again flip over and fold it. Remove from tawa and serve.
Serve Chola Dosa hot with chutney and sambar.
Notes
Soaking- I soak everything for 3 to 4 hours as it helps in smooth grinding and soft dosa.
Fermentation - Batter needs at least 8 hours of resting. Keep it in warm place, in cold weather it may take little longer.
Consistency - The consistency should be slightly thick while grinding. Later you can add water to get pouring consistency.
Tawa Heat - Make sure tawa is hot before spreading batter. When you sprinkle water, it should make small sizzling sound.
Oil - I drizzle little oil on the sides while cooking. It makes dosa crisp and adds nice flavor too.
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