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Chennai recorded more than 8 million malware threats in 2020 as attackers tricked users into opening infected files and links through fake Covid-19 information and fake Aarogya Setu app.
A report published by cybersecurity firm Quick Heal revealed that threat actors targeted users by offering them free data, subscriptions to OTT platforms, fake COVID-19 vaccines and job offers.
Quick Heal said it detected and blocked over 80,000 malware threats every hour while a total of 1.91 million ransomware were detected.
“Although consumers are increasingly adopting digital tools, what they might be lacking is knowledge of safe cyber hygiene practices, along with awareness around the evolving threat landscape, and how they can tackle malware attacks,” Quick Heal said.
Of all the malware, Trojan was the most detected followed by Infector, Worm and Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). Besides, ransomware continued its dominance by encrypting user data and selling it on dark web for financial gains.
“People should follow basic security measures such as avoiding internet banking while using public Wi-Fi, using strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, & changing passwords frequently,” Himanshu Dubey, Director, Quick Heal Total Security said.
Published - February 22, 2021 10:45 am IST
