Update 2.3.22: Phishing and online scam victims increased because of COVID-19 induced lockdowns.
Kaspersky reported that the Philippines have received the most phishing attacks compare with the other ASEAN countries.
The security company revealed that it blocked phishing attacks in 22.36% of users in the Philippines, 20.47% in Malaysia, 16.65% in Indonesia, 15.63% in Vietnam,15.33% in Thailand, and 6.15% in Singapore.
Aside from phishing attacks, another popular cybercrime, which has become increasingly common, is password stealers. In 2019, there was a 72% rise in the number of users (two million in total) hit by malware designed to harvest consumers’ digital data. Password stealers infiltrate browsers and steal stored passwords, leading to users’ private data being accessed via online accounts without their permission and being raided by malefactors.
Technology has made our lives simpler, and better (depending on what glass you are looking at). But this also brought us personal, privacy and economic risks that we need to be aware of, and be ready to protect ourselves online.
To keep sensitive information protected from phishing attacks and other privacy threats, security experts recommend the following:
- Avoid suspicious links or applications. If you have been shared a link or document from an unknown source, or are not sure what it may contain, check with the sender
- Remain vigilant while using the internet by reading links and service agreements carefully.
- Use only certified and secure programs and websites.
- Keep your internet security services up-to-date by installing the latest patches and product updates. This way, your device remains protected against the latest threats
- Start using “Privacy Checker”, an online tool that was created to help people set up their social media accounts securely
- Installing a reliable security solution that can protect your account details and notify you should any of your personal data be compromised
If you want to read the complete Kaspersky report on International Privacy Day 2020, go here.
