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By now you’ve probably heard of the term “phishing”—when scammers try to fool you into revealing your personal info or sending money, usually via email — but what about “vishing”? Vishing, or voice phishing, is basically the same practice, but done by phone.
There are a few reasons why it’s important for you to know about vishing. First off, voice phishing scams are prevalent and growing. A common example around tax season is the IRS scam, where fraudsters make threatening calls to taxpayers pretending to be IRS agents and demanding money for back taxes. Another popular example is the phony tech support scam, in which a scammer calls you claiming that they represent a security provider.
The scammers might say they’ve noticed a problem with your computer or device and want money to fix the problem, or even request direct access to your machine. They might also ask you to download software to do a “security scan” just so they can get you to install a piece of malware that steals your personal info. They might even try to sell you a worthless computer warranty or offer a phony refund.
These kinds of attacks can be very persuasive because the scammers employ “social engineering” techniques. This involves plays on emotion, urgency, authority, and even sometimes threats. The end result, scammers manipulate their victims into doing something for fraudulent purposes. Because scammers can reach you at any time on your most private device, your smartphone, it can feel more direct and personal.
Vishing scams don’t always require a phone call from a real person. Often, scammers use a generic or targeted recording, claiming to be from your bank or credit union. For instance, they might ask you to enter your bank account number or other personal details, which opens you up to identity theft.
Increasingly, scammers use AI tools in voice cloning attacks. With readily available voice cloning apps, scammers can replicate someone else’s voice with remarkable accuracy. While initially developed for benign purposes such as voice assistants and entertainment, scammers now use voice cloning tools to exploit unsuspecting victims.
The incoming number might even appear to have come from your bank, thanks to a trick called “caller ID spoofing,” which allows scammers to fake the origin of the call. They can do this by using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, which connects calls over the internet instead of traditional phone circuits, allowing them to easily assign incoming phone numbers.
Don’t risk losing your money or valuable personal info to these scams. Here’s how to avoid vishing attacks:
The post How to Avoid Being Phished by Your Phone appeared first on McAfee Blog.
As the name implies, spear phishing attacks are highly targeted scams. They often occur in professional settings, where the scammers go after one “big phish,” such as a ranking employee with access to finances or data. From there, the scammers employ social engineering (aka manipulation) to trick the target into transferring funds to them or giving them access to sensitive company systems. Sometimes, it’s a mix of both.
Some of the most striking examples of spear phishing attacks come from the Shamoon2 attacks seen in Saudi Arabia back in 2016. Successive waves of attacks ultimately infected machines with malware and destroyed systems.
So, how did this specific spear phishing attack work, exactly? Cybercriminals targeted specific organizations in Saudi Arabia with emails that included malicious attachments in them. Then, when victims clicked and opened the attachment, they were infected, valuable company data was taken and systems were quickly wiped.
Spear phishing has been around for quite some time yet remains as effective as ever. Spear phishing’s success is based on familiarity. Usually, cybercriminals pretend to be an organization or individual that you know and include a piece of content—a link, an email attachment, etc.—that they know you’ll want to interact with.
For example, cybercriminals have taken advantage of tragedies in the headlines and used targeted emails claiming to be a charitable organization asking for donations. In the case of Shamoon2, the attackers lured in victims with a tempting email attachment sent from organizations the victims were likely to trust. But instead of giving to their charity of choice, or opening a seemingly harmless workplace attachment, victims then self-infect their systems with malware.
Moreover, we have seen spear phishing attacks take on an entirely new form with the advent of AI deepfakes. Now, instead of reaching out to victims via email, sophisticated scammers create deepfakes that pose as employees on video calls. All in real-time. Such was the case in Hong Kong in February 2024 where a host of deepfakes pressured a company’s finance officer into transferring $25 million to the scammers running the deepfakes.[i]
Moral of the story: spear phishing (and regular phishing) attacks can be tricky. However, fear not, there’s a lot you can do to stay on top of this threat.
For starters:
Spear phishing attacks can be easily deceiving. In fact, cybercriminals have been able to impersonate known, credible charities or an employer’s business partners and customers. So, if you receive an email from an organization asking for donations or a partner asking you to open a file you didn’t request, a good rule of thumb is to go directly to the organization through a communications channel other than email. Go to the company’s site and do more research from there. That way, you can ensure you’re gaining accurate information and can interact with the right people, rather than cyber-attackers.
Always check for legitimacy first. Spear phishing emails rely on you—they want you to click a link, or open an attachment. But before you do anything, you always need to check an email’s content for legitimacy. Hover over a link and see if it’s going to a reliable URL. Or, if you’re unsure about an email’s content or the source it came from, do a quick Google search and look for other instances of this campaign, and what those instances could tell you about the email’s legitimacy.
Fraudsters select their victims carefully in these targeted attacks. They hunt down employees with access to info and funds and then do their research on them. Using public records, data broker sites, “people finder” sites, and info from social media, fraudsters collect intel on their marks. Armed with that, they can pepper their conversations with references that sound more informed, more personal, and thus more convincing. Just because what’s being said feels or sounds somewhat familiar doesn’t always mean it’s coming from a trustworthy source.
With that, employees can reduce the amount of personal info others can find online. Features like McAfee Personal Data Cleanup can help remove personal info from some of the riskiest data broker sites out there. I also keep tabs on those sites if more personal info appears on them later. Additionally, employees can set their social media profiles to private by limiting access to “friends and family only,” which denies fraudsters another avenue of info gathering. Using our Social Privacy Manager can make that even easier. With just a few clicks, it can adjust more than 100 privacy settings across their social media accounts — making them more private as a result.
[i] https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/05/horrifying-deepfake-tricks-employee-giving-away-20-million-20225490/
The post How to Protect Yourself From a Spear Phishing Scam appeared first on McAfee Blog.
As the tax season draws near, the incidence of cybercrime, particularly phishing for W-2s, tends to increase dramatically. Cybercriminals are aware that this is the time of year when many unsuspecting individuals are completing their tax returns, and they design schemes to exploit this vulnerability. This blog raises awareness about this growing problem and offers practical advice for keeping your financial data safe during tax season.
W-2 phishing scams often involve emails that appear to be from the IRS or another official source, requesting personal information. These phishing emails can be highly sophisticated, often mimicking the look and feel of legitimate communications. The goal is to trick the recipient into revealing confidential data, such as social security numbers and financial information, which the perpetrator can then use for fraudulent purposes. The first step in protecting against such scams is understanding how they work and being able to recognize the red flags.
Phishing scams are fundamentally deception tactics—disguised as legitimate correspondence, they aim to trick the recipient into parting with sensitive information. In the case of W-2 phishing scams, the perpetrator often poses as an employer, government agency, or financial institution. The message may request that the recipient update their personal information, verify their identity, or provide their W-2 form. Typically, these emails have a sense of urgency, indicating that failure to comply will result in adverse consequences.
The contents of a phishing email are often compelling and appear to be authentic. They may contain official logos, legal disclaimers, and even legitimate contact details. However, closer examination often reveals telltale signs of phishing. For example, the email address of the sender may not match the organization they claim to represent, or the message may contain poor grammar and spelling. Additionally, phishing emails often require the recipient to click a link or open an attachment—actions that could potentially install malware on the victim’s device or redirect them to a fraudulent website.
McAfee Pro Tip: Nowadays, those sneaky social engineering tricks look a lot like legit messages from well-known folks. They’re super well-crafted, with proper grammar, and seamlessly fit into everyday situations. But don’t be fooled by their slick appearance – underneath it all, they’re still after your sensitive info. Keep your personal stuff safe and sound with McAfee+ to dodge the headaches that come with social engineering.
Recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of reported W-2 phishing scams. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), thousands of these scams occur every tax season, leading to substantial financial losses and ID theft. Not only does this affect individuals, but businesses too. In fact, some companies have reported instances where their entire workforce was targeted, resulting in massive data breaches.
The impact of falling for a W-2 phishing scam can be devastating. Once cybercriminals have gained access to your financial data, they can use it in a variety of malicious ways. This may include filing fraudulent tax returns, opening new credit accounts, or even selling the information on the black market. The recovery process from such scams can be lengthy and stressful, as victims have to prove their identity to the IRS, their bank, and credit reporting agencies. Additionally, they need to monitor their financial activity closely for signs of any further unauthorized transactions or fraudulent activities.
→ Dig Deeper: Watch Out For IRS Scams and Avoid Identity Theft
Given the prevalence and potential impact of W-2 phishing scams, it’s crucial to take steps to protect yourself. One of the most effective strategies is to improve your digital literacy, namely your ability to identify and respond appropriately to phishing attempts. This includes being skeptical of unsolicited emails, especially those that ask for personal or financial information. Always verify the sender’s identity before responding or clicking any links. Remember, legitimate organizations rarely request sensitive information via email.
Another important safeguard is to ensure your computer and mobile devices are protected with up-to-date security software. This can help identify and block potential phishing emails and malicious links. Further, regularly backing up data can help mitigate the potential damage caused by a successful breach. Consider using a secure cloud service or an external storage device for this purpose.
Next is to file your tax returns as early as possible. By doing so, you can beat the scammers who might make an attempt to file a fraudulent tax return in your name. Additionally, if you receive an email that appears suspicious, do not click on the links or download the attachments included in that email. Instead, forward the suspicious email to phishing@irs.gov.
Finally, two-factor authentication (2FA) is another excellent way to safeguard your data. By enabling 2FA, you are adding an extra layer of security that makes it harder for cybercriminals to access your data even if they get your password. Additionally, always be cautious about sharing your personal and financial information online. Make sure that you only enter such information on secure websites – those with ‘https://’ in the URL. Regularly check your financial accounts for any suspicious activity and report immediately to your bank if you notice anything unusual.
If you believe you have fallen victim to a W-2 phishing scam, it is crucial to act quickly. If you have divulged your social security number, contact the IRS immediately. They can aid you in taking steps to prevent potential tax fraud. Additionally, it would be wise to file an identity theft affidavit (Form 14039) with the IRS. This form alerts the IRS to the theft of your identity and allows them to secure your tax account.
Additionally, you should report the phishing scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) using the FTC Complaint Assistant at FTC.gov. If you have clicked on a link or downloaded a suspicious attachment, run a full antivirus scan to check for malware. You should also consider placing a fraud alert or a credit freeze on your credit reports, which makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. Finally, you should check your credit reports frequently for any signs of fraudulent activity.
→Dig Deeper: Credit Lock and Credit Freeze: Which Service Is Best for You? Both!
Protecting your financial data during tax season is crucial, and being aware of phishing scams can save you from a world of trouble. By understanding the nature of W-2 phishing scams and implementing the above-mentioned best practices, you can keep your sensitive information safe. Remember to always be skeptical of unsolicited emails and never share personal or financial information unless you can confirm the legitimacy of the request. By doing so, you will not only protect yourself but also contribute to the collective fight against cybercrime.
Protecting your W-2 information during tax season is not a one-time effort but a continuous process. Always stay vigilant, and remember that it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you ever suspect that you have become a victim of a W-2 phishing scam, take prompt action by reporting it to the relevant authorities and taking necessary measures to mitigate possible damages. The key to staying safe is staying informed, vigilant, and prepared.
The post How to Protect Your Financial Data During Tax Season appeared first on McAfee Blog.
When we come across the term Artificial Intelligence (AI), our mind often ventures into the realm of sci-fi movies like I, Robot, Matrix, and Ex Machina. We’ve always perceived AI as a futuristic concept, something that’s happening in a galaxy far, far away. However, AI is not only here in our present but has also been a part of our lives for several years in the form of various technological devices and applications.
In our day-to-day lives, we use AI in many instances without even realizing it. AI has permeated into our homes, our workplaces, and is at our fingertips through our smartphones. From cell phones with built-in smart assistants to home assistants that carry out voice commands, from social networks that determine what content we see to music apps that curate playlists based on our preferences, AI has its footprints everywhere. Therefore, it’s integral to not only embrace the wows of this impressive technology but also understand and discuss the potential risks associated with it.
→ Dig Deeper: Artificial Imposters—Cybercriminals Turn to AI Voice Cloning for a New Breed of Scam
AI, a term that might sound intimidating to many, is not so when we understand it. It is essentially technology that can be programmed to achieve certain goals without assistance. In simple words, it’s a computer’s ability to predict, process data, evaluate it, and take necessary action. This smart way of performing tasks is being implemented in education, business, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and almost every other industry and cultural sector you can think of.
AI has been doing a lot of good too. For instance, Instagram, the second most popular social network, is now deploying AI technology to detect and combat cyberbullying in both comments and photos. No doubt, AI is having a significant impact on everyday life and is poised to metamorphose the future landscape. However, alongside its benefits, AI has brought forward a set of new challenges and risks. From self-driving cars malfunctioning to potential jobs lost to AI robots, from fake videos and images to privacy breaches, the concerns are real and need timely discussions and preventive measures.
AI has made it easier for people to face-swap within images and videos, leading to “deep fake” videos that appear remarkably realistic and often go viral. A desktop application called FakeApp allows users to seamlessly swap faces and share fake videos and images. While this displays the power of AI technology, it also brings to light the responsibility and critical thinking required when consuming and sharing online content.
