Experts are warning the general public that a new technique is underway that allows hackers to get into people’s computers and access any data. People don’t have to Google a specific sentence to protect themselves.
What sentence not to look for so as not to become a victim of hackers Photo Freepik
Cyber security firm SOPHOS warns that hackers are using a very specific Google search to sneak into their accounts, according to the DailyMail.
SOPHOS warns that if users Google the information “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?”, they are exposed to cyber danger. Among the results of this search, malicious links and sites will appear, through which hackers infiltrate Google’s system and that of the computer from which the search was made. They will be able to access the information that is in the system, and they will even be able to take control of the device and demand a ransom.
“Victims are often lured into clicking on malicious ads or links that pose as legitimate marketing, or in this case, a legitimate Google search”SOPHOS engineers wrote.
What is SEO poisoning
SEO poisoning is a technique by which criminals manipulate search engine results and place malicious sites with viruses among the first results. Victims are attracted to pages that appear innocent but secretly install Gootloader on their device.
Gootloader malware can be controlled remotely by a hacker, having full control over the target’s computer. Thus, hackers can access documents, images, search history from any computer platform.
How to protect yourself from scams
- In the case of this hacking campaign, the safe bet is not to search for the sentence “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” on any search engine.
- Avoid accessing any links that look suspicious or lead to unknown sites.
- Do not click on any link you see on the Internet or download any file.
- Check your accounts and make sure you have a strong password.
- Scan your computer or phone for possible viruses from time to time.
“Users should be wary of search results and ads that seem too good to be true on domains that are not well-known – whether they want to know about Bengal cats or not”the SOPHOS engineers also specified.
