(MENAFN) In a recent report by Kaspersky, it was revealed that cybercriminals have shifted their focus to the crypto industry as attacks using conventional financial threats have become less frequent in 2022. The global cybersecurity company detected a significant drop in conventional financial threats like banking PC and mobile malware last year. Meanwhile, anti-phishing systems in Kaspersky have prevented 40 percent more cryptocurrency-related phishing attacks in 2022 compared to 2021. The report stated that the year 2022 concluded with 5 million detections of crypto phishing, up from 3.6 million the year before.
The report further revealed that every seventh person surveyed was impacted by cryptocurrency phishing. The rise in cryptocurrency phishing attacks was partially attributed to the instability that occurred in the crypto market last year, which directly relies on the level of trust that users have in cryptocurrency. Scammers are continuously developing new techniques to effectively con their victims, and Kaspersky warned that the flow of scammers parasitizing in the crypto field does not seem to be drying out.
According to Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kaspersky, despite some problems that have occurred in the cryptocurrency market over the past six months, crypto still remains a symbol of getting rich quick with minimal effort. She added that scammers continue to come up with new and more interesting stories to lure victims into their networks.
One of the stories discovered by the company involved an email containing a PDF file claiming that the user registered on a cryptocurrency cloud mining platform and needs to withdraw crypts at once as their account is inactive. The file would contain a link directed to a bogus mining platform where the user would fill out a form with personal data and then pay a commission.
To ensure safe use of cryptocurrency while limiting the tendency to be conned, Kaspersky provided some recommendations in the report. These include double-checking website URLs, avoiding suspicious links, not sharing the private keys that unlock cryptocurrency wallets, staying informed about cyber threats and how to protect oneself, and conducting effective research before investing in something. The report also suggested the use of trustworthy security solutions.
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company that uses innovative security solutions and services to protect 400 million users internationally, ranging from businesses to essential infrastructure to governmental institutions and consumers. The company's report emphasizes the importance of staying vigilant and informed to protect oneself against cyber threats, especially in the crypto industry where cybercriminals are actively seeking to exploit vulnerabilities.
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