Cyber attacks can affect large organizations as well as consumers. Hackers take advantage of vulnerabilities and trends to target their threats. But why this year can be more dangerous for those who buy online? We are going to explain the reasons why home users are going to be more affected in the network .
Attacks focused on home users
These problems will mainly affect users who make purchases over the Internet , which expose sensitive data such as the bank card. That is why we must take into account more than ever the importance of preserving security and not making mistakes that affect us.
Greater business protection
One of the reasons cybercriminals are going to target home users, online shoppers, is that there has been more corporate protection. It is a fact if we think about the changes that have taken place during the pandemic and how many organizations have enhanced cybersecurity for remote work and avoiding attacks.
But there have been some quirks, such as Microsoft disabling macros by default in Excel 4.0. This allowed hackers to send malicious documents, but they were mainly targeted at organizations and businesses. Therefore, that door is now going to be closed.
Popularity of cryptocurrencies
It should also be noted that cryptocurrencies have reached many more users. It is true that this is nothing new and that they have been with us for many years. However, in recent months, multiple platforms have appeared that bring the purchase and sale of digital currencies even closer to home users.
What does this mean? Basically anyone with a mobile can buy Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. And of course, not all platforms are secure, nor are all devices protected. Cybercriminals will take advantage of this and will also try to attack from this side.
Rise of adware
Adware has always been a problem, but now it’s even more so. We are increasingly using mobile devices, such as tablets, and there hackers have a good opportunity to launch their threats. Fake programs, fraudulent updates, sneaking Trojans…
In short, adware is another threat that will be very present in 2022, but it will especially affect online shoppers and home users who use their devices in common. Simply entering a page to make a payment can be a serious problem if your computer is infected with adware.
Ransomware
Of course, ransomware is going to continue to be a very important problem. It is a threat whose mission is to encrypt the files and systems of the victims. It arrives as a malicious file that we download by mail or by downloading an application, but in reality it is malicious software.
This problem affects both organizations and individual consumers . However, the latter may have more problems this year, especially due to the increase in online purchases and general exposure on the Internet. Cybercriminals have seen that here they have a good opportunity to profit.
Tips to be protected
So, what can we do to be protected and not have problems when buying online? An essential point is common sense . We have seen that some threats like ransomware or adware can arrive after downloading or installing a malicious file. We must only download applications from official sources and be careful whenever we open an e-mail, for example. They can use different methods to steal when shopping online.
It will also be essential to have a good antivirus . It is what will protect us when surfing the net, opening web pages or downloading content. There are many options, such as Windows Defender itself or any other that we install. It is something that we must apply to any operating system that we use.
But another very important point that sometimes goes unnoticed is keeping everything up to date . We must always have all the patches and correct any vulnerability that appears. Only then will we really be protected to prevent the entry of intruders and threats of all kinds.