→ Dig Deeper: The Future of Technology: AI, Deepfake, & Connected Devices
Yet another concern raised by AI is privacy breaches. The Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal of 2018, alleged to have used AI technology unethically to collect Facebook user data, serves as a reminder that our private (and public) information can be exploited for financial or political gain. Thus, it becomes crucial to discuss and take necessary steps like locking down privacy settings on social networks and being mindful of the information shared in the public feed, including reactions and comments on other content.
McAfee Pro Tip: Cybercriminals employ advanced methods to deceive individuals, propagating sensationalized fake news, creating deceptive catfish dating profiles, and orchestrating harmful impersonations. Recognizing sophisticated AI-generated content can pose a challenge, but certain indicators may signal that you’re encountering a dubious image or interacting with a perpetrator operating behind an AI-generated profile. Know the indicators.
With the advent of AI, cybercrime has found a new ally. As per McAfee’s Threats Prediction Report, AI technology might enable hackers to bypass security measures on networks undetected. This can lead to data breaches, malware attacks, ransomware, and other criminal activities. Moreover, AI-generated phishing emails are scamming people into unknowingly handing over sensitive data.
→ Dig Deeper: How to Keep Your Data Safe From the Latest Phishing Scam
Bogus emails are becoming highly personalized and can trick intelligent users into clicking malicious links. Given the sophistication of these AI-related scams, it is vital to constantly remind ourselves and our families to be cautious with every click, even those from known sources. The need to be alert and informed cannot be overstressed, especially in times when AI and cybercrime often seem to be two sides of the same coin.
As homes evolve to be smarter and synced with AI-powered Internet of Things (IoT) products, potential threats have proliferated. These threats are not limited to computers and smartphones but extend to AI-enabled devices such as voice-activated assistants. According to McAfee’s Threat Prediction Report, these IoT devices are particularly susceptible as points of entry for cybercriminals. Other devices at risk, as highlighted by security experts, include routers, and tablets.
This means we need to secure all our connected devices and home internet at its source – the network. Routers provided by your ISP (Internet Security Provider) are often less secure, so consider purchasing your own. As a primary step, ensure that all your devices are updated regularly. More importantly, change the default password on these devices and secure your primary network along with your guest network with strong passwords.
Having an open dialogue about AI and its implications is key to navigating through the intricacies of this technology. Parents need to have open discussions with kids about the positives and negatives of AI technology. When discussing fake videos and images, emphasize the importance of critical thinking before sharing any content online. Possibly, even introduce them to the desktop application FakeApp, which allows users to swap faces within images and videos seamlessly, leading to the production of deep fake photos and videos. These can appear remarkably realistic and often go viral.
Privacy is another critical area for discussion. After the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal of 2018, the conversation about privacy breaches has become more significant. These incidents remind us how our private (and public) information can be misused for financial or political gain. Locking down privacy settings, being mindful of the information shared, and understanding the implications of reactions and comments are all topics worth discussing.
Awareness and knowledge are the best tools against AI-enabled cybercrime. Making families understand that bogus emails can now be highly personalized and can trick even the most tech-savvy users into clicking malicious links is essential. AI can generate phishing emails, scamming people into handing over sensitive data. In this context, constant reminders to be cautious with every click, even those from known sources, are necessary.
→ Dig Deeper: Malicious Websites – The Web is a Dangerous Place
The advent of AI has also likely allowed hackers to bypass security measures on networks undetected, leading to data breaches, malware attacks, and ransomware. Therefore, being alert and informed is more than just a precaution – it is a vital safety measure in the digital age.
Artificial Intelligence has indeed woven itself into our everyday lives, making things more convenient, efficient, and connected. However, with these advancements come potential risks and challenges. From privacy breaches, and fake content, to AI-enabled cybercrime, the concerns are real and need our full attention. By understanding AI better, having open discussions, and taking appropriate security measures, we can leverage this technology’s immense potential without falling prey to its risks. In our AI-driven world, being informed, aware, and proactive is the key to staying safe and secure.
To safeguard and fortify your online identity, we strongly recommend that you delve into the extensive array of protective features offered by McAfee+. This comprehensive cybersecurity solution is designed to provide you with a robust defense against a wide spectrum of digital threats, ranging from malware and phishing attacks to data breaches and identity theft.
The post AI & Your Family: The Wows and Potential Risks appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces worldwide have undergone a seismic shift towards remote working. This adjustment involves much more than just allowing employees to access work resources from various locations. It necessitates the update of remote working policies and heightened cybersecurity security awareness.
Cybercriminals and potential nation-states are reportedly exploiting the global health crisis for their own gain. Hackers have targeted an array of sectors, including healthcare, employing COVID-19-related baits to manipulate user behavior. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide on how you, as an employee, can augment your cybersecurity measures and stay safe when working remotely.
It has been reported that criminals are using COVID-19 as bait in phishing emails, domains, malware, and more. While the exploitation of this global crisis is disheartening, it is unsurprising as criminals habitually leverage large events to their advantage. That said, it’s crucial to identify potential targets, particularly in certain geographic regions.
The data so far reveals a broad geographic dispersion of ‘targets,’ with many countries that are typical phishing targets being hit. However, there are anomalies such as Panama, Taiwan, and Japan, suggesting possible campaigns targeting specific countries. The landscape is continuously evolving as more threats are identified, necessitating vigilant monitoring on your part to stay safe.
→ Dig Deeper: McAfee Labs Report Reveals Latest COVID-19 Threats and Malware Surges
The abrupt shift to remote work has left many employees unprepared, with some needing to operate from personal devices. These personal devices, if lacking appropriate security measures, can expose both you and your company or employer to various potential attacks.
Over the last few years, there has been a surge in targeted ransomware attacks, particularly through “commodity malware.” This malware type is often directed at consumers. Consequently, accessing work networks from potentially infected personal devices without appropriate security measures significantly increases the risk. Both employees and employers are left vulnerable to breaches and ransomware lockdowns.
Office closures and working-from-home mandates due to COVID-19 permanently changed the way we look at workplace connectivity. A recent Fenwick poll among HR, privacy, and security professionals across industries noted that approximately 90% of employees now handle intellectual property, confidential, and personal information on their in-home Wi-Fi as opposed to in-office networks. Additionally, many are accessing this information on personal and mobile devices that often do not have the same protections as company-owned devices. The elevated number of unprotected devices connected to unsecured networks creates weak areas in a company’s infrastructure, making it harder to protect against hackers.
One technology your organization should be especially diligent about is video conferencing software. Hackers can infiltrate video conferencing software to eavesdrop on private discussions and steal vital information. Many disrupt video calls via brute force, where they scan a list of possible meeting IDs to try and connect to a meeting. Others seek more complex infiltration methods through vulnerabilities in the actual software. Up until recently, Agora’s video conferencing software exhibited these same vulnerabilities.
Hackers will usually try to gain access to these network vulnerabilities by targeting unsuspecting employees through phishing scams which can lead to even greater consequences if they manage to insert malware or hold your data for ransom. Without proper training on how to avoid these threats, many employees wouldn’t know how to handle the impact should they become the target.
If you’re an employee working remotely, it is essential to comprehend and adhere to best security practices. Here are some guidelines you could follow:
Considering the rise of remote working, it is more crucial than ever for employees, especially those working remotely, to invest in secure solutions and tools. However, as end-users, it’s also wisest to take extra steps like installing comprehensive security software to ward off cyber threats. These software have features that collectively provide a holistic approach to security, detecting vulnerabilities, and minimizing the chance of an attack.
We recommend McAfee+ and McAfee Total Protection if you want an all-inclusive security solution. With a powerful combination of real-time threat detection, antivirus, and malware protection, secure browsing, identity theft prevention, and privacy safeguards, McAfee+ and McAfee Total Protection ensure that your devices and personal information remain secure and your online experience is worry-free.
McAfee Pro Tip: Gauge your security protection and assess your security needs before you get a comprehensive security plan. This proactive approach is the foundation for establishing robust cybersecurity measures tailored to your specific requirements and potential vulnerabilities. Learn more about our award-winning security products award-winning security products.
In the current digital age, employees must be aware of their crucial role in maintaining organizational security. As such, you should consider engaging in tailored security education and training programs that help employees identify and avoid potential threats such as phishing and malicious downloads. Regular training and updates can be beneficial as employees are often the first line of defense and can significantly help mitigate potential security breaches.
To ensure effective acquisition of knowledge, engage in security training that is designed in an engaging, easy-to-understand manner and utilizes practical examples that you can relate to. Successful training programs often incorporate interactive modules, quizzes, and even games to instill important security concepts.
Effective communication and collaboration are paramount in a remote working environment. Employees need to share information and collaborate on projects effectively while ensuring that sensitive information remains secure. Use and participate in platforms that enable secure communication and collaboration. Tools such as secure messaging apps, encrypted email services, secure file sharing, and collaboration platforms will ensure information protection while allowing seamless collaboration.
Make sure that you’re provided with detailed guidelines and training on the proper use of these tools and their security features. This will help prevent data leaks and other security issues that can arise from misuse or misunderstanding.
→ Dig Deeper: Five Tips from McAfee’s Remote Workers
The transition to a remote working environment brings with it various cybersecurity challenges. Prioritizing secure communication and collaboration tools, coupled with ongoing education and adherence to best practices, can help you navigate these challenges with confidence, ultimately reaping the benefits of a flexible and efficient remote work environment while safeguarding critical data and information. McAfee can help you with that and more, so choose the best combination of features that fits your remote work setup.
The post Staying Safe While Working Remotely appeared first on McAfee Blog.
It’s that time of year again: election season! You already know what to expect when you flip on the TV. Get ready for a barrage of commercials, each candidate saying enough to get you to like them but nothing specific enough to which they must stay beholden should they win.
What you might not expect is for sensationalist election “news” to barge in uninvited on your screens. Fake news – or exaggerated or completely falsified articles claiming to be unbiased and factual journalism, often spread via social media – can pop up anytime and anywhere. This election season’s fake news machine will be different than previous years because of the emergence of mainstream artificial intelligence tools.
Here are a few ways desperate zealots may use various AI tools to stir unease and spread misinformation around the upcoming election.
We’ve had time to learn and operate by the adage of “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” But now, thanks to deepfake, that lesson must extend to “Don’t believe everything you SEE on the internet.” Deepfake is the digital manipulation of a video or photo. The result often depicts a scene that never happened. At a quick glance, deepfakes can look very real! Some still look real after studying them for a few minutes.
People may use deepfake to paint a candidate in a bad light or to spread sensationalized false news reports. For example, a deepfake could make it look like a candidate flashed a rude hand gesture or show a candidate partying with controversial public figures.
According to McAfee’s Beware the Artificial Imposter report, it only takes three seconds of authentic audio and minimal effort to create a mimicked voice with 85% accuracy. When someone puts their mind to it and takes the time to hone the voice clone, they can achieve a 95% voice match to the real deal.
Well-known politicians have thousands of seconds’ worth of audio clips available to anyone on the internet, giving voice cloners plenty of samples to choose from. Fake news spreaders could employ AI voice generators to add an authentic-sounding talk track to a deepfake video or to fabricate a snappy and sleazy “hot mike” clip to share far and wide online.
Programs like ChatGPT and Bard can make anyone sound intelligent and eloquent. In the hands of rabble-rousers, AI text generation tools can create articles that sound almost professional enough to be real. Plus, AI allows people to churn out content quickly, meaning that people could spread dozens of fake news reports daily. The number of fake articles is only limited by the slight imagination necessary to write a short prompt.
Before you get tricked by a fake news report, here are some ways to spot a malicious use of AI intended to mislead your political leanings:
Is what you’re reading or seeing or hearing too bizarre to be true? That means it probably isn’t. If you’re interested in learning more about a political topic you came across on social media, do a quick search to corroborate a story. Have a list of respected news establishments bookmarked to make it quick and easy to ensure the authenticity of a report.
If you encounter fake news, the best way you can interact with it is to ignore it. Or, in cases where the content is offensive or incendiary, you should report it. Even if the fake news is laughably off-base, it’s still best not to share it with your network, because that’s exactly what the original poster wants: For as many people as possible to see their fabricated stories. All it takes is for someone within your network to look at it too quickly, believe it, and then perpetuate the lies.
It’s great if you’re passionate about politics and the various issues on the ballot. Passion is a powerful driver of change. But this election season, try to focus on what unites us, not what divides us.
The post This Election Season, Be on the Lookout for AI-generated Fake News appeared first on McAfee Blog.
The first of August marks the celebration of World Wide Web Day – a day dedicated to the global network that powers our online activity, creating a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. The World Wide Web (WWW) has revolutionized the way we communicate, learn, and explore, becoming an integral part of our daily lives. With the importance of the internet only growing stronger, it’s only fitting to honor the World Wide Web with a special day of commemoration. But with the internet comes risks, and it’s important to make sure your family is protected from potential threats. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your family safe online.
