cybercriminal: The Tricks Behind the Clicks: Cyber Scams and Psychology
- 09/03/22 09:58 AM
What is it that makes people fall for scams? Cybercrime is as hot as ever, with new and more creative scams popping up all the time. There is plenty of focus on spotting scams, but less so on what makes people miss the signs. Martina Dove, Ph.D., is a senior UX researcher at Tripwire and an expert in fraud psychology. Her research into the brain’s reaction to cyber scams and how the human mind operates when presented with a scam makes for an interesting read. On top of this, it also takes a look at fraud, and how susceptible we are to … (12 comments)
cybercriminal: Be Aware of These IRS Stimulus Check Scam Tactics
- 12/02/20 11:50 AM
The IRS has taken the step of urging taxpayers to be aware of emails and calls that can lead to people giving up their personal info to cybercriminals. The IRS has been telling taxpayers to take more care than before during this time. They has also reminded people that the IRS does not call taxpayers to collect or verify financial information in order to get a faster refund. The IRS also will never email nor text you asking for any information. Cyberthieves have been taking advantage of people in times of trouble, and now that we are literally in the middle of a … (22 comments)
cybercriminal: Small Business a favorite Attack Vector
- 12/29/16 06:05 AM
Small businesses are hardly immune to attacks by hackers. The illusion of low attack risks comes from the publicity that only huge corporations get when they are breached, like Target, Sony and Anthem. These are giants, so of course it makes headline news. But when a “ma and pa” business gets attacked, it’s not newsworthy. If you own a small business, ask yourself just how the mega-giant Target got infiltrated by cybercriminals in the first place. Answer: a ma and pa HVAC vendor of Target’s! Cybercriminals thrive on the myth that only big companies get attacked. They know that many small outfits … (1 comments)
cybercriminal: Ransomware Hackers provide Customer Service Dept. to Victims
- 05/27/16 11:48 PM
Yes, believe it or not, ransomware has become such a booming business for thieves, that these cyber thugs even provide bona fide customer service departments to guide their victims! When ransomware infects your computer, it holds your files hostage; you can’t access them—until you pay the hacker (usually in bitcoins). Once paid, the crook will give you a decryption “key.” Sometimes the fee will go up if you don’t pay by a deadline. Fees may a few to hundred to several hundred dollars to way more for big businesses. Thieves typically include instructions on how to pay up, and they mean business, sometimes … (3 comments)
cybercriminal: Phishing 101: How Not to Get Hooked
- 06/04/15 10:57 PM
You’d think that it would be as easy as pie to avoid getting reeled in by a phishing scam. After all, all you need to do is avoid clicking on a link inside an email or text message. How easy is that? A phishing scam is a message sent by a cybercriminal to get you to click on a link or open an attachment. Clicking on the link or attachment downloads a virus, or takes you to a malicious website (that often looks like real site). You are then tricked into entering user names, passwords and other sensitive account information on the website that the scammer then … (4 comments)
cybercriminal: What is Browser Hijacking?
- 10/16/14 10:48 PM
Imagine it. You sit down at your computer about to do your daily perusal of Buzzfeed or check out The Financial Times but your homepage is now some weird search engine you’ve never seen before. Guess what? You’ve been hijacked.
Browser hijacking is when your Internet browser (eg. Chrome, FireFox, Internet Explorer) settings are modified. Your default home or search page might get changed or you might get a lot of advertisements popping up on your computer. This is done through malicious software (malware) called hijackware. A browser hijacker is usually installed as a part of freeware, but it can also … (3 comments)
The USB device or “flash drive” can be reconfigured to work like a little thief, for instance, being made to mimic a keyboard and take instructions from the master thief to rip off data or install malware. It can be made to secrete a virus before the operating system boots up, or be programmed to alter the computer’s DNS setting to reroute traffic. There’s no good defense for these kinds of attacks. The firmware on the USB devices can’t be … (2 comments)
cybercriminal: What is Fake Antivirus Software?
- 06/20/14 11:23 PM
Most of you know how important it is to have security software on your computers to stay protected from viruses, malware, spam and other Internet threats. Unfortunately, cybercriminals also know that it is critical to have security software, and they are using this knowledge to trick us into downloading fake antivirus software that is designed to do harm to your computer.
Fake antivirus software is one of the most persistent threats on the Internet today. It masquerades as legitimate software, but is actually a malicious program that extorts money from you to “fix” your computer. And often, this new “antivirus” program disables … (2 comments)
cybercriminal: Why are Cybercriminals Moving from PCs to Mobile Devices?
- 04/10/13 11:51 AM
The number of households in the United States that rely solely on mobile phones continues to increase. As of July 2011, 31% of households had mobile phones and no landlines. Additionally, almost one in six households used mobile phones exclusively or almost exclusively, despite still having a landline. This is the first time that adults (of any age range) have been more likely to go without landlines. Most likely, in one to two decades, the landline will be as obsolete as the rotary phone is today. With almost half a billion smartphones shipped, sales of smartphones in 2011 outnumbered sales of … (0 comments)
What is it that makes people fall for scams? Cybercrime is as hot as ever, with new and more creative scams popping up all the time. There is plenty of focus on spotting scams, but less so on what makes people miss the signs.
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