Whenever dates like the Christmas cyber attacks increase. The hackers They take advantage of it to launch their attacks, since there are more purchases, more time on the Internet for the holidays, etc. In this article we are going to talk about it and what are the most frequent messages you are going to receive. The objective is to be prepared not to fall into the trap and to avoid the theft of information.
Increase in fake messages for Christmas
The Phishing attacks They are aimed at stealing passwords and personal information. They can use them to steal passwords to online shopping platforms, such as Amazon, social networks or any other service. Hackers know that there are certain times when they can be most successful, and one of them is certainly Christmas.
Keep in mind that these messages can arrive through a SMS to the mobile and also through a email. It is common, but this year we found a significant increase. In fact, according to a recent report by Proofpoint, SMS Phishing attacks have doubled this year.
Packages to be received
Something very common on these dates is to receive a message indicating that there is a problem with a package that we are waiting for, that it is ready for shipment or that we will simply receive it soon. It is not uncommon to receive an SMS or e-mail of this type on these dates, since many of us buy things online.
But of course, we are facing a message that is actually false. An attacker can impersonate Amazon so that we click on a link to see the order status or fix a bug, but in reality we are entering a fake page and they are going to steal data or sneak malware.
Gifts or discounts
Another bait that they often use for Phishing attacks at Christmas is gifts or discounts. They send an SMS or email informing that there is a significant discount on a product or that you have a discount check to redeem in an online store and thus save money on a purchase.
Again, this is a trap. That discount code may be a file to download and what we are actually downloading is malicious software. The same if it is a link where we have to fill in data to request that supposed prize.
Congratulations message
They can also use the messages of Congratulations to send malware. It is not uncommon to receive an email or SMS where they wish us Merry Christmas. Now, in this case, hackers can sneak a link to a malicious site or an attachment such as an image or text for that congratulation.
We must know how to detect a fake email and not make the mistake of downloading anything we see. Otherwise we could be leaking information without us noticing or even the access password being exposed to anyone. It is one of the common traps of Phishing.
Problem with an account
This case is also very common. They report that there is a problem with the account from Amazon, eBay or any platform. For example that someone has entered without our permission, that we have to fill in or update data or anything similar. The objective is basically that we enter.
What happens when you enter? We would be accessing a page controlled by the attackers. They could steal our passwords and put us in danger. It is a common technique by SMS, but we can also receive it by e-mail.
In short, these are the most common messages that you will receive at Christmas. You must be aware at all times of the risks, keep the equipment updated and with security programs, but especially not make mistakes. Only then will you be fully protected.