Phishing scams are a type of fraud that involves sending emails or other messages that appear to be from a legitimate source. The goal of these messages is to trick users into providing personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account details. To protect against phishing scams, teach your family to:
Identity theft is a crime in which someone uses another person’s personal information to commit fraud or other crimes. Teach your family to protect against identity theft by:
A virtual private network (VPN) is a type of technology that provides a secure connection to a private network over the internet. A VPN can help protect your family’s online activity by encrypting the data and hiding your online activity from others. To ensure your family’s online safety, teach them to:
Strong passwords are an important part of online security. Teach your family to create strong passwords and to never share them with anyone. Additionally, use a password manager to store and manage your family’s passwords. A password manager can help by:
To conclude, celebrations on World Wide Web Day allow us to give thanks for the incredible world of knowledge, commerce, entertainment, communication, and innovation that the internet has provided, and continues to provide for us all. By following these tips and tricks, your family can stay safe online and enjoy all the benefits of the internet. Happy World Wide Web Day!
The WWW has enabled us to achieve so many things that were simply impossible before. From the ability to catch up with friends and family across the globe to finding information about virtually any topic, the power of the internet is remarkable. In fact, the World Wide Web has significantly enriched our lives in countless ways.
Did you know that the first-ever image posted on the World Wide Web was a photo of Les Horribles Cernettes, a parody pop band founded by employees at CERN? It was uploaded in 1992 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who used a NeXT computer as the first-ever web server. And although we use the term “surfing the net” regularly, do you know who actually coined the phrase? A librarian by the name of Jean Armour Polly wrote an article titled “Surfing the Internet” in the Wilson Library Bulletin at the University of Minnesota in 1992.
There are many other remarkable facts about the World Wide Web, including its growth over the years. By the start of the year 1993, there were only 50 servers worldwide, but that number had grown to over 500 by October of the same year. Advances in data compression enabled media streaming to happen over the web, which was previously impractical due to high bandwidth requirements for uncompressed media. Although the number of websites online was still small in comparison to today’s figure, notable sites such as Yahoo! Directory and Yahoo! Search were launched in 1994 and 1995, respectively, marking the beginning of web commerce.
On World Wide Web Day, you can celebrate by exploring the capabilities of the internet and discovering how it has changed over the years. Many organizations worldwide host events featuring conversations and interviews with technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators. There are also different talks, activities, and discussions online that you can join, allowing you to delve deeper into the history and potential of the World Wide Web. You could even consider running an event at your local business to market the day and celebrate what WWW has done for us all!
The post World Wide Web Day: How to Protect Your Family Online appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Social engineering. It’s a con game. And a con game by any other name stings just as badly.
Like any form of con, social engineering dupes their victims by playing on their emotions. Fear, excitement, and surprise. And they prey on human nature as well. The desire to help others, recognizing authority, and even the dream of hitting it big in the lottery. All of this comes into play in social engineering.
By design, the scammers who employ social engineering do so in an attempt to bilk people out of their personal information, their money, or both. More broadly, they’re designed to give scammers access—to a credit card, bank account, proprietary company information, and even physical access to a building or restricted space in the case of tailgating attacks. In this way, social engineering is an attack technique rather than a specific type of attack.
Several types of attacks employ social engineering:
The list goes on. Yet those are among the top attacks that use social engineering as a means of hoodwinking their victims. It’s a scammer’s secret weapon. Time and time again, we’ve seen just how effective it can be.
So while many bad actors turn to social engineering tricks to do their dirty work, they share several common characteristics. That makes them easy to spot. If you know what you’re looking for.
An overexcited or aggressive tone in an email, text, DM, or any kind of message you receive should put up a big red flag. Scammers use these scare tactics to get you to act without thinking things through first.
Common examples include imposter scams. The scammer will send a text or email that looks like it comes from someone you know. And they’ll say they’re in a jam of some sort, like their car has broken down in the middle of nowhere, or that they have a medical emergency and to go to urgent care. In many of these cases, scammers will quickly ask for money.
Another classic is the tax scam, where a scammer poses as a tax agent or representative. From there, they bully money out of their victims with threats of legal action or even arrest. Dealing with an actual tax issue might be uncomfortable, but a legitimate tax agent won’t threaten you like that.
You’ve won a sweepstakes! (That you never entered.) Get a great deal on this hard-to-find item! (That will never ship after you’ve paid for it.) Scammers will concoct all kinds of stories to separate you from your personal information.
The scammers behind bogus prizes and sweepstakes will ask you for banking information or sometimes even your tax ID number to pay out your winnings. Winnings you’ll never receive, of course. The scammer wants that information to raid your accounts and commit all kinds of identity theft.
Those great deals? The scammers might not ship them at all. They’ll drain your credit or debit card instead and leave you tapping your foot by your mailbox. Sometimes, the scammers might indeed ship you something after all—a knock-off item. One possibly made with child labor.
Scammers will often pose as people you know. That can include friends, family members, co-workers, bosses, vendors or clients at work, and so on. And when they do, something about the message you get will seem a bit strange.
For starters, the message might not sound like it came from them. What they say and how they say it seems off or out of character. It might include links or attachments you didn’t expect to get. Or the message might come to you via a DM sent from a “new” account they set up. In the workplace, you might get a message from your boss instructing you to pay someone a large sum from the company account.
These are all signs that something scammy might be afoot. You’ll want to follow up with these people in person or with a quick phone call just to confirm. Reach them in any way other than by replying to the message you received. Even if it looks like a legitimate account. There’s the chance their account was hacked.
How do scammers know how to reach you in the first place? And how do they seem to know just enough about you to cook up a convincing story? Clever scammers have resources, and they’ll do their homework. You can give them far less to work with by taking the following steps.
Online data brokers hoard all kinds of personal information about individuals. And they’ll sell it to anyone. That includes scammers. Data brokers gather it from multiple sources, such as public records and third parties that have further information like browsing histories and shopping histories (think your supermarket club card). With that information, a scammer can sound quite convincing—like they know you in some way or where your interests lie. You can get this information removed so scammers can’t get their hands on it. Our Personal Data Cleanup scans some of the riskiest data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info. It also provides guidance on how you can remove your data from those sites and with select products, it can even manage the removal for you.
Needless to say, social media says a lot about you and what you’re into. You already know that because you put a part of yourself out there with each post—not to mention a record of the groups, pages, and things that you follow or like. All this provides yet more grist for a scammer’s mill when it comes time for them to concoct their stories. Setting your accounts to private takes your posts out of the public eye, and the eye of potential scammers too. This can help reduce your risk of getting conned.
Scammers throw all kinds of bogus links at people in the hope they’ll click and wind up on their scammy websites. They’ll also send attachments loaded with malware—a payload that contains ransomware, spyware, or viruses. If you get a message about one of your accounts, a shipment, or anything that involves your personal or financial info, confirm the sender. Did the message come from a legitimate address or account? Or was the address spoofed or the account a fake? For example, some scammers create social media accounts to pose as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS doesn’t contact people through social media. If you have a concern about a message or account, visit the site in question by typing it in directly instead of clicking on the link in the message. Access your information from there or call their customer service line.
The combination of these two things makes it tough for scammers to crack your accounts. Even if they somehow get hold of your password, they can’t get into your account without the multifactor authentication number (usually sent to your phone in some form). A password manager as part of comprehensive online protection software can help you create and securely store those strong, unique passwords. Also, never give your authentication number to anyone after you receive it. Another common scammer trick is to masquerade as a customer service rep and ask you to send that number to them.
This is the one piece of advice scammers don’t want you to have, let alone follow. They count on you getting caught up in the moment—the emotion of it all. Once again, emotions, urgency, and human nature are all key components in any social engineering con. The moment you stop and think about the message, what it’s asking of you, and the way it’s asking you for it, will often quickly let you know that something is not quite right. Follow up. A quick phone call or face-to-face chat can help you from getting conned.
The post Social Engineering—The Scammer’s Secret Weapon appeared first on McAfee Blog.
With the number of cyber threats and breaches dominating the headlines, it can seem like a Herculean task to cover all your cybersecurity bases. We’re aware that there are ten sections on this cybersecurity awareness checklist, but it won’t take hours and hours to tick every box. In fact, some of these areas only require you to check a box on your device or invest in the cybersecurity tools that will handle the rest for you. Also, you may already be doing some of these things!
It’s easy to be cyber smart. Here are the cybersecurity awareness basics to instantly boost your safety and confidence in your online presence.
Software update notifications always seem to ping on the outskirts of your desktop and mobile device at the most inconvenient times. What’s more inconvenient though is having your device hacked. One easy tip to improve your cybersecurity is to update your device software whenever upgrades are available. Most software updates include security patches that smart teams have created to foil cybercriminals. The more outdated your apps or operating system is, the more time criminals have had to work out ways to infiltrate them.
Enabling automatic updates on all your devices only takes a few clicks or taps. Many major updates occur in the early hours of the morning, meaning that you’ll never know your devices were offline. You’ll just wake up to new, secure software!
Just because social media personalities document their entire days literally from the moment they wake up, doesn’t mean you should do the same. It’s best to leave some details about your life a mystery from the internet for various reasons.
The best way to avoid all of the above is to set your online profiles to private and edit your list of followers to only people you have met in real life and trust. Also, you may want to consider revising what you post about and how often.
If you genuinely love sharing moments from your daily life, consider sending a newsletter to a curated group of close friends and family. Aspiring influencers who still wants to capture and publish every aspect of their daily lives should be extremely careful about keeping sensitive details about themselves private, such as blurring their house number, not revealing their hometown, turning off location services, and going by a nickname instead of their full legal name.
Most sites won’t even let you proceed with creating an account if you don’t have a strong enough password. A strong password is one with a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. What also makes for an excellent password is one that’s unique. Reusing passwords can be just as risky as using “password123” or your pet’s name plus your birthday as a password. A reused password can put all your online accounts at risk, due to a practice called credential stuffing. Credential stuffing is a tactic where a cybercriminal attempts to input a stolen username and password combination in dozens of random websites to see which doors it opens.
Remembering a different password for each of your online accounts is almost an impossible task. Luckily, password managers make it so you only have to remember one password ever again! Password managers safeguard all your passwords in one secure desktop extension or smartphone app that you can use anywhere.
It’s best to create passwords or passphrases that have a secret meaning that only you know. Stay away from using significant dates, names, or places, because those are easier to guess. You can also leave it up to your password manager to randomly generate a password for you. The resulting unintelligible jumble of numbers, letters, and symbols is virtually impossible for anyone to guess.
Not all corners of the internet are safe to visit. Some dark crevices hide malware that can then sneak onto your device without you knowing. There are various types of malware, but the motive behind all of them is the same: To steal your personally identifiable information (PII) or your device’s power for a cybercriminal’s own financial gain.
Sites that claim to have free downloads of TV shows, movies, and games are notorious for harboring malware. Practice safe downloading habits, such as ensuring the site is secure, checking to see that it looks professional, and inspecting the URLs for suspicious file extensions.
Additionally, not all internet connections are free from prying eyes. Public Wi-Fi networks – like those in cafes, libraries, hotels, and transportation hubs – are especially prone. Because anyone can connect to a public network without needing a password, cybercriminals can digitally eavesdrop on other people on the same network. It’s unsafe to do your online banking, shopping, and other activities that deal with your financial or sensitive personal information while on public Wi-Fi.
However, there is one way to do so safely, and that’s with a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is a type of software you can use on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. It encrypts all your outgoing data, making it nearly impossible for a cybercriminal to snoop on your internet session.
You’ve likely already experienced a phishing attempt, whether you were aware of it or not. Phishing is a common tactic used to eke personal details from unsuspecting or trusting people. Phishers often initiate contact through texts, emails, or social media direct messages, and they aim to get enough information to break into your online accounts or to impersonate you.
AI text generator tools are making it more difficult to pinpoint a phisher, as messages can seem very humanlike. Typos and nonsensical sentences used to be the main indicator of a phishing attempt, but text generators generally use correct spelling and grammar. Here are a few tell-tale signs of a phishing attempt:
Never engage with a phishing attempt. Do not forward the message or respond to them and never click on any links included in their message. The links could direct to malicious sites that could infect your device with malware or spyware.
Before you delete the message, block the sender, mark the message as junk, and report the phisher. Reporting can go a long way toward hopefully preventing the phisher from targeting someone else.
When a security breach occurs, you can be sure that the news will report it. Plus, it’s the law for companies to notify the Federal Trade Commission of a breach. Keep a keen eye on the news and your inbox for notifications about recent breaches. Quick action is necessary to protect your personal and financial information, which is why you should be aware of current events.
The moment you hear about a breach on the news or see an email from a company to its customers about an incident, change your account’s password and double check your account’s recent activity to ensure nothing is amiss. Then await further action communicated through official company correspondences and official channels.
Cybercriminals aren’t above adding insult to injury and further scamming customers affected in breaches. Phishers may spam inboxes impersonating the company and sending malware-laden links they claim will reset your password. Continue to scrutinize your messages and keep an eye on the company’s official company website and verified social media accounts to ensure you’re getting company-approved advice.
One great mantra to guide your cybersecurity habits is: If you connect it, protect it. This means that any device that links to the internet should have security measures in place to shield it from cybercriminals. Yes, this includes your smart TV, smart refrigerator, smart thermostat, and smart lightbulbs!
