Cybercrime has been around since the inception of the internet. However, as technology became sophisticated over the years, so did cybercrime. Hackers come up with new ways to target individuals and companies worldwide every now and then.
According to Interpol, the most recent method being followed by hackers is using COVID-19 as bait. The organization has warned that as the world grapples with the ongoing global pandemic, network defenses have lowered, giving hackers a free pass.
Interpol has listed three ways using which hackers can infiltrate your systems:
- Malicious domains that use terms related to the ongoing pandemic tricking people into visiting the site.
- Malware being deployed by using coronavirus-related interactive maps.
- Ransomware being deployed in organizations, especially hospitals and medical centers.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
To help people cope up with the increased number of attacks, Interpol has released a set of recommendations that you can follow to keep safe. These are:
- Install the latest antivirus on your phone and computer.
- Secure your email gateways to thwart threats via spam.
- Improve the security of your home network.
- Secure system administrations vulnerabilities that attackers could abuse.
- Disable third-party or outdated components that could be used as entry points.
- Download applications and software from trusted sources only.
- Regularly check and update the privacy settings on your social media accounts
Know that hackers constantly change and morph their methods so a general sense of caution and skepticism goes a long way.
