© Pexels/Soumil Kumar
Cybercrime is breaking records all over the world. In this matter, the United States is no exception as demonstrated by the latest report published by the FBI for the year 2023. Thus, 12.5 billion dollars went into the hands of malicious actors during this period of time. 'after the federal police who recorded 880,000 complaints for online scams (+10% compared to 2022).
Ever more devious scams
Among these online frauds, so-called Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks are also on the rise. To simplify, these are attacks carried out via company emails. These cyberattacks are boosted by the use of generative AI according to a study by Perception Point.
So, BEC hacks based on social engineering are up 1760% last year compared to the previous year! These scam techniques are based on very elaborate manipulation strategies aimed at deceiving the vigilance of a target. Employees are therefore not sufficiently aware of these dangers and this can cost companies very dearly. Experts put things into perspective by specifying that these operations only represent 1% of recorded cyberattacks.
However, these hacks can pay off big. We particularly remember this incredible news story which took place in Hong Kong at the start of the year. An employee of a multinational company whose name has not been revealed agreed to pay $25 million during a video where everyone he spoke to was just a deepfake recreation of executives.
What to do to protect yourself from risks ?
However, phishing remains the main cybersecurity threat (70% of the total). Unlike social engineering, the success of these hacks relies on the mass sending of emails. Overall, some more naive Internet users end up falling for it.
Faced with these ever-increasing risks, vigilance is therefore essential. In particular, it is advisable to check the spelling and contact details of your interlocutor which may present anomalies. You can also check directly on your account if the message is legitimate.
We also strongly advise you to install an efficient antivirus to counter these various threats. We have also put together a very comprehensive guide which lists the best solutions on the market.
Have you ever been confronted with these attempted scams in a professional context?? Tell us in the comments.
What it must remember:
- Cybercrime is exploding all over the world
- This is particularly the case with scams targeting professional emails which are on the rise
- Internet users are not always sufficiently aware of the dangers
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