Compose a list of the smart home devices you own. (You probably have more than you thought!) Then, make sure that every device is using a password you created, instead of the default password the device came with. Default passwords can be reused across an entire line of appliances. So, if a cybercriminal cracks the code on someone else’s smart washing machine, that could mean they could weasel their way into yours with the same password.
Another way to secure your connected home devices is by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This usually means enrolling your phone number or email address with the device and inputting one-time codes periodically to log into the connected device. 2FA is an excellent way to frustrate a cybercriminal, as it’s extremely difficult for them to bypass this security measure. It may add an extra 15 seconds to your login process, but the peace of mind is worth the minor inconvenience.
Finally, encase your entire home network with a secure router, or the device that connects your home Wi-Fi network to the internet. Again, change the password from the factory setting. And if you decide to rename the network, have fun with it but leave your name and address out of the new name.
When flip phones arrived on the scene in the 1990s and early 2000s, the worst that happened when they went missing was that you lost a cache of your stored text messages and call history. Now, when you misplace or have your smartphone stolen, it can seem like your whole online life vanished. Mobile devices store a lot of our sensitive information, so that’s why it’s key to not only safeguard your accounts but the devices that house them.
The best way to lock your device against anyone but yourself is to set up face or fingerprint ID. This makes it virtually impossible for a criminal to open your device. Also, passcode- or password-protect all your devices. It may seem like an inconvenience now, but your fingers will soon be able to glide across the keyboard or number pad fluently in just a few days, adding maybe an extra second to opening your device.
Another way to safeguard your device and the important information within it is to disable your favorite internet browser from auto-filling your passwords and credit card information. In the hands of a criminal, these details could lead to significant losses. A password manager here comes in handy for quick and secure password and username inputting.
Credit experts recommend checking your credit at least once yearly, but there’s no harm in checking your credit score more often. It’s only hard inquiries (or credit checks initiated by lenders) that may lower your credit score. Consider making it a habit to check your credit once every quarter. The first signs of identity theft often appear in a drastically lower credit score, which means that someone may be opening lines of credit in your name.
Also, if you’re not planning to apply for a new credit card or a loan anytime soon, why not lock your credit so no one can access it? A credit freeze makes it so that no one (yourself included) can touch it, thus keeping it out of the hands of thieves.
Picking up the pieces after a thief steals your identity is expensive, tedious, and time-consuming. Identity remediation includes reaching out to all three credit bureaus, filing reports, and spending hours tracking down your PII that’s now strewn across the internet.
Identity protection services can guard your identity so you hopefully avoid this entire scenario altogether. McAfee identity monitoring tracks the dark web for you and alerts you, on average, ten months sooner that something is amiss when compared to similar services. And if something does happen to your identity, McAfee identity restoration services offers $1 million in identity restoration and lends its support to help you get your identity and credit back in order.
The best complement to your newfound excellent cyber habits is a toolbelt of excellent services to patch any holes in your defense. McAfee+ includes all the services you need to boost your peace of mind about your online identity and privacy. You can surf public Wi-Fi safely with its secure VPN, protect your device with antivirus software, freeze your credit with security freeze, keep tabs on your identity, and more!
The post 10 Easy Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Cybersecurity appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Ping, it’s a scammer!
The sound of an incoming email, text, or direct message has a way of getting your attention, so you take a look and see what’s up. It happens umpteen times a week, to the extent that it feels like the flow of your day. And scammers want to tap into that with sneaky phishing attacks that catch you off guard, all with the aim of stealing your personal information or bilking you out of your money.
Phishing attacks take several forms, where scammers masquerade as a legitimate company, financial institution, government agency, or even as someone you know. And they’ll come after you with messages that follow suit:
You can see why phishing attacks can be so effective. Messages like these have an urgency to them, and they seem like they’re legit, or they at least seem like they might deal with something you might care about. But of course they’re just a ruse. And some of them can look and sound rather convincing. Or at least convincing enough that you’ll not only give them a look, but that you’ll also give them a click too.
And that’s where the troubles start. Clicking the links or attachments sent in a phishing attack can lead to several potentially nasty things, such as:
However, plenty of phishing attacks are preventable. A mix of knowing what to look for and putting a few security steps in place can help you keep scammers at bay.
How you end up with one has a lot to do with it.
There’s a good chance you’ve already seen your share of phishing attempts on your phone. A text comes through with a brief message that one of your accounts needs attention, from an entirely unknown number. Along with it is a link that you can tap to follow up, which will send you to a malicious site. In some cases, the sender may skip the link and attempt to start a conversation with the aim of getting you to share your personal information or possibly fork over some payment with a gift card, money order, rechargeable debit card, or other form of payment that is difficult to trace and recover.
In the case of social media, you can expect that the attack will come from an imposter account that’s doing its best to pose as one of those legitimate businesses or organizations we talked about, or perhaps as a stranger or even someone you know. And the name and profile pic will do its best to play the part. If you click on the account that sent it, you may see that it was created only recently and that it has few to no followers, both of which are red flags. The attack is typically conversational, much like described above where the scammer attempts to pump you for personal info or money.
Attacks that come by direct messaging apps will work much in the same way. The scammer will set up a phony account, and where the app allows, a phony name and a phony profile pic to go along with it.
Email gets a little more complicated because emails can range anywhere from a few simple lines of text to a fully designed piece complete with images, formatting, and embedded links—much like a miniature web page.
In the past, email phishing attacks looked rather unsophisticated, rife with poor spelling and grammar, along with sloppy-looking layouts and images. That’s still sometimes the case today. Yet not always. Some phishing emails look like the real thing. Or nearly so.
Case in point, here’s a look at a phishing email masquerading as a McAfee email:
There’s a lot going on here. The scammers try to mimic the McAfee brand, yet don’t quite pull it off. Still, they do several things to try and be convincing.
Note the use of photography and the box shot of our software, paired with a prominent “act now” headline. It’s not the style of photography we use. Not that people would generally know this. However, some might have a passing thought like, “Huh. That doesn’t really look right for some reason.”
Beyond that, there are a few capitalization errors, some misplaced punctuation, plus the “order now” and “60% off” icons look rather slapped on. Also note the little dash of fear it throws in at the top of the email with mention of “There are (42) viruses on your computer.”
Taken all together, you can spot many email scams by taking a closer look, seeing what doesn’t feel right, and then trusting you gut. But that asks you to slow down, take a moment, and eyeball the email critically. Which people don’t always do. And that’s what scammers count on.
Similar ploys see scammers pose as legitimate companies and retailers, where they either ask you to log into a bogus account page to check statement or the status of an order. Some scammers offer links to “discount codes” that are instead links to landing pages designed steal your account login information as well. Similarly, they may simply send a malicious email attachment with the hope that you’ll click it.
In other forms of email phishing attacks, scammers may pose as a co-worker, business associate, vendor, or partner to get the victim to click a malicious link or download malicious software. These may include a link to a bogus invoice, spreadsheet, notetaking file, or word processing doc—just about anything that looks like it could be a piece of business correspondence. Instead, the link leads to a scam website that asks the victim “log in and download” the document, which steals account info as a result. Scammers may also include attachments to phishing emails that can install malware directly on the device, sometimes by infecting an otherwise everyday document with a malicious payload.
Email scammers may also pose as someone you know, whether by propping up an imposter email account or by outright hijacking an existing account. The attack follows the same playbook, using a link or an attachment to steal personal info, request funds, or install malware.
While you can’t outright stop phishing attacks from making their way to your computer or phone, you can do several things to keep yourself from falling to them. Further, you can do other things that may make it more difficult for scammers to reach you.
The content and the tone of the message can tell you quite a lot. Threatening messages or ones that play on fear are often phishing attacks, such angry messages from a so-called tax agent looking to collect back taxes. Other messages will lean heavy on urgency, like the phony McAfee phishing email above that says your license has expired today and that you have “(42)” viruses. And during the holidays, watch out for loud, overexcited messages about deep discounts on hard-to-find items. Instead of linking you off to a proper ecommerce site, they may link you to a scam shopping site that does nothing but steal your money and the account information you used to pay them. In all, phishing attacks indeed smell fishy. Slow down and review that message with a critical eye. It may tip you off to a scam.
Some phishing attacks can look rather convincing. So much so that you’ll want to follow up on them, like if your bank reports irregular activity on your account or a bill appears to be past due. In these cases, don’t click on the link in the message. Go straight to the website of the business or organization in question and access your account from there. Likewise, if you have questions, you can always reach out to their customer service number or web page.
When scammers contact you via social media, that in of itself can be a tell-tale sign of a scam. Consider, would an income tax collector contact you over social media? The answer there is no. For example, in the U.S. the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) makes it quite clear that they will never contact taxpayers via social media. (Let alone send angry, threatening messages.) In all, legitimate businesses and organizations don’t use social media as a channel for official communications. They have accepted ways they will, and will not, contact you. If you have any doubts about a communication you received, contact the business or organization in question directly and follow up with one of their customer service representatives.
Some phishing attacks involve attachments packed with malware like the ransomware, viruses, and keyloggers we mentioned earlier. If you receive a message with such an attachment, delete it. Even if you receive an email with an attachment from someone you know, follow up with that person. Particularly if you weren’t expecting an attachment from them. Scammers will often hijack or spoof email accounts of everyday people to spread malware.
On computers and laptops, you can hover your cursor over links without clicking on them to see the web address. Take a close look at the addresses the message is using. If it’s an email, look at the email address. Maybe the address doesn’t match the company or organization at all. Or maybe it looks like it almost does, yet it adds a few letters or words to the name. This marks yet another sign that you may have a phishing attack on your hands. Scammers also use the common tactic of a link shortener, which creates links that almost look like strings of indecipherable text. These shortened links mask the true address, which may indeed be a link to scam site. Delete the message. If possible, report it. Many social media platforms and messaging apps have built-in controls for reporting suspicious accounts and messages.
On social media and messaging platforms, stick to following, friending, and messaging people who you really know. As for those people who contact you out of the blue, be suspicious. Sad to say, they’re often scammers canvassing these platforms for victims. Better yet, where you can, set your profile to private, which makes it more difficult for scammers select and stalk you for an attack.
How’d that scammer get your phone number or email address anyway? Chances are, they pulled that information off a data broker site. Data brokers buy, collect, and sell detailed personal information, which they compile from several public and private sources, such as local, state, and federal records, plus third parties like supermarket shopper’s cards and mobile apps that share and sell user data. Moreover, they’ll sell it to anyone who pays for it, including people who’ll use that information for scams. You can help reduce those scam texts and calls by removing your information from those sites. Our Personal Data Cleanup scans some of the riskiest data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info.
Online protection software can protect you in several ways. First, it can offer safe browsing features that can identify malicious links and downloads, which can help prevent clicking them. Further, it can steer you away from dangerous websites and block malware and phishing sites if you accidentally click on a malicious link. And overall, strong virus and malware protection can further block any attacks on your devices. Be sure to protect your smartphones in addition to your computers and laptops as well, particularly given all the sensitive things we do on them, like banking, shopping, and booking rides and travel.
Once phishing attacks were largely the domain of bogus emails, yet now they’ve spread to texts, social media, and messaging apps—anywhere a scammer can send a fraudulent message while posing as a reputable source.
Scammers count on you taking the bait, the immediate feelings of fear or concern that there’s a problem with your taxes or one of your accounts. They also prey on scarcity, like during the holidays where people search for great deals on gifts and have plenty of packages on the move. With a critical eye, you can often spot those scams. Sometimes, a pause and a little thought is all it takes. And in the cases where a particularly cagey attack makes its way through, online protection software can warn you that the link you’re about to click is indeed a trap.
Taken all together, you have plenty of ways you can beat scammers at their game.
The post How to Avoid Phishing Attacks on Your Smartphones and Computers appeared first on McAfee Blog.
There are plenty of phish in the sea.
Millions of bogus phishing emails land in millions of inboxes each day with one purpose in mind—to rip off the recipient. Whether they’re out to crack your bank account, steal personal information, or both, you can learn how to spot phishing emails and keep yourself safe.
And some of today’s phishing emails are indeed getting tougher to spot.
They seem like they come from companies you know and trust, like your bank, your credit card company, or services like Netflix, PayPal, and Amazon. And some of them look convincing. The writing and the layout are crisp, and the overall presentation looks professional. Yet still, there’s still something off about them.
And there’s certainly something wrong with that email. It was written by a scammer. Phishing emails employ a bait-and-hook tactic, where an urgent or enticing message is the bait and malware or a link to a phony login page is the hook.
Once the hook gets set, several things might happen. That phony login page may steal account and personal information. Or that malware might install keylogging software that steals information, viruses that open a back door through which data can get hijacked, or ransomware that holds a device and its data hostage until a fee is paid.
Again, you can sidestep these attacks if you know how to spot them. There are signs.
Let’s look at how prolific these attacks are, pick apart a few examples, and then break down the things you should look for.
<h2>Phishing attack statistics—the millions of attempts made each year.
In the U.S. alone, more than 300,000 victims reported a phishing attack to the FBI in 2022. Phishing attacks topped the list of reported complaints, roughly six times greater than the second top offender, personal data breaches. The actual figure is undoubtedly higher, given that not all attacks get reported.
