Research shows fake news and promotions as the most shared malicious links in Brazil

Research points out fake news and promotions as most shared malicious links in Brazil

According to a survey published by dfndr lab, a PSafe laboratory specializing in cybercrime, in the first quarter alone, around 56.9 million malicious links were blocked throughout Brazil. The information is present in the Digital Security Report in Brazil that was released this week.

The data reveal that one in four Brazilians may have been hit by some threat. Among the malicious links, most of them belong to suspicious advertising and false news, these being the two categories of links with the highest growth compared to the previous three years.

The report also says that WhtsApp was the most used messenger to spread such content in Brazil, being responsible for two out of three threats. Most of the scams induced users to provide personal data as well as to share a link with their contacts in exchange for a possible advantage, but all from a false offer.

"The number of cyber attacks remains extremely high and, therefore, we have been constantly working to raise awareness among the population about the importance of preventive behavior on the Internet. It is important that the user is suspicious of very advantageous promotions or sensational news and seeks to make sure that the information in question is true before clicking and sharing, "said Emilio Simoni, director of the dfndr lab.

As still with the revealed data, the first quarter showed a decrease in the number of threats around 13.9% in relation to the last three months of 2017.

"The last quarter of the year is a busy day for cybercriminals due to special dates, like Christmas and Black Friday, when there are a lot of people shopping online. So it is not surprising that there was a decrease in the beginning this year".

In order not to become the next victim, the tip is always the same, that is, be wary of any advertising that promises an advantage.

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