The main target of hacker attacks has been transformed in recent years. For decades, the targets were both desktop and laptop computers, with very dangerous viruses that were capable of infecting millions of terminals around the world. However, today, cybercriminals have extended their actions to other more recent platforms such as tablets and smartphones, since they are an easy target thanks, among other factors, to a very rapid implementation and dissemination that has resulted in few years have sold hundreds of millions of units of both.
Accelerated developmenthas also resulted in these platforms having software that require updates constant to keep users at bay from all the dangers to which they are exposed when handling their devices. Operating systems have been the victims of major attacks that, as was already the case with PCs, have also infected a large number of terminals. To reinforce protection, apart from the improvements incorporated into the systems themselves, such as recognition technologies There are other biometric tools such as applications, but what happens when the attack comes from these instruments? Next we will talk about Risk Tool, a strategy widely used recently by hackers but that is quickly becoming popular in this group thanks to some characteristics that we will detail below.
What is it?
Unlike other methods such as identity theft or infection with malicious files that hide in content such as photos or folders, the Risk Tool it's based on attack to the terminals through the applications themselves installed in it, whether they come from prominent developers or tools created by third parties, which nevertheless have a great support among users. The popularity that surrounds them, which results in their use by millions of people, is one of the strengths of this practice since, by introducing the harmful codes at the base of the app, a massive spread is achieved in a simple way. Broadly speaking, it closely resembles Trojans.
How does it act?
There are three routes of infection and transmission of the Risk Tool on our tablets and smartphones. The first consists of the sending SMS with payment notifications to users that come from foreign numbers, and that link to websites that are the ones that end up introducing malicious files in the terminals. On the other hand, through this method, hackers obtain, through the users' numbers, their banking information, which they then use fraudulently. The second, very simple, infects the device through notifications we receive from edited applications. Finally, we highlight the advertising. Pop-ups have also made the leap to smaller models, and every day we receive dozens of ads both in games and in other applications and portals such as Youtube which also contain malicious code.
What do hackers get with the Risk Tool?
All viruses and attacks that our devices can suffer share the same base and have similar repercussions such as the password theft, access to the contents stored in the galleries or, specifically in the case of the Risk Tool, the location of users who have suffered this type of attack.
Does it affect everyone equally?
The spread of this practice is conditioned by the region in which we find ourselves. According to the report titled Mobile cyber threats developed by Kaspersky Labs, Android devices are the ones that suffer the most from these attacks. However, users of Russia, Ukraine and some Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, are the most likely to suffer from the Risk Tool. In order to limit the impact, some of the countries that suffer the most from this problem have developed a series of regulations such as the one that confirms teleoperators and service providers. services via SMS the purchase that users have made through them and that serves as a guarantee in case of having been attacked.
How to prevent it?
This practice is not very widespread in Spain and it is somewhat residual compared to others such as identity theft. However, we have several applications that can be useful to limit aspects such as the appearance of pop-ups and unwanted ads such as App Brain Ad Detector. In the case of SMS, we can limit its impact by configuring the arrival and sending of Premium messages. Finally, with the installation of a antivirus, of which there are currently dozens in the catalogs, we can analyze all the tools installed on our terminals and find out if any are infected.
As you have seen, the constant expansion of the applications that we have, also brings with it a series of risks that, however, do not revert too much danger in our country and that can be minimized through common sense and good protection of our tablets and smartphones. . After learning about another method so far not very well known but nevertheless widely used by hackers, do you think that the Risk Tool is a real danger or do you think that there are more harmful systems? You have at your fingertips related information such as the best security apps so that you can get the most out of the supports that we use every day without surprises.