Looking at phishing attacks worldwide, one study suggests that more than 255 million phishing attempts were made in the second half of 2022 alone. That marks a 61% increase over the previous year. Another study concluded that 1 in every 99 mails sent contained a phishing attack.
Yet scammers won’t always cast such a wide net. Statistics point to a rise in targeted spear phishing, where the attacker goes after a specific person. They will often target people at businesses who have the authority to transfer funds or make payments. Other targets include people who have access to sensitive information like passwords, proprietary data, and account information.
As such, the price of these attacks can get costly. In 2022, the FBI received 21,832 complaints from businesses that said they fell victim to a spear phishing attack. The adjusted losses were over $2.7 billion—an average cost of $123,671 per attack.
So while exacting phishing attack statistics remain somewhat elusive, there’s no question that phishing attacks are prolific. And costly.
<h2>What does a phishing attack look like?
Nearly every phishing attack sends an urgent message. One designed to get you to act.
Some examples …
When set within a nice design and paired some official-looking logos, it’s easy to see why plenty of people click the link or attachment that comes with messages like these.
And that’s the tricky thing with phishing attacks. Scammers have leveled up their game in recent years. Their phishing emails can look convincing. Not long ago, you could point to misspellings, lousy grammar, poor design, and logos that looked stretched or that used the wrong colors. Poorly executed phishing attacks like that still make their way into the world. However, it’s increasingly common to see far more sophisticated attacks today. Attacks that appear like a genuine message or notice.
Case in point:
Say you got an email that said your PayPal account had an issue. Would you type your account information here if you found yourself on this page? If so, you would have handed over your information to a scammer.
We took the screenshot above as part of following a phishing attack to its end—without entering any legitimate info, of course. In fact, we entered a garbage email address and password, and it still let us in. That’s because the scammers were after other information, as you’ll soon see.
As we dug into the site more deeply, it looked pretty spot on. The design mirrored PayPal’s style, and the footer links appeared official enough. Yet then we looked more closely.
Note the subtle errors, like “card informations” and “Configuration of my activity.” While companies make grammatical errors on occasion, spotting them in an interface should hoist a big red flag. Plus, the site asks for credit card information very early in the process. All suspicious.
Here’s where the attackers really got bold.
They ask for bank “informations,” which not only includes routing and account numbers, but they ask for the account password too. As said, bold. And entirely bogus.
Taken all together, the subtle errors and the bald-faced grab for exacting account information clearly mark this as a scam.
Let’s take a few steps back, though. Who sent the phishing email that directed us to this malicious site? None other than “paypal at inc dot-com.”
Clearly, that’s a phony email. And typical of a phishing attack where an attacker shoehorns a familiar name into an unassociated email address, in this case “inc dot-com.” Attackers may also gin up phony addresses that mimic official addresses, like “paypalcustsv dot-com.” Anything to trick you.
Likewise, the malicious site that the phishing email sent us to used a spoofed address as well. It had no official association with PayPal at all—which is proof positive of a phishing attack.
Note that companies only send emails from their official domain names, just as their sites only use their official domain names. Several companies and organizations will list those official domains on their websites to help curb phishing attacks.
For example, PayPal has a page that clearly states how it will and will not contact you. At McAfee, we have an entire page dedicated to preventing phishing attacks, which also lists the official email addresses we use.
Not every scammer is so sophisticated, at least in the way that they design their phishing emails. We can point to a few phishing emails that posed as legitimate communication from McAfee as examples.
There’s a lot going on in this first email example. The scammers try to mimic the McAfee brand, yet don’t pull it off. Still, they do several things to try to act convincing.
Note the use of photography and the box shot of our software, paired with a prominent “act now” headline. It’s not the style of photography we use. Not that people would generally know this. However, some might have a passing thought like, “Huh. That doesn’t really look like what McAfee usually sends me.”
Beyond that, there are a few capitalization errors, some misplaced punctuation, and the “order now” and “60% off” icons look rather slapped on. Also note the little dash of fear it throws in with a mention of “There are (42) viruses on your computer …”
Taken all together, someone can readily spot that this is a scam with a closer look.
This next ad falls into the less sophisticated category. It’s practically all text and goes heavy on the red ink. Once again, it hosts plenty of capitalization errors, with a few gaffes in grammar as well. In all, it doesn’t read smoothly. Nor is it easy on the eye, as a proper email about your account should be.
What sets this example apart is the “advertisement” disclaimer below, which tries to lend the attack some legitimacy. Also note the phony “unsubscribe” link, plus the (scratched out) mailing address and phone, which all try to do the same.
This last example doesn’t get our font right, and the trademark symbol is awkwardly placed. The usual grammar and capitalization errors crop up again, yet this piece of phishing takes a slightly different approach.
The scammers placed a little timer at the bottom of the email. That adds a degree of scarcity. They want you to think that you have about half an hour before you are unable to register for protection. That’s bogus, of course.
Seeing any recurring themes? There are a few for sure. With these examples in mind, get into the details—how you can spot phishing attacks and how you can avoid them altogether.
Just as we saw, some phishing attacks indeed appear fishy from the start. Yet sometimes it takes a bit of time and a particularly critical eye to spot.
And that’s what scammers count on. They hope that you’re moving quickly or otherwise a little preoccupied when you’re going through your email or messages. Distracted enough so that you might not pause to think, is this message really legit?
One of the best ways to beat scammers is to take a moment to scrutinize that message while keeping the following in mind …
Fear. That’s a big one. Maybe it’s an angry-sounding email from a government agency saying that you owe back taxes. Or maybe it’s another from a family member asking for money because there’s an emergency. Either way, scammers will lean heavily on fear as a motivator.
If you receive such a message, think twice. Consider if it’s genuine. For instance, consider that tax email example. In the U.S., the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has specific guidelines as to how and when they will contact you. As a rule, they will likely contact you via physical mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. (They won’t call or apply pressure tactics—only scammers do that.) Likewise, other nations will have similar standards as well.
Scammers also love urgency. Phishing attacks begin by stirring up your emotions and getting you to act quickly. Scammers might use threats or overly excitable language to create that sense of urgency, both of which are clear signs of a potential scam.
Granted, legitimate businesses and organizations might reach out to notify you of a late payment or possible illicit activity on one of your accounts. Yet they’ll take a far more professional and even-handed tone than a scammer would. For example, it’s highly unlikely that your local electric utility will angrily shut off your service if you don’t pay your past due bill immediately.
Gift cards, cryptocurrency, money orders—these forms of payment are another sign that you might be looking at a phishing attack. Scammers prefer these methods of payment because they’re difficult to trace. Additionally, consumers have little or no way to recover lost funds from these payment methods.
Legitimate businesses and organizations won’t ask for payments in those forms. If you get a message asking for payment in one of those forms, you can bet it’s a scam.
Here’s another way you can spot a phishing attack. Take a close look at the addresses the message is using. If it’s an email, look at the email address. Maybe the address doesn’t match the company or organization at all. Or maybe it does somewhat, yet it adds a few letters or words to the name. This marks yet another sign that you might have a phishing attack on your hands.
Likewise, if the message contains a web link, closely examine that as well. If the name looks at all unfamiliar or altered from the way you’ve seen it before, that might also mean you’re looking at a phishing attempt.
Online protection software can protect you from phishing attacks in several ways.
For starters, it offers web protection that warns you when links lead to malicious websites, such as the ones used in phishing attacks. In the same way, online protection software can warn you about malicious downloads and email attachments so that you don’t end up with malware on your device. And, if the unfortunate does happen, antivirus can block and remove malware.
Online protection software like ours can also address the root of the problem. Scammers must get your email address from somewhere. Often, they get it from online data brokers, sites that gather and sell personal information to any buyer—scammers included.
Data brokers source this information from public records and third parties alike that they sell in bulk, providing scammers with massive mailing lists that can target thousands of potential victims. You can remove your personal info from some of the riskiest data broker sites with our Personal Data Cleanup, which can lower your exposure to scammers by keeping your email address out of their hands.
In all, phishing emails have telltale signs, some more difficult to see than others. Yet you can spot them when you know what to look for and take the time to look for them. With these attacks so prevalent and on the rise, looking at your email with a critical eye is a must today.
The post How to Spot Phishing Emails and Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Ping, it’s a scammer!
The sound of an incoming email, text, or direct message has a way of getting your attention, so you take a look and see what’s up. It happens umpteen times a week, to the extent that it feels like the flow of your day. And scammers want to tap into that with sneaky phishing attacks that catch you off guard, all with the aim of stealing your personal information or bilking you out of your money.
Phishing attacks take several forms, where scammers masquerade as a legitimate company, financial institution, government agency, or even as someone you know. And they’ll come after you with messages that follow suit:
You can see why phishing attacks can be so effective. Messages like these have an urgency to them, and they seem like they’re legit, or they at least seem like they might deal with something you might care about. But of course they’re just a ruse. And some of them can look and sound rather convincing. Or at least convincing enough that you’ll not only give them a look, but that you’ll also give them a click too.
And that’s where the troubles start. Clicking the links or attachments sent in a phishing attack can lead to several potentially nasty things, such as:
However, plenty of phishing attacks are preventable. A mix of knowing what to look for and putting a few security steps in place can help you keep scammers at bay.
How you end up with one has a lot to do with it.
There’s a good chance you’ve already seen your share of phishing attempts on your phone. A text comes through with a brief message that one of your accounts needs attention, from an entirely unknown number. Along with it is a link that you can tap to follow up, which will send you to a malicious site. In some cases, the sender may skip the link and attempt to start a conversation with the aim of getting you to share your personal information or possibly fork over some payment with a gift card, money order, rechargeable debit card, or other form of payment that is difficult to trace and recover.
In the case of social media, you can expect that the attack will come from an imposter account that’s doing its best to pose as one of those legitimate businesses or organizations we talked about, or perhaps as a stranger or even someone you know. And the name and profile pic will do its best to play the part. If you click on the account that sent it, you may see that it was created only recently and that it has few to no followers, both of which are red flags. The attack is typically conversational, much like described above where the scammer attempts to pump you for personal info or money.
Attacks that come by direct messaging apps will work much in the same way. The scammer will set up a phony account, and where the app allows, a phony name and a phony profile pic to go along with it.
Email gets a little more complicated because emails can range anywhere from a few simple lines of text to a fully designed piece complete with images, formatting, and embedded links—much like a miniature web page.
In the past, email phishing attacks looked rather unsophisticated, rife with poor spelling and grammar, along with sloppy-looking layouts and images. That’s still sometimes the case today. Yet not always. Some phishing emails look like the real thing. Or nearly so.
Case in point, here’s a look at a phishing email masquerading as a McAfee email:
There’s a lot going on here. The scammers try to mimic the McAfee brand, yet don’t quite pull it off. Still, they do several things to try and be convincing.
Note the use of photography and the box shot of our software, paired with a prominent “act now” headline. It’s not the style of photography we use. Not that people would generally know this. However, some might have a passing thought like, “Huh. That doesn’t really look right for some reason.”
Beyond that, there are a few capitalization errors, some misplaced punctuation, plus the “order now” and “60% off” icons look rather slapped on. Also note the little dash of fear it throws in at the top of the email with mention of “There are (42) viruses on your computer.”
Taken all together, you can spot many email scams by taking a closer look, seeing what doesn’t feel right, and then trusting you gut. But that asks you to slow down, take a moment, and eyeball the email critically. Which people don’t always do. And that’s what scammers count on.
Similar ploys see scammers pose as legitimate companies and retailers, where they either ask you to log into a bogus account page to check statement or the status of an order. Some scammers offer links to “discount codes” that are instead links to landing pages designed steal your account login information as well. Similarly, they may simply send a malicious email attachment with the hope that you’ll click it.
In other forms of email phishing attacks, scammers may pose as a co-worker, business associate, vendor, or partner to get the victim to click a malicious link or download malicious software. These may include a link to a bogus invoice, spreadsheet, notetaking file, or word processing doc—just about anything that looks like it could be a piece of business correspondence. Instead, the link leads to a scam website that asks the victim “log in and download” the document, which steals account info as a result. Scammers may also include attachments to phishing emails that can install malware directly on the device, sometimes by infecting an otherwise everyday document with a malicious payload.
Email scammers may also pose as someone you know, whether by propping up an imposter email account or by outright hijacking an existing account. The attack follows the same playbook, using a link or an attachment to steal personal info, request funds, or install malware.
While you can’t outright stop phishing attacks from making their way to your computer or phone, you can do several things to keep yourself from falling to them. Further, you can do other things that may make it more difficult for scammers to reach you.
The content and the tone of the message can tell you quite a lot. Threatening messages or ones that play on fear are often phishing attacks, such angry messages from a so-called tax agent looking to collect back taxes. Other messages will lean heavy on urgency, like the phony McAfee phishing email above that says your license has expired today and that you have “(42)” viruses. And during the holidays, watch out for loud, overexcited messages about deep discounts on hard-to-find items. Instead of linking you off to a proper ecommerce site, they may link you to a scam shopping site that does nothing but steal your money and the account information you used to pay them. In all, phishing attacks indeed smell fishy. Slow down and review that message with a critical eye. It may tip you off to a scam.
