Organisations and Clients in the retail sector are increasingly popular targets for malware attacks, due to valuable data such as payment details being easily accessible.
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However, with its popularity in the industry, the WhatsApp is expected to become a major concern for traders looking to stay safe, according to a report by Netskope Threat Labs.
According to the report, IoT botnets, remote access tools and infostealers were the main malware attacks used by hackers in their campaigns against retail targets.
Unexpected results
The most popular family was the botnet Mirai, as reported, as this malware was detected on countless Devices Linux-powered networking (think routers, cameras, etc.) at retail. In addition, Mirai's source code was recently leaked, resulting in a plethora of new variants appearing. All of these are considered a significant risk to the retail sector.
Netskope also warned about WhatsApp. This communication app is hugely popular in the retail industry - three times more than other industries (14% vs 5.8%), both in terms of average usage and downloads. However, WhatsApp was not listed among the current top apps for malware downloads.
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Researchers believe this is likely to change as hackers realize the app's popularity in retail and the significant attack vector it can provide for malware propagation.
Social applications such as X (12%), the Facebook (10%) and the Instagram (1,5%) for posts) were more popular in the retail sector compared to other sectors.
For the Paolo Passeri, Cyber-Information Specialist at Netskope, the findings were "surprising". "Mirai is not a particularly recent threat, and since its discovery in 2016, there are now multiple variants in use today. The fact that attackers continue to use it to attack IoT devices shows that many organizations continue to dangerously overlook the security of their devices connected to the internet.“
Netskope created its report using anonymised data from around 2.500 customers of the retail sector who agreed to participate in the investigation.
See also: Payment apps are at risk of Malware attacks!
What are the modern methods of malware protection?
One of the most effective ways to protect against malware attacks, such as those affecting retailers, is to use a reliable antimalware software. These programs regularly scan the Computer to detect and remove any offensive software. Updating your operating system and applications is also critical. Using a password manager can help protect your personal information. Training in Security of information is also vital. Understanding the ways in which malware can enter your system, such as through phishing emails or malicious websites, can help you avoid attacks. Finally, using a VPN network can protect your communication from being monitored and abused by malicious users.
Source: techradar
