last year blunted the attacks on the internet to small and medium-sized enterprises, municipalities and hospitals. In the particular field, the most notable change in the cyber security sector in Spain has been the return of Emotet, a banker trojan that is responsible of stealing the financial data of the users. In addition, a rise in the sextortion, according to the report, Proofpoint on cyber threats during the third quarter of 2019.
The sextortion is the blackmail of a user to change not to disseminate images, videos or messages of sexual content. During the last few years, the internet has become one of the main ways to start a romantic relationship, but sometimes, the bad guys, through a false seduction, get the user to stay in cybersex and then, is blackmailed in exchange for not disseminating the images or videos. The sextortion also affects teenagers. “Many young people send pictures to people you trust but then you can play if you have photos or videos uploaded tone,” says Jordi Serra, an expert in internet safety and professor of studies of media in the University Oberta de Catalunya (UOC).
The last case relevant known, the already former coach of Málaga CF, Víctor Sánchez del Amo. The andalusian club dispensed with their technician, after this announced to be the victim of a blackmail that has been reported to the police. Last Tuesday began to circulate through social networks a video technician jellyfish, dressed in the kit of the team, which teaches to the camera their genitals. Sánchez del Amo, denounced the dissemination of the same to the police, claiming also that he was being subjected to “harassment and extortion”.
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‘Sextortion’: “Or you give 50,000 euros in a trash can or spread your videos sexual”
Subsequently, the Malaga announced that suspending him of his duties “immediately” until esclareciesen the facts, and this Saturday it resolved to their contract unilaterally on the grounds that its images had caused “serious damage” to the club.
The sextortion has more faces: there are increasingly more tools that allow cybercriminals unlocked mobile phones and stealing pictures and videos. In addition, users should be aware of the publications on the internet, even if it is in the e-mail or private files within social networks. “When you send or post a picture on the internet, the user ceases to have the power over it. At that time may be removed by anyone and, from there, to blackmail the protagonist of the content,” says Serra.
A trojan
Another of the main threats of 2019 have been banking trojans. The report points directly to Emotet. Was identified for the first time in 2014 and was originally a banking malware that was trying to hack into a computer to steal information by means of spam e-mail. The emails containing this virus may include images of well-known brands. Emotet can also try to persuade users to click on the infected files you can take for the issue your invoice, payment, or shipping information of of couriers known.
WIFI networks open are useful to open a browser and do the query, not access to email or much less to the bank account
Other banking trojans are situated between the user and the browser. “When the browser sends the data to the bank, the account access or transfers, the information is encrypted. However, when we access some pages, and introduce passwords, these trojans can record them and the criminals can enter our accounts later,” explains Ivan Martinez, an expert in cyber security and artificial intelligence of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).
This type of threats can be avoided by protecting us and using common sense. “You should never open a message from an unknown recipient, or offers; something that is worth 100 euros and you are trying to sell for three, it is only for the user to open the e-mail”, points out Serra. You should never access a bank from a WIFI network open. “They have been able to impersonate the identity of the network, and the user connects to the computer table to the side instead of at the establishment. The WIFI networks open are useful to open a browser and do the query, not access to email or much less to the bank account,” says Eusebio Nieva, technical director of Check Point for Spain and Portugal.
Careful
The malicious links based on URL is another threat more salient, according to the report. These links comprised 88% of the total volume of attacks by means of messages. Are links are apparently reliable, but when the user clicks on them, they are redirected to a false website that mimics a real site. When the user browses the page, and enter personal data such as passwords or mails are recorded and stolen. These messages arrive through email messages that asks the user to click on a link. You must be careful especially after registering on a new website or platform.
The ransomware has been the star of 2019. It is a malicious software that when it infects a computer, gives the attacker the ability to block a computer from a remote location and encrypt files so that the user can leave of control information and data stored in the system. In may, the city of Baltimore (Maryland, USA) was attacked with a ransomware called Robbin Hood, which blocked the system of the city for nearly two weeks. That attack was the beginning of a wave of ransomwares against public administrations from all over the world. Spain came in September when the city Councils of Jerez, remained several days, collapsed, after a virus called Ryuk infected about 50 servers.
“This wave has also been transferred to hospitals. The most common is to send an attachment by pretending that it is another company with an invoice or relevant information. The user clicks and and the PDF file or Word will not open. At that time the virus starts to encrypt and infect all other computers that are connected and takes control of the company”, states Jordi Serra, an expert in internet safety and professor of studies of media in the University Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). The criminals ask for money to unlock the system. “They started asking for the equivalent of € 300 in bitcoins, but now they ask for thousands,” adds Serra.
The only way to protect yourself is to have backups because when these viruses act by the company or city Hall is no longer operating. “Some antivirus companies are creating tools to combat these viruses. Karspersky launched a version that it was releasing some computers, for example,” explains Serra.
Other attacks that have been highlighted in 2019 are the threats. The cyber-criminal investigates a company: it knows who is in control, the flowchart of address, and secondary positions. In addition, if you look at Facebook that the boss is journey sometimes called a part of this and ask for a transfer. “Many companies are falling into this scam of a bill payment by a third party non-existent, mainly Smes,” concludes Serra.