Some phishing attacks can look rather convincing. So much so that you’ll want to follow up on them, like if your bank reports irregular activity on your account or a bill appears to be past due. In these cases, don’t click on the link in the message. Go straight to the website of the business or organization in question and access your account from there. Likewise, if you have questions, you can always reach out to their customer service number or web page.
When scammers contact you via social media, that in of itself can be a tell-tale sign of a scam. Consider, would an income tax collector contact you over social media? The answer there is no. For example, in the U.S. the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) makes it quite clear that they will never contact taxpayers via social media. (Let alone send angry, threatening messages.) In all, legitimate businesses and organizations don’t use social media as a channel for official communications. They have accepted ways they will, and will not, contact you. If you have any doubts about a communication you received, contact the business or organization in question directly and follow up with one of their customer service representatives.
Some phishing attacks involve attachments packed with malware like the ransomware, viruses, and keyloggers we mentioned earlier. If you receive a message with such an attachment, delete it. Even if you receive an email with an attachment from someone you know, follow up with that person. Particularly if you weren’t expecting an attachment from them. Scammers will often hijack or spoof email accounts of everyday people to spread malware.
On computers and laptops, you can hover your cursor over links without clicking on them to see the web address. Take a close look at the addresses the message is using. If it’s an email, look at the email address. Maybe the address doesn’t match the company or organization at all. Or maybe it looks like it almost does, yet it adds a few letters or words to the name. This marks yet another sign that you may have a phishing attack on your hands. Scammers also use the common tactic of a link shortener, which creates links that almost look like strings of indecipherable text. These shortened links mask the true address, which may indeed be a link to scam site. Delete the message. If possible, report it. Many social media platforms and messaging apps have built-in controls for reporting suspicious accounts and messages.
On social media and messaging platforms, stick to following, friending, and messaging people who you really know. As for those people who contact you out of the blue, be suspicious. Sad to say, they’re often scammers canvassing these platforms for victims. Better yet, where you can, set your profile to private, which makes it more difficult for scammers select and stalk you for an attack.
How’d that scammer get your phone number or email address anyway? Chances are, they pulled that information off a data broker site. Data brokers buy, collect, and sell detailed personal information, which they compile from several public and private sources, such as local, state, and federal records, plus third parties like supermarket shopper’s cards and mobile apps that share and sell user data. Moreover, they’ll sell it to anyone who pays for it, including people who’ll use that information for scams. You can help reduce those scam texts and calls by removing your information from those sites. Our Personal Data Cleanup scans some of the riskiest data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info.
Online protection software can protect you in several ways. First, it can offer safe browsing features that can identify malicious links and downloads, which can help prevent clicking them. Further, it can steer you away from dangerous websites and block malware and phishing sites if you accidentally click on a malicious link. And overall, strong virus and malware protection can further block any attacks on your devices. Be sure to protect your smartphones in addition to your computers and laptops as well, particularly given all the sensitive things we do on them, like banking, shopping, and booking rides and travel.
Once phishing attacks were largely the domain of bogus emails, yet now they’ve spread to texts, social media, and messaging apps—anywhere a scammer can send a fraudulent message while posing as a reputable source.
Scammers count on you taking the bait, the immediate feelings of fear or concern that there’s a problem with your taxes or one of your accounts. They also prey on scarcity, like during the holidays where people search for great deals on gifts and have plenty of packages on the move. With a critical eye, you can often spot those scams. Sometimes, a pause and a little thought is all it takes. You can stay one step ahead of scammers with the power of AI, our new McAfee Scam Protection can alert you when scam texts pop up on your device or phone. Removing the guessing and it can block risky sites if you accidentally follow a scam link in a text, email, social media, and more. And in the cases where a particularly cagey attack makes its way through, online protection software can warn you that the link you’re about to click is indeed a trap.
Taken all together, you have plenty of ways you can beat scammers at their game.
The post How to Protect Yourself From Phishing Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Written by James Schmidt
Editor’s Note: We often speak of online scams in our blogs, ones that cost victims hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This account puts a face on one of those scams—along with the personal, financial, and emotional pain that they can leave in their wake. This is the story of “Meredith,” whose aunt “Leslie” fell victim to an emerging form on online elder fraud. Our thanks to James for bringing it forward and to “Meredith’s” family for sharing it, all so others can prevent such scams from happening to them.
“Embarrassing. Simply embarrassing.” She shook her head. “It’s too raw. I can’t talk about it right now. I need time.”
Her aunt had been scammed. To the tune of $100,000 dollars. My colleague—we both work in the security industry—felt a peculiar sense of loss.
“I work in this industry. I thought I’d done everything right. I’ve passed on enough warnings to my family and friends to ensure they’d avoid the fate of the scammed. Simply because I’m in this industry does not imply my circle is always aware of all the threats to them, even if I do my best to teach them.”
“My mental state, recently, borders on shame; this feeling, you know? How could someone working in my industry have something like this happen to a family member?”
I told her many people working in other industries cannot control what happens to people in their families even if people in that industry had knowledge that could have helped them or otherwise avoided a problem altogether.
“I know, but this simply should never have happened! My aunt is one of the smartest, most conscientious people I know, and she fell for this. It’s crazy and I can’t wrap my head around it.”
My colleague, let’s call her Meredith (not her real name as she’s a bit ashamed to know this happened to a family member), told me the beginnings.
Let’s call her aunt Leslie.
Her story unfolds, the overall picture a pastiche of millions of people in the United States today. Her aunt is retired, bored, lonely, and isolated. She feels adrift without something to occupy her time; she was looking for companionship, connections, someone (anyone) to talk to. Her feelings intensified during the pandemic. She morphed into perfect prey for scammers of what is now known as the “Pig Butchering Scam.”
The term “Pig Butchering” has a visceral and raw feel to it, which falls right in line with how brutal this scam can be. It’s a long con game, where the scammer befriends the victim and encourages them to make small investments through the scammer, which get bigger and bigger over time. The scammer builds trust early with what appear to be small investment wins. None of it is legit. The money goes right into the scammer’s pocket, even as the scammer shows the victim phony financial statements and dashboards to show off the bogus returns. Confidence grows. The scammer wrings even larger sums out of the victim. And then disappears.
It was a targeted attack that started innocuously enough with a “fake wrong number”. An SMS arrives. A text conversation starts. The scammer then apologizes but tells Leslie someone gave them the number to initiate the text.
The scammer then uses emotional and psychological techniques to keep Leslie hooked. “How are you, are you having a nice day?” Leslie, being bored and interested, engages willingly.
The scammer asks to talk directly, not via text: and a phone conversation ensues. The scammer proceeds to describe—in very soothing detail—what they are doing, helping people, like Leslie, invest their “hard-earned money” into something that will make them more money, to help them out in retirement.
Of course, it is too good to be true.
“The craziest part of all of this is my aunt refuses—to this day—to believe she’s been scammed!”
She still thinks this scammer is a “friend” even though the entire family is up in arms over this, all of whom beg her aunt to “open her eyes.”
“My aunt still thinks she’d going to see that money again, or even make some money, which is crazy. The scammers are so good at emotional intelligence; really leveraging heartstrings and psychological makeup of the forlorn in society. My aunt finally agreed to stop sending more money to the scammers, but only after the entire family threatened to cut her off from the rest of the family. It took a lot to get her to stop trusting the scammers.”
Meredith feels this is doubly sad as the aunt in question is not someone they’d ever imagine would in this predicament. She was always the upright one, always the diligent and hardworking and the best with money. She is smart and savvy and we could never imagine her to be taken by these people and taken so easily. It boggles the mind.”
She did start to change in the last few years. And the pandemic created a weird situation. Retirement, loneliness from loss of a partner, and the added burden of the pandemic created a perfect storm for her to open herself up to someone willingly, simply for the sake of connection.
“No one deserves this. It has rocked my family to the core. It is not only about the money, but we’ve found family bonds stretched. She believes these random people, these scammers, more than she believes her own family. Have we been neglectful of our aunt? Does she no longer put her faith in people she knows, rather gives money to complete strangers?”
Being a security professional does not provide magical protection. We are more aware of scams and scammers, and how they work, and what to look for, and we try to do all we can to keep our family aware of scams out there in the big wide world, but we are human. We fall short.
Diligence is action. Awareness is action. Education is action.
We need to be better, all of us, at socializing risky things. We need to consistently educate our family and friends to protect themselves, not only via security software (which everyone should have as default) but by providing tips and tricks and warnings for things we all need to be on the lookout. This is not a one-time thing. The cliché holds true: “If you see something say something.” Repetition helps.
In today’s world, the need for protecting people’s security, identity, and privacy is critical to keeping them safe. Scammers long stopped focusing on attacking only your computer. Now focus more than ever on YOU: your identity, your privacy, your trust. If they get you there, they soon get your money.
As for contributing factors to scammers success with their victims, such as loneliness, isolation, and boredom, they all have remedies. Make connections with your loved ones, especially those easily tagged as vulnerable, those you feel might be at risk. Reach out. It may be hard sometimes due to distance and other factors but make it a point to connect. There is a reason these scammers are succeeding. They are stepping into roles of companions to people who are desperate for connection.
Most people are greatly saddened at seeing other people being “taken.” Let’s work together to help stop the scammers.
Look out for each other, and get your people protected!
Editor’s Closing Note:
If you or someone you know suspects elder fraud, the following resources can help:
For further reading on scams and scam prevention, check out the guides in our McAfee Safety Series, which provide in-depth advice on protecting your identity and privacy—and your family from scams. They’re ready to download and share.
The post A Scam in the Family—How a Close Relative Lost $100,000 to an Elder Scam appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Holding the door for someone might open the way to a cyberattack. For anyone who works in a secure building or workplace, they might want to rethink that courtesy. The hackers and thieves behind piggybacking and tailgating attacks count on it.
Piggyback and tailgating attacks occur when an unauthorized person gains access to a restricted workplace, one that requires some form of ID to enter. While quite similar, these attacks have an important difference:
In both cases, these unauthorized entries can put businesses and organizations at risk. They give potential bad actors all kinds of access to sensitive information and devices.
Trade secrets get stolen this way, as does customer information. In yet more malicious cases, bad actors might gain entry with the intent of sabotaging technology or hijacking a network. And of course, bad actors might do harm to people or property.
Businesses and organizations that find themselves at risk include those that:
Different businesses and organizations have different forms of security in place. You might be among the many who use a smart badge or some form of biometric security to enter a building or certain areas within a building.
However, determined bad actors will look for ways around these measures. With piggyback and tailgating attacks, it’s far easier for them to follow someone into a workplace than it is to break into a workplace.
Bad actors will simply walk in when someone holds the door for them. It’s as simple as that. Additionally, they’ll try several different tricks by:
In all, piggybacking and tailgating attacks rely on social engineering—playing off people’s innate courtesy, willingness to help, or even discomfort with conflict. Essentially, the attacker manipulates human nature.
A good portion of prevention falls on the owner of the building, whether that’s a business, organization, or a landlord. It falls on them to install security hardpoints like badge scanners, keypad locks, biometric scanners, and so on to keep the property secure. Moreover, employers owe it to themselves and their employees to train them on security measures.
Yet you can take further steps to prevent a piggybacking or tailgating attack on your workplace. Some steps include:
Also consider the security of your devices or any other sensitive information you work with. If a bad actor slips into your workplace, you can take other steps to prevent theft or damage.
Some aspects of piggybacking and tailgating prevention seem like they go against our better nature. We want to be kind, helpful, and sometimes we’d simply rather avoid confrontation. Again, piggybackers and tailgaters count on that. Yet a door is only as secure as the person who uses it—or who opens it for someone else.
The post How to Protect Yourself From Tailgating Attacks appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Something looks a little … sketchy. Is that website safe or unsafe?
Nowadays, it can take a bit work to tell.
And that’s by design. Increasingly, hackers and scammers go to great pains when they create their malicious websites. They take extra steps to make their sites look legit, when in fact they’re anything but. Certainly, plenty of other hackers and scammers slap together malicious sites that still look a bit roughshod, which makes them easier to spot.
So whether it’s a clever knockoff or a slapdash effort, unsafe websites of all kinds have several telltale signs you can spot. We’ll show you, and let’s start things off with what makes an unsafe website unsafe in the first place.
Unsafe websites typically harbor one of two primary forms of attack—yet sometimes both:
Malware: Hackers will use their sites to install malware on your device, often by tricking you into clicking or tapping on a download. They might tempt you with an offer, a prize, a show to stream—just about anything you might want to otherwise download. (Recently, we saw hackers installing malware on sites that offered to stream dubbed versions of the “Barbie” movie.)
Phishing: Another classic attack. Phishing involves scammers who try to hoodwink you into providing account or financial information. Common ruses include links in emails, texts, and DMs that appear to be urgent messages from streaming services, banks, social media, and other accounts. Of course, those messages are phony.
As a result, unsafe websites can lead to some not-so-good things.
On the malware side, attackers can install spyware and similar apps that siphon financial and personal information from your device while you’re using it. Other malware might steal files outright or maliciously delete them altogether. Ransomware remains a major concern today as well, where attackers hold devices and data hostage. And even if victims end up paying the ransom, they have no guarantee that the attacker will free their device or data.
