Category: Cybersecurity
Delivery scam text links on rise again – and they’re more difficult to spot
Scam text messaging (smishing) is on the rise again as GCHQ warns that companies using shortened or unclear web links are making it more difficult for the public to spot the offenders. As part of measures to get tough on fraudsters, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, has published new advice for…
Almost 6 billion accounts affected in data breaches in 2021
The year 2021 was record-breaking in terms of the sheer size of data breaches. According to the data collected and analyzed by the Atlas VPN team, 5.9 billion accounts were affected by data breaches throughout 2021. Atlas VPN has retrieved and calculated the numbers of breached accounts based on multiple publicly available sources. The total…
Nearly half of global ransomware attacks targeted US in 2021
Out of 2,845 witnessed ransomware attacks worldwide, cybercriminals launched 1,352 of them at the US last year. Cybercriminals targeted French organizations in 146 ransomware attacks. 1 in 5 ransomware attacks is directed to a European country. The industrial and energy sector suffered 599 ransomware attacks globally in 2021. Threat actors chose businesses in the retail…
How to Enjoy the Internet Safely
With the growing demand for digital networking streams and online platforms, the internet is available globally in almost every region, connecting people. According to the statistics of 2021, the internet was accessed by over 4.66 billion individuals from various regions around the globe. Decades back, the internet was very rare and unpopular among the youth…
Ransomware continues as dominant cybersecurity threat
Cybersecurity company Kroll announces its inaugural Threat Landscape Report, revealing ransomware as the dominant threat type in Q3 2021. The report, which will be published quarterly, looks at the evolution of cyber threats, including the most prominent threat incident attack methods, most prominent threat actor groups, most targeted sectors and risks on the horizon. The…
Black Friday sees 300% rise in malware attacks
In the first two weeks of November, all cyber-attacks grew by 10% and malware attacks spiked by 300% on Black Friday this year, shows Capture Labs data and a recent study by the cybersecurity company Surfshark. Numbers returned to normal November levels on Cyber Monday. The number of websites attacked 50 times a day by…
Cyberstalking and abuse rife in the UK, claims research
Ahead of the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women tomorrow (25th November), fresh research data into stalkerware and tech abuse suggests that the UK has one of the highest levels of cyberstalking in Europe. Kaspersky’s research highlights that the UK ranks second-highest for domestic abuse in Europe: nearly three-in-10 surveyed UK adults…
Black Friday phishing scams rise over 200% in Black Friday run up
The total number of financial phishing attacks disguised as e-payment systems more than doubled from September (627,560) to October 2021 (1,935,905), indicating a 208% increase, according to Kaspersky’s ‘Black Friday 2021: How to Have a Scam-Free Shopping Day report. The sales season attracts the attention of shoppers and retailers. However, it is also a favourite…
Why WFH Greatly Contributed to Cyber Breaches in 2021
The COVID-19 outbreak significantly changed the way many things were done globally; businesses had to fashion out new ways of meeting customers’ needs; people had to go through long periods of lockdown; the physical workspace could not operate again. Cyber incidents were reported to rank as the third-largest business risk globally. In the face of…
8 in 10 received scam text or call in last 3 months, claims Ofcom research
Almost 45 million people have been on the receiving end of potential scam texts or calls in the last three months, new Ofcom research reveals. More than eight in 10 (82%) said they had received a suspicious message, in the form of either a text, recorded message or live phone call to a landline or mobile. This…
