Ignorance is the biggest challenge for digital security

Although people know that viruses exist, they are unaware of popular cyber scams and even more so at this time when they are increasing.

“There is nothing on my cell phone that is of value to a cybercriminal”. This feeling is more common than Kaspersky experts imagined and has generated a lot of concern. To refute this risky behavior, the company’s professionals analyzed and listed routine moments that can expose people to online scams. The initiative is part of an awareness campaign by the global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997, to highlight the importance of digital security, especially at this time when people make purchases and play secret friend, either from your cell phone or from computers.

A company survey shows that when users were asked on the meanings of the terms malware, phishing Y ransomware, 74% of Latin Americans said they know about viruses, but 56% and 77%, respectively, do not know what malicious messages are or what programs they block or they encrypt data and demand a ransom from their victims. For Kaspersky experts, not knowing these risks leaves people more exposed to these types of threats. Also, when asked which of these scams is the most dangerous, around 35% of those surveyed didn’t know what to answer.

“Taking precautions before clicking on links received by email, SMS messages and social networks should be an instinctive behavior for users, just like looking both ways before crossing the street. If the majority of users had a basic digital education, there would not be many of the scams that today exploit people’s ignorance and inattention, since these would not be profitable, “says Fabiano Tricarico, Director of Consumer Affairs for Latin America at Kaspersky.

The biggest example is “whatsapp scam”, In which the victim loses access to their account and their contacts (close friends and family) begin to receive false messages asking to borrow money. The scam is so profitable that even though accounts protected by double factor authentication have become popular, cybercriminals have managed to disable this protection and maintain the scam. “To steal the application account, criminals have used many topics: invitations to VIP parties and even surveys on COVID-19, among others, several of which are still valid despite having been in circulation for several years. This shows how profitable these tactics are for the cybercriminal. The good news is that avoiding these scams is simple: just pay attention to SMS messages, especially those that include the activation code, or emails requesting the deactivation of double authentication, to discover and avoid the attack “, explains the executive.

Besides deception, spoofing is another very common tactic for successful online scams.. Here, the theme options are endless: there are fake SMS messages posing as a popular bank, promotions that seem unmissable, social benefits created to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, the secret friend, among other methods, such as series premieres and movies. “People’s curiosity or interest in certain topics is what works against them, so fashionable topics are always used to disguise fraud.”

The desire not to pay for a product, service, or content online is such that up to 40% of Latin Americans admit having deactivated their security solution on their cell phone one or more times to continue downloading an application. “Is it common to ignore a lifeguard when he says ‘don’t go into the sea when the waves are dangerous’? So why don’t we pay the same attention to warnings in the digital environment? ”Asks Tricarico.

Recommendations to keep your phone protected

Don’t let your data be “fished”. More than half of the attacks of phishing aim to steal bank account credentials. If a message or a web page asks for your password, close it and contact your bank.

Avoid WhatsApp theft. The messaging application is much more than a conversation tool, since it stores personal information, such as the contact information of family and friends. Pay attention every time an SMS is sent and always enable the double authentication option for online services. In addition to WhatsApp, this option also exists on all social networks.

Be careful what seems too good to be true. Criminals take advantage of the uncontrollable interest of the victim to succeed, which often happens with series and movie premieres anticipated by users. Remember that if a movie, game or product has not yet been officially released, it is almost impossible for it to be available on a strange website. To help avoid scams, count on a reliable security solution and trust when it alerts you that something is wrong.

Cybersecurity decalogue for online purchases this season

According to a study by IBM Institute for Business Value from 2021, 87% of consumers surveyed said they will make purchases this season and 43% plan to do so online. In this context, it is particularly important to be “hyper-vigilant”, since cybercriminals are likely to seek opportunities to obtain personal information, disseminate malware and take advantage of the wealth of data that is shared during the busy holiday season.

Here are some tips from IBM for shopping safely online:

• Do not save your information. Never store your credit card information on shopping websites or web browsers, especially those that you don’t use.
• Beware of unexpected package tracking emails. It is common for cybercriminals to use package tracking emails to install malware.
• Do not click on hyperlinks if you are not absolutely sure. Can’t remember ordering something? Log in to your merchant account and check it out directly. Don’t trust your mailbox.
• Please use a different email address for purchases. Have a separate email address from your personal address for shopping or dealing with commerce websites.
• Be wary of coupons or discount codes. If it is an email, please do not click on any links or buttons. Write the codes directly on the merchant’s website to validate them.
• Use unique passwords for each online store. Never reuse the same credentials on multiple websites. You can use a password manager so you don’t have to memorize them.
• Examine the URLs or links of the merchants. Do you see an “L” instead of an “i”? Take a close look at the URLs, and if you’re not sure, don’t click. Reputable brands have simple and clear websites.
• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA). Even if someone has access to your password, using MFA is the last line of defense, adding an additional layer in which the user remains in control.
• Get creative with password recovery answers. Never opt for questions whose answers could be in networks, such as “the name of the street where you grew up.” Instead, select an opinion question, such as “what is your favorite movie of all time.”

When it comes to cybersecurity, it is good to trust your instinct: if something is too good to be true, it is probably not true. Although it is particularly important to be cautious during the season, because there is a notable increase in cyber threats, awareness around cybersecurity should be part of the daily routine, because cybercriminals are looking to capitalize on opportunities to execute attacks all year round.

The best protection is knowing the threats and implementing smart digital habits.