It's hard to see someone on the internet that still doesn't have an e-mail address. But actually the e-mails is older than the internet, it has been created in 70s and it was purposed to be a digital evolution of the traditional mail that we know. More than this, nowadays the e-mail represents a professional and personal tool so important even though the telephone itself. Proof of this is the fact that in a recent survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that 85% of the Internet users point the electronic mail (e-mail) as their preferred means of communication. But in the same way that this environment has become popular for exchanging information and conducting transactions, also became one of the favorite targets of attacks by cyber-criminals.
One of the most known malwares using emails as a mean of attack was detected more than 13 years ago. In 2000 May, a worm known as 'I Love You' which used a supposed romantic message, spread by email and affected more than 50 million computers worldwide. It is estimated that it has generated more than $ 5.5 million in financial losses.
With a huge problem like this that affects millions of people, the I Love You worm served to change people's behavior regarding the use of e-mail. As a consequence, IT departments and end users reinforced the use of this technology for protection, such as antivirus and security policies aimed at preventing attacks via email.
Since from there has been more awareness of users, but on the other hand, there was a sophistication of attacks aimed to e-mails. Thanks to the social engineering - technique the that attempts to deceive or exploit the trust of the user to obtain sensitive information or important - the email scams have become increasingly difficult to identify and therefore continue to offer a potential danger to companies and people in general.
So below are some tips on how you can identify malicious e-mails:
- E-mails in another language - avoid clicking on links embedded in emails in another language, the content of which is unknown. This is because many of the attacks carried out by electronic mail are directed to different countries and seek to take advantage of the curiosity of the user to do it click that direct addresses to sites with malicious content.
- Spam - not always mass emails contain some form of malware. However, many viruses invade the user's machine and send the malicious messages to all recipients that are in the contact list of the victim. So, always be wary of spam.
- Tempting job offers - one of the decoys to instigate victims into clicking on malicious links is sending messages with false offers of employment. Thus, even if the opportunity seems very attractive, avoid entering links in this kind of message, or even do not send personal information by e-mail for a possible contractor.
- False news - the cyber criminals exploit popular news to propagate malwares, especially in promising unpublished images or videos on certain events that actually are nothing more than a way for the victim to be infected.
- Messages on behalf of trusted institutions - another blow in Brazil is quite common to use fake messages on behalf of banks or government agencies such as Receita Federal. In general, the action induces the user to click on a given link to check or update an urgent information, directing you to a page with malicious content.
Following these basic recommendations, the user reduces the likelihood of being a victim of attacks by email. Moreover, it is always important to keep an updated antivirus on your computer, or any device used to access the e-mail. Another tip and be careful not to become a victim of scams that use electronic mail is clicking only on reliable links and do not open attachments, not sure of their origin.
