Sex scamming for extortion of users and cloned chips to ask money from acquaintances of the victims are some of the cybercrime expected in 2019, according to a study released by security firm Trend Micro this week. According to the report, known tactics, such as phishing, should gain more space and sophistication. New techniques for breaking into various types of electronics, such as routers and even pacemakers, are among the problems expected for the year.
Top 10 scams on WhatsApp, Uber and other apps in 2018
According to a survey by the World Economic Forum, hacker attacks rank third in the list of highest global risks, with the greatest potential for damage even as water crises and terrorist attacks. Here are six threats that could mark the next months in the world.
WhatsApp: Five Tips for Using the App Safely
Want to buy a cell phone, TV and other discounted products? Meet the Compare dnetc
Sex offense, which involves extortion with sexual exploitation, is expected to become even more serious in 2019. According to Trend Micro, hackers should improve computer hacking mechanisms to steal photos and intimate videos for the purpose of blackmailing victims. Attacks aimed at exploiting router vulnerabilities could be aggravated as this type of action could give the attacker access to all connected devices.
In this scenario, demand should grow for Wi-Fi Mesh-enabled devices, which are often smarter and more secure than standard routers.
Mesh-enabled router helps protect Wi-Fi connected devices Photo: Divulgao / TP-Link
A relatively new attack involves cloning the telephone line by hijacking the SIM chip. To do this, hackers can abuse social engineering tricks to get the victim's personal data and transfer the line to another chip. In most cases, warns Trend Micro, criminals impersonate carrier attendants to extract the necessary information from the user. Then just call the center and pretend to be the customer to complete the blow.
Hackers can fake carrier service to steal data and hijack line Photo: Caroline Parreiras / dnetc
Phishing scams with various purposes, such as bank theft or passwords, will become sophisticated using chatbots. To the extent that artificial intelligence and natural language technology advance, machines are becoming more convincing to deceive victims by pretending to be acquainted with everything a criminal wants to borrow money under the guise of a supposed emergency favor.
The recommendation remains the same as always: if a friend comes asking for help by message, always prefer to confirm the veracity of the contact in person or at least via telephone.
Attack on smart homes
Attacks on smart home devices are also expected to grow by 2019. Locks, lamps, thermostats and other smart devices are increasingly likely to be hijacked to integrate botnets. Internet-connected personal assistants such as Google Home will also be targeted in so-called voice attacks, among other equipment that will have a greater presence in homes in the coming months.
In such cases, it is recommended to ensure at the home hub that all appliances are properly updated to correct any security vulnerabilities.
Smart home appliances should be attacked Photo: Divulgao / Google
Kidnapping of health appliances
Seniors can become the target of cyber attacks especially in first world countries, where the aging population increasingly lags behind smart health devices. Hackers can target pacemakers and other body-connected devices to use IP to bring down servers worldwide. As a consequence, the operation of such equipment may be compromised.
Influencer Account Overrun
Trend Micro also warns of scams targeting fans of digital influencers. Hackers can invest more in attacks on Internet celebrity social networking accounts to trick audiences, especially by sending malicious links that make data theft easier. It is therefore important to be aware and to click only on the recommendations expressed preferably on the content creator video.