Phishing attacks often lead to financial headaches, sometimes large ones at that. It depends on the information scammers get their hands on. In some cases, the damage might lead to identity fraud and a few illicit charges on a debit or credit card. If scammers gather enough information, they can take that a step further and commit identity theft. That can include opening new credit or loans in your name. It could also give a scammer the info they need to get driver’s licenses or employment in your name.
Above and beyond committing fraud or theft on their own, scammers might also sell stolen information to others on the dark web.
Again, all not-so-good. Yet quite preventable.
For some sites, it only takes one sign. For other sites, it takes a few signs—a series of red flags that warn you a site is unsafe. When you’re online, keep a sharp eye out for the following:
The “s” stands for “secure.” Specifically, it means that the website uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser. SSL helps prevent others from intercepting and reading your sensitive information as it’s transmitted, which is particularly important when you shop or bank online. Likewise, you can also look for a little lock symbol in the address bar of your web browser. That’s one more way you can spot a site that uses SSL.
From spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, to stretched out logos and cheap photography, some unsafe websites are designed poorly. Legitimate businesses pride themselves on error-free and professional-looking sites. If a website looks like it got cobbled together in a hurry or doesn’t seem to be well-designed, that’s usually a red flag. The site might be unsafe, created by attackers who don’t have a strong attention to detail—or the creative capabilities to create a good-looking website in the first place.
Plenty of unsafe sites are imposter sites. They’ll try to pass themselves off as a legitimate company, like the streaming services, banks, and so forth that we mentioned earlier—all to get a hold of your account information. With all these imposter sites in play, look at the site’s address. Scammers will gin up web addresses that are close to but different from legitimate sites, so close that you might miss it. If you’re uncertain about the address, leave the page. Also note that many companies have web pages that provide lists of the official addresses that they use. Amazon provides on example, and we do the same here at McAfee. Reviewing these lists can help you spot an imposter site.
A window or graphic pops up on your screen. The site you’re on says that it’s identified a security issue with your device. Or maybe it says that your system isn’t current. Either way, there’s a file the site wants you to download. “You can correct the issue with a click!” Don’t. It’s a classic trick. Instead of fixing your non-existent problem, the download will create one. Scammers use the security alert trick to install malware on the devices of unsuspecting victims.
A screen full of links insisting you to click ranks among the top signs of an unsafe site. So much so, it’s often the subject of sitcom bits. Needless to say, the attackers behind these sites want you to click for one of several reasons. It might be to get you to download malware. It might be to generate ad revenue with clicks. Or it might be to get you to click a link that redirects you to another malicious site. In all, if you encounter a site like this, close your browser. And then run a system scan with your online protection software.
These unsafe sites sprout up around the holidays and gift-giving seasons. When stores run low on particularly popular or hot items, scammers will quickly launch sites that claim these items are in stock and ready to ship. Similarly, they might promote popular items at a deep discount. Of course, shopping at these sites will likely lead to one thing—a credit card charge and no item on your doorstep. Be wary when you see ads for stores in your social media feed, in search, and elsewhere. Stick with known, trusted retailers. (And for more on shopping safely online, give this article a quick read.)
These sites bear similarities to malicious online shopping sites. When popular movies hit the big screen or major sporting events come around, so do scam sites that promise to stream them for free or at a low cost. Avoid them. Trusted streamers will only carry shows and events that they have the rights to. If you find an offer to stream something that’s heavily discounted, free, or not available on known media outlets, it’s likely a scam. At the very least, it might serve up pirated content, which could carry malware threats along with it.
Not every site that promotes some kind of giveaway or deal is a scam. Yet the ones that ask for personal or financial information likely are. Scammers prey on people’s love for saving money or even winning a buck or two. Enter the prize, coupon, and quiz sites. Malicious prize and coupon sites will often ask for credit or debit card information, often under the guise of a payout or a discount. Malicious quiz sites will likewise ask for all kinds of personal information, typically questions about the name of your pet, the first car you owned, or where you went to school. The questions share much in common with the security questions used by banks and credit card companies. Handing this information over could lead to a breached account. Give these sites a pass.
Comprehensive online protection software like ours includes web protection that can spot malicious sites for you. It has further features that can prevent downloading malware by accident, not to mention strong antivirus protection if a hacker makes their way through to you. In all, it gives you extra confidence that wherever your travels take you online, you’re protected from sketchy and unsafe sites.
However, another part of your best defense against unsafe websites is you. Knowing what the red flags are and the kinds of information hackers want to steal can help you avoid their attacks from the start.
The post How to Tell Whether a Website Is Safe or Unsafe appeared first on McAfee Blog.
What color jersey will you be sporting this November and December? The World Cup is on its way to television screens around the world, and scores of fans are dreaming of cheering on their team at stadiums throughout Qatar. Meanwhile, cybercriminals are dreaming of stealing the personally identifiable information (PII) of fans seeking last-minute vacation and ticket deals.
Don’t let the threat of phishers and online scammers dampen your team spirit this World Cup tournament. Here are three common schemes cybercriminals will likely employ and a few tips to help you dribble around their clumsy offense and protect your identity, financial information, and digital privacy.
Phishers will be out in full force attempting to capitalize on World Cup fever. People wrapped up in the excitement may jump on offers that any other time of the year they would treat with skepticism. For example, in years past, fake contests and travel deals inundated email inboxes across the world. Some companies do indeed run legitimate giveaways, and cybercriminals slip in their phishing attempts among them.
If you receive an email or text saying that you’re the winner of a ticket giveaway, think back: Did you even enter a contest? If not, treat any “winner” notification with skepticism. It’s very rare for a company to automatically enter people into a drawing. Usually, companies want you to act – subscribe to a newsletter or engage with a social media post, for example – in exchange for your entry into their contest. Also, beware of emails that urge you to respond within a few hours to “claim your prize.” While it’s true that real contest winners must reply promptly, organized companies will likely give you at least a day if not longer to acknowledge receipt.
Traveling is rarely an inexpensive endeavor. Flights, hotels, rental cars, dining costs, and tourist attraction admission fees add up quickly. In the case of this year’s host country, Qatar, there’s an additional cost for American travelers: visas.
If you see package travel deals to the World Cup that seem too good to pass up … pass them up. Fake ads for ultra-cheap flights, hotels, and tickets may appear not only in your email inbox but also on your social media feed. Just because it’s an ad doesn’t mean it comes from a legitimate company. Legitimate travel companies will likely have professional-looking websites with clear graphics and clean website copy. Search for the name of the organization online and see what other people have to say about the company. If no search results appear or the website looks sloppy, proceed with caution or do not approach at all.
Regarding visas, be wary of anyone offering to help you apply for a visa. There are plenty of government-run websites that’ll walk you through the process, which isn’t difficult as long as you leave enough time for processing. Do not send your physical passport to anyone who is not a confirmed government official.
Even fans who’ve given up on watching World Cup matches in person aren’t out of the path of scams. Sites claiming to have crystal clear streams of every game could be malware spreaders in disguise. Malware and ransomware targeting home computers often lurk on sketchy sites. All it takes is a click on one bad link to let a cybercriminal or a virus into your device.
Your safest route to good-quality live game streams is through the official sites of your local broadcasting company or the official World Cup site. You may have to pay a fee, but in the grand scheme of things, that fee could be a lot less expensive than replacing or repairing an infected device.
Here’s an excellent rule to follow with any electronic correspondence: Never send anyone your passwords, routing and account number, passport information, or Social Security Number. A legitimate organization will never ask for your password, and it’s best to communicate any sensitive financial or identifiable information over the phone, not email or text as they can easily fall into the wrong hands. Also, do not wire large sums of money to someone you just met online.
Don’t let scams ruin your enjoyment of this year’s World Cup! With these tips, you should be able to avoid the most common schemes but to boost your confidence in your online presence, consider signing up for McAfee+. Think of McAfee+ as the ultimate goalkeeper who’ll block any cybercriminals looking to score on you. With identity monitoring, credit lock, unlimited VPN and antivirus, and more, you can surf safely and with peace of mind.
The post Watch Out for These 3 World Cup Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Smishing and vishing are scams where criminals attempt to get users to click a fraudulent link through a phone text message, email, or voicemail. These scams are becoming increasingly popular as cybercriminals try to take advantage of people who are more likely to fall for them, such as those who aren’t as familiar with technology or who may be experiencing a crisis.
Be aware that cybercrime and hacking can happen to anyone. Criminals are always looking for new ways to exploit people, and they know that others may not be cautious or recognize the warning signs of phishing scams when using the internet. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the different types of cybercrime and how to protect yourself.
This article discusses how to protect yourself from smishing attempts and scams where criminals try to get you to click on a fraudulent link or respond to their voicemail message to steal your personal data.
Most people are familiar with phishing scams, where scammers try to trick you into giving them your personal or financial information by pretending to be a legitimate company or organization. But have you ever heard of smishing or vishing?
Smishing is a type of phishing scam where attackers send SMS messages (or text messages) to trick victims into sharing personal information or installing malware on their devices. Vishing is almost identical to smishing, except cybercriminals use VoIP (Voice over IP) to place phone calls to trick victims instead of SMS (short message service) messages.
Smishing messages often appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a well-known company or government agency. It may even include urgent language or threats in an effort to get victims to act quickly. In some cases, the message may also include a link that directs victims to a fake website where they are prompted to enter personal information or download malware.
Here are some examples of smishing text messages hackers use to steal your personal details:
If you fall for a smishing scam, you could end up giving away your personal information or money. Cybercriminals use smishing messages to get personal and financial information, like your credit card number or access to your financial services.
For example, one type of smishing scam is when you get a text message that looks like it’s from your bank. The message might say there’s been suspicious activity on your account and that you need to click on a link to verify your identity. If you do click on the link, you’ll be taken to a fake website where you’ll be asked to enter your banking information. Once the scammers have your login information, they have access to clean out your account.
Smishing scams can be very difficult to spot, but there are some telltale signs to look for and steps to take to protect yourself.
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from smishing scams is to be able to recognize the signs of a smishing text message. Here are some tips:
While you can’t avoid smishing attacks altogether, you can block spam text messages you receive on your mobile phone. iPhone and Android have cybersecurity tools like spam filters and phone number blocking to help protect you from phishing attacks and malicious links.
To set up spam filters on your iPhone:
To set up spam filters on your Android mobile device:
McAfee Mobile Security is a mobile security app that helps protect your phone from malware, phishing attacks, and other online threats. McAfee Mobile Security is available for Android and iOS cell phones.
One of the benefits of using McAfee Mobile Security is that it can help detect and block smishing attacks. With identity monitoring, McAfee Mobile Security monitors your sensitive information like email accounts, credit card numbers, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and more to protect against identity theft. They notify you if they find any security breaches.
Other benefits include:
These days, our lives are more intertwined with our mobile devices than ever. We use them to stay connected with our loved ones on social media, conduct our business, and even access our most personal, sensitive data. It’s no surprise that mobile cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important.
McAfee Mobile Security is a comprehensive security solution that helps protect your device from viruses, malware, and other online threats. It also offers a variety of other features, like a secure VPN to protect your credit card numbers and other personal data.
Whether you’re browsing your favorite website, keeping up with friends on social media, or shopping online at Amazon, McAfee Mobile Security provides the peace of mind that comes from knowing your mobile device is safe and secure.
So why wait? Don‘t let the smishers win. Get started today with McAfee Mobile Security and rest easy knowing your mobile device and sensitive information are protected.
The post What Is Smishing and Vishing, and How Do You Protect Yourself? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
One of the oldest tricks in the cybercrime playbook is phishing. It first hit the digital scene in 1995, at a time when millions flocked to America Online (AOL) every day. And if we know one thing about cybercriminals, it’s that they tend to follow the masses. In earlier iterations, phishing attempts were easy to spot due to link misspellings, odd link redirects, and other giveaways. However, today’s phishing tricks have become personalized, advanced, and shrouded in new disguises. So, let’s take a look at some of the different types, real-world examples and how you can recognize a phishing lure.
Every day, users get sent thousands of emails. Some are important, but most are just plain junk. These emails often get filtered to a spam folder, where phishing emails are often trapped. But sometimes they slip through the digital cracks, into a main inbox. These messages typically have urgent requests that require the user to input sensitive information or fill out a form through an external link. These phishing emails can take on many personas, such as banking institutions, popular services, and universities. As such, always remember to stay vigilant and double-check the source before giving away any information.
A sort of sibling to email phishing, link manipulation is when a cybercriminal sends users a link to malicious website under the ruse of an urgent request or deadline. After clicking on the deceptive link, the user is brought to the cybercriminal’s fake website rather than a real or verified link and asked to input or verify personal details. This exact scenario happened last year when several universities and businesses fell for a campaign disguised as a package delivery issue from FedEx. This scheme is a reminder that anyone can fall for a cybercriminals trap, which is why users always have to careful when clicking, as well as ensure the validity of the claim and source of the link. To check the validity, it’s always a good idea to contact the source directly to see if the notice or request is legitimate.
