"Scams Now Make Up 75% of Cyber Threats"

According to security researchers at Norton, scams involving human manipulation comprised 75% of all desktop threats in the first half of 2023. In the first half of 2023, the researchers saw a rise in three particular scams: E-shop scams, Sextortion scams, and Tech Support Scams. E-shop scams are where fake online stores are created to lure shoppers with popular products offered at huge discounts. However, the product is never delivered, and scammers exit with the victim's card details and payment. A sextortion scam is where threat actors threaten to release compromising information on a victim unless a ransom is paid. The researchers noted that often, they claim to have managed to capture images or video through their webcam. Tech support scams are where fraudsters pose as tech support agents from reputable companies, deceive victims into granting remote access to their computers, and then steal financial data or trick them into handing it over. The researchers stated that scammers are using old methods to lure victims but are also starting to use AI more often. The researchers noted that through leveraging AI, criminals are creating scams that are not only more credible but alarmingly real, making scams more convincing and harder to detect, which is why it's so important that consumers know what to be aware of.

Infosecurity reports: "Scams Now Make Up 75% of Cyber Threats"