The Cyber Defense eMagazine August Edition for 2023
Cyber Defense eMagazine August Edition for 2023 #CDM #CYBERDEFENSEMAG @CyberDefenseMag by @Miliefsky a world-renowned cyber security expert and the Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine as part of the Cyber Defense Media Group as well as Yan Ross, Editor-in-Chief and many more writers, partners and supporters who make this an awesome publication! Thank you all and to our readers! OSINT ROCKS! #CDM #CDMG #OSINT #CYBERSECURITY #INFOSEC #BEST #PRACTICES #TIPS #TECHNIQUES
Cyber Defense eMagazine August Edition for 2023 #CDM #CYBERDEFENSEMAG @CyberDefenseMag by @Miliefsky a world-renowned cyber security expert and the Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine as part of the Cyber Defense Media Group as well as Yan Ross, Editor-in-Chief and many more writers, partners and supporters who make this an awesome publication! Thank you all and to our readers! OSINT ROCKS! #CDM #CDMG #OSINT #CYBERSECURITY #INFOSEC #BEST #PRACTICES #TIPS #TECHNIQUES
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Malware-as-a-service and AI generated text and images are already accessible, meaning even attackers<br />
with little or no skills can create convincing ads and powerful evasive malware to boot. We’re expecting<br />
a big uptick in malvertising as a result.<br />
Best practices <strong>for</strong> avoiding malvertising<br />
Awareness of the risks needs to increase so that anyone online applies caution to clicking on adverts on<br />
any website – no matter how much they trust it.<br />
Some people may be shocked to learn that even the most credible websites are not immune to<br />
malvertising. Indeed, we recently found that the top three brands impersonated by malicious threat actors<br />
attempting to steal personal and confidential data over a 90-day period were Microsoft, Facebook, and<br />
Amazon.<br />
So, how can consumers ensure they don’t become the victim of malvertising?<br />
First, it’s important to carefully check website URLs be<strong>for</strong>e clicking. This can be done by hovering your<br />
mouse over the advert until the URL appears. Threat actors can often use convincing domain names by<br />
replacing certain characters to trick the eye, but they won’t be able to use the actual domain of the site<br />
you think you’re clicking on. <strong>The</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e, meticulously checking links <strong>for</strong> discrepancies is important.<br />
Second, web users should check the brand logo to see if it looks genuine. When logos are copied, they<br />
can appear stretched, squashed, or pixilated. This could be a sign that it’s not legitimate – large<br />
companies tend to have strict branding guidelines that malvertising attackers won’t necessarily follow.<br />
It’s also worth considering what the advert is asking you to do. Legitimate brands often place adverts to<br />
increase brand awareness. Malvertising campaigns do not care about these impressions. <strong>The</strong>y will be<br />
more direct, asking you to ‘click here’ or ‘buy now’.<br />
In this sense, it’s important to be cautious of redirections. If you do click on an advert and it takes you<br />
through to the site you expected, be aware that the more ads you click on the higher chance you have of<br />
encountering malware.<br />
Our research has found that you’re only 3-7 clicks away from malware online. And the growing prevalence<br />
of AI generated content online will only fuel highly evasive threats such as malvertising further.<br />
Ultimately, the key is taking a cautious approach to adverts. No website is immune to malvertising. By<br />
staying vigilant and always following best practices, you’re much more likely to stay protected.<br />
<strong>Cyber</strong> <strong>Defense</strong> <strong>eMagazine</strong> – <strong>August</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> 60<br />
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