Hyderabad: A software employee, as part of performing his work from home, opened an email with the subject line of Covid-19. However, he did not realize that by doing so, he cleared a path for the hacker to install malware into his laptop. Since then, cyber criminals have started following the in-house financial transactions of the software company at which he was working and started to rip-off the software company.
When an 8th grader opened his computer as part of taking online classes, the screen froze. A message appeared on the screen which stated that unless a certain amount of money is paid, the system will not return to normalcy. Only that the users understand that their computer is infiltrated with what is called 'Ransom Ware’.
The use of electronic equipment has increased in the wake of the lockdown. Cyber criminals are utilizing this situation to their benefit. The entire family is being victimized due to these miscreants. They are not only financially robbed but are also destroying personal relationships among the users.
Women wear a good saree under the name of 'Sari Challenge' which is supposed to be a pastime.
However, these pictures are being misused by the cyber criminals on various wedding acquaintance web sites, and to promote fake accounts on social media through which they try to lure other users in the name of chatting and friendship. Cyber experts say these photos are being uploaded on pornographic websites.
They are further stating that since the lockdown came into force, there has been a substantial increase of about 12% in the users receiving friend requests from female accounts, on the social media - Facebook. They reveal that a large part of these are received from fake accounts. These days, ‘The Family Challenge’ has also become famous just like the ‘Sari Challenge’, in which the wife and husband need to post their photograph on social media.
The cyber criminals are stealing these photos and are uploading the same on various illegal sites, after morphing the husband’s face. After doing this, they will then start threatening the respective woman and start blackmailing her saying they will publicize her as characterless and blame her as being intimate with somebody other than their husband.
Beware When you work from home computer, laptop or mobile, the virus in the attachment immediately gets itself attached onto the computer / mobile software. As a result the system gets infected and the screen goes blank and frozen.
Then a message is displayed on the screen stating that the user will have to pay a certain amount of money to release the screen or otherwise the entire information on the system and the system itself will get corrupted.
The key logger software behind this attachment will get placed in the system which will capture each and every keystroke done on the keyboard. As a result of the same, every password, PIN and other confidential information of the User is transferred to the perpetrator, who will then use it for his selfish and fraudulent purposes.
'Prevention is the best Precaution, Better To Be Safe Than Being Sorry', Cyber criminals have been using the current situation of Covid-19 for their fraudulent needs by misusing the photographs and personal information of the users provided on social media. Users should never share their personal information on any media. Women, especially should take extra care.
Any mail from an unknown source should never be opened nor downloaded. Do not download video games and apps from any non-trusted companies under any circumstances. Children should also not open texts from unrelated and unknown educational institutions.
The latest anti-virus should be updated from time to time in all our electronic appliances. The operating system must be updated regularly. Do not tell anyone the bank account details and PIN under any circumstances.
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