Tech support scams have become top phishing threats, report says

Hackers are also targeting gift cards this festive season as they have lower security than credit cards and aren’t tied to a specific person’s name.

October 27, 2021 04:05 pm | Updated 04:07 pm IST

The firm said it blocked more than 12.3 million tech support URLs for 13 consecutive weeks between July and September this year.

The firm said it blocked more than 12.3 million tech support URLs for 13 consecutive weeks between July and September this year.

Tech support scams, that often arrive as pop-up notifications alerting users of a compromised network, has become a popular phishing method, according to security firm Norton LifeLock.

(Sign up to our Technology newsletter, Today's Cache, for insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy. Click here to subscribe for free.)

The firm said it blocked more than 12.3 million tech support URLs for 13 consecutive weeks between July and September this year.

These attacks are effective because they prey on consumers’ fear, uncertainty and doubt to trick recipients into believing they face a dire cybersecurity threat. Moreover, the alerts are cleverly disguised using major tech companies, the report noted.

The firm also observed other targeted attacks that are becoming rampant. For example, a new phishing campaign has been specifically designed to obtain gaming players’ login credentials and two-factor authentication information with the intent to steal and sell rare, high-value virtual items like gaming goods.

Another popular phishing campaign targeted bank customers with a carbon copy of the real banking homepage to trick them into entering their credentials. Hackers are also targeting gift cards this festive season as they have lower security than credit cards and aren’t tied to a specific person’s name.

“Awareness is the best defense against these targeted attacks. Never call a number listed on a tech support pop-up, and instead reach out to the company directly through their official website to validate the situation and next steps,” Darren Shou, head of technology at Norton LifeLock, added.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.