PL
DE
UK
There was a time when clumsily worded emails from cybercriminals were as easy to detect as a cactus in the middle of the desert. Scammers impersonating Nigerian princes were generally harmless, and their comicality came from their lack of proficiency in cybercrime. Unfortunately – just as the desert landscape is gradually evolving, phishing has evolved into something more subtle, more subversive. Personal information, mined from social media accounts, seems to give these fraud attempts a false sheen of authenticity. Whether it’s a plea for help for Ukrainian refugees or an alarming message about an expired antivirus, the attacks have become more convincing.
Cybercriminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence technology to keep up with the rapid development of the digital world. This may instill fear, but more importantly, it makes us realize the importance of staying vigilant and taking care of our online security.
Phising in the age of artificial intelligence – how do fraudsters extract and use your personal information?
Today, phishing is not just about emails. It’s also text messages, social media posts and even QR codes. Cybercriminals are constantly improving their methods, eliminating grammatical errors and broken English that once gave away their intentions. Today, “cyber crooks” use technology to extract personal information from social media and other data sources, which they then weave into their messages, giving them superficial authenticity. Scammers can know what bank you have an account at, who your relatives are, and even where you went to school.
Research that was once labor-intensive and reserved for only the most high-value targets can now often be automated at minimal cost, allowing fraudsters to launch more convincing and wide-ranging attacks. And open-source AI tools make the writing process easier, even for those who are not fluent in English.
However, there is no reason to panic. Although the development of technology, and with it cybercrime, may seem frightening, there are methods to avoid phishing traps.
Don’t get scammed. Meet ITH – an ISP with anti-phishing protection.
Before you start reading the messages you get, you should know one thing: don’t believe unreservedly what you see. Even if the information looks real and comes from organizations you know, it could be a trap. No serious company will ask you for your personal information via e-mail or SMS. If you get such a message, don’t respond to it. Call or write to the company you are supposedly dealing with, but use a contact you have verified yourself – not the one from the suspicious message. Also, pay attention to details. Scammers are getting better at their craft, but they still make mistakes that can alert you. It could be something like a typo, a strange email address or a messily formatted message.
And finally, don’t forget the technology that can help you. Most email inboxes have built-in protections against spam and phishing that will reject some of these fake messages. You can also install antivirus software that has additional phishing protection features.
Remember: You are the best guardian of your privacy and online security. Therefore, be vigilant, be aware and don’t be fooled!
At ITH, we know what dangers lurk for Internet users, which is why we provide our customers with a fast and reliable Internet connection and protect them from any online phishing attempts.
In a world where fraudsters are increasingly crafty, you need to always stay one step ahead of them. Our security systems are constantly updated to fend off the latest threats from cybercriminals. Using state-of-the-art filters and algorithms, we can effectively detect and block suspicious messages and sites before they have a chance to do harm. We realize that technical security alone is not enough. You also need to educate users about the risks of phishing. That’s why we provide our customers with a wealth of information on online security. Our team of experts regularly publishes guides and tips to help our customers recognize and avoid online fraud.
Click:https://ith.eu/blog/, to go to our blog and stay up to date!
ITH provides high-quality Internet services, and cares about customer security and privacy. Through our passion and continuous development, we have created ITH Security so that we can provide users with peace of mind knowing that they are safe online.
Don’t fall for phishing!
An unprepared Internet user is a tasty morsel for cybercriminals. Over the years, the method of phishing – attempts to extract data by impersonating credible institutions – has evolved. Knowledge of its most common forms and mechanisms is a prerequisite for online security.
Any uninvited messages, e.g. emails, text messages, or social media posts, could be a phishing attempt. If someone makes contact with you without any prior initiative on your part, you should probably ignore it. Whether it’s an email informing you that your Windows subscription has expired, a text message from your bank informing you that your account has been compromised, or a post on Instagram promoting a great deal on designer eyewear.
Remember that requests for payment in the form of gift cards or cryptocurrencies are always suspicious. It may seem strange that a vendor, government agency or debt collection company wants payment in such forms. It is likely to be an attempt at fraud. These forms of payment are favored by cybercriminals because they are difficult to track and easy to complete.
An affair that seems too good to be true may be a phishing attempt. Cybercriminals often impersonate people in love to gain the trust of their victim. Then, after some time, they start asking for money for various, usually dramatic, circumstances. The same goes for “charities” asking for donations for victims of the latest natural disasters, wars, or other tragedies. Such extortion attempts take advantage of people’s kindness and empathy, so we should always do a good job of checking to whom we are actually giving money.
How to protect yourself from phishing?
Make sure you have good antivirus software and keep your operating system updated. Antivirus software filters out spam and suspicious emails and stops malware that may be attached to them. Remember, however, that antivirus software can’t stop threats it doesn’t know about, so you need to update it regularly to keep the database up to date with all new threats. Keeping the operating systems and applications on your devices up to date is important, as this can fix bugs and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
Use strong passwords. If someone hacks your email account, they can use it to trick your friends or to reset the password to your bank account or other sensitive accounts. Passwords should be long (at least 12 characters), unique (password ‘password123’ is a bad idea) and unrepeatable (don’t use the same password for different accounts). If you have trouble remembering passwords, use a password manager.
Enable two-step authentication (2FA). This is a very effective way to protect your account, even if your password is cracked. 2FA requires a second level of authentication, such as a fingerprint or a push notification sent to your phone. Avoid SMS-based 2FA, however. Although rare, phones can be susceptible to “SIM card takeover,” which allows cybercriminals to intercept codes sent in text messages.
Let’s remember that properly securing our online data is not only an obligation, but also our shared responsibility. At ITH, we are committed to the highest standards of security. Our mission is to protect you from threats such as phishing, while providing state-of-the-art and reliable Internet services.