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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 in Privacy & Security

Scam of the Week: Summit Sabotage

Earlier this year, an established cybercriminal group targeted the Women Political Leaders (WPL) Summit held in Belgium. Summits and conferences provide a unique opportunity for cybercriminals to target people of power or those who are experts in their field. Whether you’re a speaker or an attendee, this attack is a great learning opportunity.

In this scam, the cybercriminals created a malicious website that looked like the official WPL Summit website. Then, they invited attendees of the WPL Summit to download photographs from the event. If downloaded, you would receive a ZIP file that contained legitimate photographs. Unfortunately, the file also contained a downloader for a popular piece of backdoor malware. Once installed, the cybercriminal group could monitor your device and steal sensitive information.

Follow the tips below to stay safe from similar scams:

  • Stop and think before downloading anything from the internet. This type of cyberattack relies on impulsive downloads. 

  • Always hover your mouse over a link to make sure that it leads to a legitimate and relevant website. Cybercriminals can easily make a website look official with logos and copied designs. 

  • Keep your devices up to date. Software updates often include security patches to protect you against known vulnerabilities. 

Stop, Look, and Think. Don't be fooled. 

Article provided by:

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