According to ESET materials
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainians have been increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. Among the recently discovered threats is the Armageddon malware, which is downloaded by opening email attachments purportedly from the SBU National Academy.
In addition, new online fraud schemes regularly appear on the Internet, in particular, this time the attackers spread messages on the topic of “help from the Red Cross” with phishing links in popular messengers. To steal login data for online banking, fraudsters disguised themselves as representatives of Ukrainian banks.
Given the constant cyberattacks and frauds targeting Ukrainian users, ESET experts have prepared a list of the most common online threats and effective tips for computer security.
1. Phishing attacks
Typically, cybercriminals masquerade as legitimate and trusted sources, including representatives of banks, technology companies and retailers. The goal of the attackers is to convince victims to click on a link or open an email attachment. Users are then taken to a fake website that asks for certain personal information, such as credentials or financial data, or covertly downloads the threat to the device.
2. Dangerous downloads and malicious advertising
In some cases, visiting an infected site or resource with dangerous advertisements may result in the download of malicious software. Usually, well-known sites are not attacked due to more enhanced security, but this is not always the case. Therefore, it is important to use a computer and laptop security solution that will provide protection against online threats, as well as check the correctness of the browser privacy settings.
3. Digital skimming
Hackers can also compromise the payment pages of e-commerce sites by using malware to collect card details as they are entered by the user. This type of threat is difficult to defend against because the problem is related to the provider. However, shopping on trusted sites can reduce the risk of data theft by attackers.
4. Malicious programs and files
Cybercriminals also disguise malware as legitimate-looking applications. Most of these applications are available on online forums and other third-party platforms. That is why you should download apps only from trusted sources and use an effective solution to check for malware on your device.
How to improve computer security
- Set up automatic updates for the operating system and all programs on your computer.
- Check your device for unknown applications and remove those that you do not use. Because the fewer applications on your computer, the lower the likelihood of their vulnerabilities being exploited by attackers.
- Install a multi-level computer security solution.
- Set up and perform regular backups of data that should be stored on a separate device.
- Protect your browser by adjusting privacy and security settings and making sure you have the latest version.
- Turn on and configure the firewall on your OS and home router, and check that its settings are correct, including setting a strong password.
- Use multi-factor authentication to protect accounts from being hijacked by phishing attacks and other threats.
- Avoid using unknown USB drives as they may contain malware.
- Use a password manager to keep unique credentials that are hard to crack.
- Download applications and files only from trusted sources, and avoid using pirated materials that can often spread malware.
However, even following all these recommendations, the risk of infection by online threats remains. Therefore, always be careful not to respond to unsolicited emails and online messages and make sure that important data on your device is properly protected, in particular by using an encryption solution.
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