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Avast Blocks All-Time High of 1 Billion Unique Cyber Attacks Per Month
Friday, November 24, 2023
Latest Avast Threat Report Finds 50% Surge Fueled by AI-Supported Finance and Dating Scams, Mobile Scams, Adware, Spyware and Malvertising
TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Although less people spent time online in July, August and September, Avast, a leader in digital security and privacy, and a brand of Gen(TM) (NASDAQ: GEN), has blocked over 1 billion attacks per month - a record high. The latest Avast Threat Report, released today, breaks down some of the greatest risks in our connected digital world, from cybercriminals using social engineering and AI while running scams to the rise in adware and malvertising.
"Typically, during vacation times people spend less time online, and in turn, we see less cyber threats. This year, we were blown away to see the opposite," said Jakub Kroustek, Avast Malware Research Director. "Apparently the days of cyberthreat seasonality are long gone with the increased use of AI and advanced tools at the fingertips of cybercriminals. Whether people are using social media, dating online, streaming shows or even just answering emails, it's important they're aware of potential threats when they go about their day-to-day activities."
Threats Hidden in Ads and Spyware
-- Adware: Adware doubled globally from July through September 2023 over
the previous quarter. A new strain of mobile adware dubbed "Invisible
Adware" has already gathered over two million downloads in the Google
Play Store. These applications display advertisements while the device
screen is off, gaining revenue through fake clicks and views. This is
not only contributing to ad fraud but can also impact battery life and
potentially install dangerous software without a person's knowledge.
-- Malvertising: Malvertising activity spiked significantly, especially
during September as people returned to school and work after vacation.
Using pop-up messages and push notifications, cybercriminals exploit
recognizable logos of well-known companies, usually informing people
that their device has been infected with a virus. These pop-ups lead to
a phishing website where they are asked to enter credit card information
under the guise of providing antivirus services. Push notifications are
especially effective on mobile, where they can be easily disguised as
system notifications such as an unanswered call or a new text message.
-- Spyware: People should also be wary of spyware apps on their mobile
devices, which are now more difficult to spot. One of the most recent
is the fake Red Alert missile waring app that is used by many in Israel
to monitor missile warnings. This app was distributed through a phishing
website and contained identical features as the original with added
abilities that allow it to spy on its victims. This included extracting
the call log, SMS lists, location, and emails.
Finance and Dating Scams
-- Finance Scams: While people were enjoying time away from their devices,
scammers were hard at work. The risk of encountering scams has grown
significantly, with the most affected countries being Japan (+19%),
Greece (+17%), United States (+14%), Austria (+13%), and Germany (+12%).
Social media sites have become global platforms for spreading highly
targeted and precisely tailored cryptocurrency scams. These scams are
often initiated with a deepfake video of a famous personality, such as
Elon Musk, Mr. Beast, Donald Trump and others, promising a significant
amount of bitcoin if people sign up for a promoted platform and pay a
small fee to verify their account. Victims find that not only is the
promised bitcoin unattainable, but any transferred funds to the platform
are irretrievably lost to the scammers.
-- Dating Scams: Avast researchers recently discovered a threat called
Love-GPT. This AI-driven tool helps scammers create realistic personas
on popular dating apps, allowing them to reach out to even more victims.
The level of dating scams increased by 34% globally, with Belgium,
Germany, Canada, and the United States being the most frequently
targeted countries.
For more information and to read the full Avast Q3/2023 threat report, visit https://decoded.avast.io/threatresearch/avast-q3-2023-threat-report
About Avast
Avast is a leader in digital security and privacy, and part of Gen(TM) (NASDAQ: GEN), a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom with a family of trusted consumer brands. Avast protects hundreds of millions of users from online threats, for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom and Internet Watch Foundation. Learn more at Avast.com. Visit: www.avast.com.
Brittany Posey-Thomas
Courtney Rowles
Gen
Edelman for Gen
Brittany.Posey@GenDigital.com Courtney.Rowles@edelman.com
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SOURCE Gen Digital Inc.
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