Many federal agencies are committed to dealing with multifaceted and organized crimes like immigration, anti-corruption, cyber-crime, anti-human trafficking, and money laundering. Whenever there is an increase in any facility provided in Pakistan, crime also increases. Internet, online apps, games, and search engines have benefitted us all but side by side cyber-crime is also increasing day by day. The latest investigation by fraud-buster and cyber security company Seon discovered that cyber-attacks are increasing and have almost doubled since last year.
According to the analysis, the number of people using the internet worldwide is growing at a slower pace than cybercrime. Crime is increasing at a very rapid pace and the regulatory bodies and investigation agencies are also getting worried and thinking of ways to tackle them. While the companies are playing their part, the users of the internet and online services must check their settings to get themselves and their information hidden from these scammers that later on trap and execute the crime.
The research says that in 2019 there were almost 928 cyber-attacks which have now increased to 1613 in 2021. Of these cyber-attacks, the most dangerous and common are Phishing, Ransomeware, and malware. Malware and Ransomware are similar with few differences.
Ransomeware is the software that attacks the device and gains the user’s data and also threatens him to pay otherwise they share the personal information further. On the other hand, Malware takes direct action and gains illegal access of the user’s personal data and information. It also reached the storage and computer’s processing unit and affects the efficiency. Phishing is another deceitful scam that involves hacking the telephone system. Phishing often works in the form of an email or social media message from an unknown pretending to be someone to gather personal information. This one is very common these days and governments and agencies are working hard to bring awareness about these crimes.
Another cyber-attack is from unsecured cloud environments, which is now less common and its rate is dropping by more than 50% and representing less than 1% of the cases noted by Seon. Credential stuffing (stolen logins), Unpatched software flaws, and Zero-day attacks are small scams that are decreasing day by day and hence, not that lethal.
The users must keep their devices equipped and operating systems updated to get themselves protected from scams. Login protection can be enhanced by choosing stronger passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. Even password-free sign-ins are coming soon which will help users a lot.
Also Read: Cyber attacks on Banking system; FIA steps in to counter attacks