Whenever we use our devices to surf the web, we can be victims of a wide variety of attacks. There are many threats that in one way or another could compromise our privacy and security. Luckily we can also use tools to protect ourselves, but it is always advisable to know what we are facing. In this article we are going to talk about what Scareware is , a very present security threat. We will also give some tips to protect ourselves.
What is Scareware
Hackers tend to constantly refine their attacks to bypass security measures and gain the trust of victims as well. They use different strategies to reach the computers they intend to infect, as well as software in charge of collecting information, stealing passwords or simply making the system go bad.
Scareware is a security threat, malicious software, whose mission is to deceive users. It is based on social engineering, on showing that there is a problem where there really isn’t. The victim is afraid that their equipment will malfunction or that their data will be stolen and ends up trusting what, ultimately, ends up being the real problem.
A very common tactic is to make the victim believe that their computer has been infected by a virus and that they must install something to fix it. This supposed threat is actually false , since they simply use it as a hook so that the user ends up downloading a supposed software to eliminate it. The problem is that, as we can imagine, that software is really what becomes a threat and it is, ultimately, malware.
Cybercriminals can use a variety of means to distribute Scareware, although one of the most popular is email. Through spam messages, they can ask the victim to download a program or even pay for a service in order that their computer works well, that it does not have viruses, etc. They use, as we see, fear and uncertainty to achieve their goals.
How Scareware works
We have seen that in general, what Scareware does is scare the victim. Look for fear to be able to gain trust and install a program, for example. However, you can act in different ways to achieve the end goal. You can request different actions from the user who is going to fall into the trap.
Click on a popup when browsing
One of the most used strategies in Scareware is to request that we click on a pop-up window that appears when browsing the Internet. They tell us that we have a problem with the equipment, that we need to update something, etc.
The problem is that, by clicking on that window, we access a site controlled by the attackers. We can fall into the trap and enter sites that can steal our information and passwords.
They request to uninstall the antivirus
They can also request that we uninstall or stop the antivirus . They usually offer an alternative program with which to eliminate this supposed threat that our system has. This ensures that, once we have stopped the security programs, we can download that malicious file that they offer us as a solution.
Download software to clean your computer
Following the previous thread, they also usually offer the download of software with which we can clean the computer. It is normal for them to alert us (for example through an email or ad in the browser) that our computer has a virus and we need to install something.
In reality our system is not infected and it is precisely when downloading this supposed antivirus or security software that malware is going to sneak in that puts our security and privacy at risk.
Ask for information
Another use of Scareware is to scare by email, for example, in order to obtain personal information from the victim. They may indicate that there is some type of problem that must be solved as soon as possible and that they require certain data from the users.
This could actually be spoofing. It is a method that they could even use to include us in Spam campaigns or sell that data to third parties.
Fake plugins
This point is very common when we install software. Sometimes they can warn of supposed errors and invite us to install a complement to improve usability. It is actually something dangerous, something that could seriously damage our security.
How to avoid falling victim to Scareware
We have seen what Scareware is and what methods they usually use to attack. Now we are going to move on to one of the most important points: how to protect ourselves against this threat. This is something that we must apply to all types of operating systems and devices that we are using.
Have a good antivirus
Something very important that you cannot miss is always having security programs . In this way we can detect threats of all kinds, beyond Scareware. We can prevent our computers from being in danger and, ultimately, our privacy is compromised.
We must install security software on any operating system that we have installed. It is one of the best options to always protect ourselves on the network and not compromise our equipment.
Upgrade equipment
Of course we must also always keep all systems correctly updated . Sometimes vulnerabilities emerge that can be exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks.
It is the developers themselves who usually release regular patches and updates to correct these problems. This way we will avoid the entry of attackers who can take advantage of our equipment.
Install from official sources
Something also important is to install software only from official sources . In this way we ensure that it has not been maliciously modified by third parties that could sneak in some kind of fake program.
Common sense
But without a doubt the most important thing is common sense . We have seen that many Scareware input methods are based on mistakes made by users. For example, downloading a malicious attachment that comes to us by e-mail or installing a program supposedly to protect the computer.
In short, these are some options that we can take into account to protect ourselves from Scareware. It is essential that we always have our equipment protected and that we do not make mistakes that could damage our security and privacy.