Stop the Breaches!

SECURITY HINTS & TIPS:

Extortion with a Twist

You may or may not visit sensitive websites in your free time. However, what would happen if a hacker tried to blackmail you by saying that they had “proof” that you were on a sensitive website? This is a common example of how extortion-type phishing attacks work.

How it works:

• A bad guy sends you an email that appears to come from your own email address.
• In the email, they claim to have compromising images or video footage of you that they threaten to share with people you know.
• They demand money, usually in the form of cryptocurrency. They claim that if you pay them that they will not share this compromising content with your family and friends.

The bad guy doesn’t actually have the compromising content that they claim they have. Do not send them money! Either delete the email or follow the reporting procedures that your organization has put in place.

Tips to avoid extortion:

Although the above is a scam and not true extortion, legitimate extortion is a serious internet crime that can lead to devastating consequences for victims.

According to the FBI, here are some things you can do to avoid becoming a victim of extortion:

• Never send compromising images of yourself to anyone, no matter who they are or who they say they are.
• Don’t open attachments from people that you don’t know, and be wary of opening attachments even from people that you do know.
• Turn off or cover your webcam when you are not using it.

Remember, these attacks are only successful if we fall for them. Stay alert and be cautious!