Although lazy... cyber criminals succeed!
Email remains a major vehicle for cybercriminals to attack, who are also experimenting with new methods of attacking mobile devices and social networks, aiming to reach more people with less effort, as reported in Symantec's recent Internet Security Threat Report.
“ Cyber criminals arebasically lazy. They prefer automated tools and the input of clumsy consumers,” comments Mr. Christos Ventouris, information security specialist for Southeast Europe for Symantec. “Last year, 70% of fraud incidents carried out on social networks were manually routed, as attackers exploited users’ willingness to trust content shared by their friends.”
While social media scams provide cybercriminals with easy money, some are turning to more lucrative and aggressive attack methods, such as ransomware, which saw a 113% increase in the past year. Specifically, there were 45 times more victims of crypto-ransomware attacks than in 2013. Instead of pretending to be law enforcement officers, imposing fines for stolen content, as was done in the past with traditional ransomware, attackers have changed their attack style, keeping the victim’s files, photos, and other digital content in their possession, no longer covering up their intentions.
And as cybercriminal attackers persist and evolve, there are some tips that can help end users best protect themselves. Initially, Symantec recommends the following:
-Use strong passwords.
Using strong and unique passwords for your accounts and devices and changing them regularly - ideally every three months - is the most effective solution. Never use the same password for multiple accounts.
–Be careful on social media.
Don't click on links in unknown and unexpected emails or social media messages, especially if they come from unknown sources. Scammers know that users are more likely to click on links that come from friends, so they compromise these accounts to send malicious links to the account owner's contacts.
–Be aware of what you share.
When you install a network device, such as a home router, or download a new app, browse and find out what data it is accessing. Disable remote access when it is not necessary.
Source: defencenet.gr