Corporate executives have always been high-level targets for cybercriminals. That’s why C-suite members have a special name for when cybercriminals try to phish them – whaling. What sounds like a silly name is anything but. In this sophisticated, as well as personalized attack, a cybercriminal attempts to manipulate the target to obtain money, trade secrets, or employee information. In recent years, organizations have become smarter and in turn, whaling has slowed down. Before the slowdown, however, many companies were hit with data breaches due to cybercriminals impersonating C-suite members and asking lower-level employees for company information. To avoid this pesky phishing attempt, train C-suite members to be able to identify phishing, as well as encourage unique, strong passwords on all devices and accounts.
Just as email spam and link manipulation are phishing siblings, so too are whaling and spear-phishing. While whaling attacks target the C-suite of a specific organization, spear-phishing rather targets lower-level employees of a specific organization. Just as selective and sophisticated as whaling, spear-phishing targets members of a specific organization to gain access to critical information, like staff credentials, intellectual property, customer data, and more. Spear-phishing attacks tend to be more lucrative than a run-of-the-mill phishing attack, which is why cybercriminals will often spend more time crafting and obtaining personal information from these specific targets. To avoid falling for this phishing scheme, employees must have proper security training so they know how to spot a phishing lure when they see one.
With so many things to click on a website, it’s easy to see why cybercriminals would take advantage of that fact. Content spoofing is based on exactly that notion – a cybercriminal alters a section of content on a page of a reliable website to redirect an unsuspecting user to an illegitimate website where they are then asked to enter personal details. The best way to steer clear of this phishing scheme is to check that the URL matches the primary domain name.
When users search for something online, they expect reliable resources. But sometimes, phishing sites can sneak their way into legitimate results. This tactic is called search engine phishing and involves search engines being manipulated into showing malicious results. Users are attracted to these sites by discount offers for products or services. However, when the user goes to buy said product or service, their personal details are collected by the deceptive site. To stay secure, watch out for potentially sketchy ads in particular and when in doubt always navigate to the official site first.
With new technologies come new avenues for cybercriminals to try and obtain personal data. Vishing, or voice phishing, is one of those new avenues. In a vishing attempt, cybercriminals contact users by phone and ask the user to dial a number to receive identifiable bank account or personal information through the phone by using a fake caller ID. For example, just last year, a security researcher received a call from their financial institution saying that their card had been compromised. Instead of offering a replacement card, the bank suggested simply blocking any future geographic-specific transactions. Sensing something was up, the researcher hung up and dialed his bank – they had no record of the call or the fraudulent card transactions. This scenario, as sophisticated as it sounds, reminds users to always double-check directly with businesses before sharing any personal information.
As you can see, phishing comes in all shapes and sizes. This blog only scratches the surface of all the ways cybercriminals lure unsuspecting users into phishing traps. The best way to stay protected is to invest in comprehensive security and stay updated on new phishing scams.
The post The Seven Main Phishing Lures of Cybercriminals appeared first on McAfee Blog.
It’s hard to imagine a world without cellphones. Whether it be a smartphone or a flip phone, these devices have truly shaped the late 20th century and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. But while users have become accustomed to having almost everything they could ever want at fingertips length, cybercriminals were busy setting up shop. To trick unsuspecting users, cybercriminals have set up crafty mobile threats – some that users may not even be fully aware of. These sneaky cyberthreats include SMSishing, fake networks, malicious apps, and grayware, which have all grown in sophistication over time. This means users need to be equipped with the know-how to navigate the choppy waters that come with these smartphone-related cyberthreats. Let’s get started.
If you use email, then you are probably familiar with what phishing is. And while phishing is commonly executed through email and malicious links, there is a form of phishing that specifically targets mobile devices called SMSishing. This growing threat allows cybercriminals to utilize messaging apps to send unsuspecting users a SMSishing message. These messages serve one purpose – to obtain personal information, such as logins and financial information. With that information, cybercriminals could impersonate the user to access banking records or steal their identity.
While this threat was once a rarity, its the rise in popularity is two-fold. The first aspect is that users have been educated to distrust email messages and the second is the rise in mobile phone usage throughout the world. Although this threat shows no sign of slowing down, there are ways to avoid a cybercriminal’s SMSishing hooks. Get started with these tips:
Public and free Wi-Fi is practically everywhere nowadays, with some destinations even having city-wide Wi-Fi set up. But that Wi-Fi users are connecting their mobile device to may not be the most secure, given cybercriminals can exploit weaknesses in these networks to intercept messages, login credentials, or other personal information. Beyond exploiting weaknesses, some cybercriminals take it a step further and create fake networks with generic names that trick unsuspecting users into connecting their devices. These networks are called “evil-twin” networks. For help in spotting these imposters, there are few tricks the savvy user can deploy to prevent an evil twin network from wreaking havoc on their mobile device:
Fake apps have become a rampant problem for Android and iPhone users alike. This is mainly in part due to malicious apps hiding in plain sight on legitimate sources, such as the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. After users download a faulty app, cybercriminals deploy malware that operates in the background of mobile devices which makes it difficult for users to realize anything is wrong. And while users think they’ve just downloaded another run-of-the-mill app, the malware is hard at work obtaining personal data.
In order to keep sensitive information out of the hands of cybercriminals, here are a few things users can look for when they need to determine whether an app is fact or fiction:
With so many types of malware out in the world, it’s hard to keep track of them all. But there is one in particular that mobile device users need to be keenly aware of called grayware. As a coverall term for software or code that sits between normal and malicious, grayware comes in many forms, such as adware, spyware or madware. While adware and spyware can sometimes operate simultaneously on infected computers, madware — or adware on mobile devices — infiltrates smartphones by hiding within rogue apps. Once a mobile device is infected with madware from a malicious app, ads can infiltrate almost every aspect on a user’s phone. Madware isn’t just annoying; it also is a security and privacy risk, as some threats will try to obtain users’ data. To avoid the annoyance, as well as the cybersecurity risks of grayware, users can prepare their devices with these cautionary steps:
The post Cybercrime’s Most Wanted: Four Mobile Threats that Might Surprise You appeared first on McAfee Blog.
How do hackers hack phones? Several ways. Just as there are several ways you can prevent it from happening to you.The thing is that our phones are like little treasure chests. They’re loaded with plenty of personal data, and we use them to shop, bank, and take care of other personal and financial matters—all of which are of high value to identity thieves. However, you can protect yourself and your phone by knowing what to look out for and by taking a few simple steps. Let’s break it down by first taking a look at some of the more common attacks.
Whether hackers sneak it onto your phone by physically accessing your phone or by tricking you into installing it via a phony app, a sketchy website, or a phishing attack, hacking software can create problems for you in a couple of ways:
Some possible signs of hacking software on your phone include:
In all, hacking software can eat up system resources, create conflicts with other apps, and use your data or internet connection to pass along your personal information into the hands of hackers—all of which can lead to some of the symptoms listed above.
These are a classic form of attack. In fact, hackers have leveled them at our computers for years now too. Phishing is where hackers impersonate a company or trusted individual to get access to your accounts or personal info or both. And these attacks take many forms, like emails, texts, instant messages, and so forth, some of which can look really legitimate. Common to them are links to bogus sites that attempt to trick you into handing over that info or that install malware to wreak havoc on your device or likewise steal information. Learning how to spot a phishing attack is one way to keep yourself from falling victim to one.
Professional hackers can use dedicated technologies that search for vulnerable mobile devices with an open Bluetooth connection. Hackers can pull off these attacks when they are within range of your phone, up to 30 feet away, usually in a populated area. When hackers make a Bluetooth connection to your phone, they can possibly access your data and info, yet that data and info must be downloaded while the phone is within range. As you probably gathered, this is a more sophisticated attack given the effort and technology involved.
In August of 2019, the CEO of Twitter had his SIM card hacked by SIM card swapping scam. SIM card swapping occurs when a hacker contacts your phone provider, pretends to be you, and then asks for a replacement SIM card. Once the provider sends the new SIM to the hacker, the old SIM card will be deactivated, and your phone number will be effectively stolen. This means the hacker has taken control of your phone calls, messages, and so forth. This method of hacking requires the seemingly not-so-easy task of impersonating someone else, yet clearly, it happened to the CEO of a major tech company. Protecting your personal info and identity online can help prevent hackers from impersonating you to pull off this and other crimes.
While there are several ways a hacker can get into your phone and steal personal and critical information, here are a few tips to keep that from happening:
The post How Do Hackers Hack Phones and How Can I Prevent It? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
So much of our personal and professional lives are online — from online banking to connecting with friends and family to unwinding after a long day with our favorite movies and shows. The internet is a pretty convenient place to be! Unfortunately, it can also be a convenient place for cybercriminals and identity theft.
One way these scammers may try to take advantage of someone is by trying to convince them to give up their personal information or click on links that download things like malware. They might try to appear as a trustworthy source or someone you personally know. This fake online communication is called “phishing.”
As we’ve all heard before, knowledge is power. By understanding what phishing is, how it works, and the signs to look for, you can help minimize your risk and get back to enjoying the internet the way it was intended. Here’s what you should know.
You’ve probably heard of the term “phishing,” but maybe you don’t know what it means. Here’s a quick overview of how it works.
Phishing is a type of cybercrime where scammers send communications that appear to be from trusted sources like a major corporation — basically, they’re trying to play off people’s trust through what is known as social engineering. They might request sensitive information like passwords, banking information, and credit card numbers. Hackers may then use this information to access your credit cards or bank accounts.
The thing with phishing attacks, though, is that they can come through several platforms, including:
We’ve mentioned that phishers are looking to get sensitive information, but what exactly are they after? The kind of information phishing scams are after might include:
Phishing scams can come in many forms, but understanding the common types of phishing attacks can help you keep identity thieves at bay. Here are some to be aware of:
A phishing email is a fraudulent email made to look like it’s from a legitimate company or person. It may ask you to provide personal information or click on a link that downloads malware. For example, an email allegedly from Bank of America notes that due to suspicious activity, you should log into your bank account to verify your information.
Fortunately, there are ways to spot a phishing cyberattack like this.
While some phishing emails are sent to a broad audience, spear phishing emails target specific individuals or businesses. This allows the scammers to research the recipient and customize the message to make it look more authentic.
Examples of spear phishing emails include:
One of the best defenses against spear phishing is to contact the source of an email to verify the request. Call the colleague who’s asking you to do a wire transfer or log onto your Amazon account to check for messages.
For this highly customized scam, scammers duplicate a legitimate email you might have previously received and add attachments or malicious links to a fake website. The email then claims to be a resend of the original. Clicking a malicious link can give spammers access to your contact list. Your contacts can then receive a fake email that appears to be from you.
While clone phishing emails look authentic, there are ways to spot them. They include:
Through vishing or voice phishing, scammers call you and try to persuade you to provide sensitive data. They might use caller ID spoofing to make the call appear to be from a local business or even your own telephone number. Vishing calls are usually robocalls that leave a voicemail or prompt you to push buttons for an operator. The intent is to steal credit card information or personal and financial information to be used in identity theft.
Fortunately, there are signs that give away these attacks. They include:
If you’d like to avoid vishing calls, there are several things you can do. When you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer the phone. Let the call go to voicemail, then block it if it isn’t legitimate. Use a call-blocking app to filter calls coming to your cellphone. To block calls on a landline, check with your service provider regarding the services offered.
Dealing with a cybercriminal is no time to be polite. If you do answer a vishing call, hang up as soon as you realize it. Don’t answer any questions, even with a yes or no. Your voice could be recorded and used for identity theft. If they ask you to push a button to be removed from a call list, don’t do it. You’ll just receive more calls.
If you receive a voicemail and are unsure if it’s legitimate, call the company directly using the phone number on the company website. Don’t call the number in the voicemail.
If you’ve ever received a text pretending to be from Amazon or FedEx, you’ve experienced smishing. Scammers use smishing (SMS phishing) messages to get people to click on malicious links with their smartphones. Some examples of common fraudulent text messages include:
If you receive a smishing text, don’t respond because it’ll cause you to receive more texts. Instead, delete the text and block the number.
Pop-up phishing occurs when you’re on a website and a fake pop-up ad appears. It encourages you to click a link or call a number to resolve the issue. Some of these reload repeatedly when you try to close them or freeze your browser.
Common pop-up scams include:
If you see a scam pop-up ad, don’t click on the ad or try to click the close button within the ad. Instead, close out of the browser window. If your browser is frozen, use the task manager to close the program on a PC. On a Mac, click the Apple icon and choose Force Quit.
Being online makes us visible to a lot of other people, including scammers. Fortunately, there are things you can do if you become a victim of phishing — allowing you to get back to enjoying the digital world. They include:
You deserve to live online freely. But that might mean taking steps to protect yourself from phishing attempts. Here are some ways you can improve your cybersecurity and keep scammers at bay:
You don’t have to stop enjoying the internet just because of phishing attempts. McAfee’s identity theft protection services, including antivirus software, make it possible to enjoy your digital world while staying safe from scammers and identity thieves.
With 24/7 active monitoring of your sensitive data, including up to 60 unique types of personal information, McAfee is all about proactive protection. This means you’ll be alerted 10 months sooner than our competitors — so you can take action before your data is used illegally. We also provide up to $1 million of ID theft coverage and hands-on restoration service in the case of a data breach.
The best part is that you can customize a package to meet your needs, including virus protection, identity theft monitoring, and coverage for multiple devices. We make it safer to surf the net.
The post What Is Phishing? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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