FBI issues warning to Gmail users over easy mistake that hackers target
Topics: Google, Technology, US News, Crime
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto
Topics: Google, Technology, US News, Crime
The FBI has warned people who use Google’s Gmail about a dangerous ransomware scheme.
More than 1.8 billion people could be at risk from hackers who hold your private data hostage if you make this one easy mistake.
The infamous Medusa ransomware group has committed a slew of victims across its criminal career, and has already victimized over 300 targets via email scams.
These phishing scams go on to exploit unprotected software and they can then take over whatever information they wish and use it.
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Because of how widespread this issue is, the FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), has shared how devastating the scheme is for critical infrastructure sectors.
They’ll target employees in hospitals, schools, and major businesses.
So, how can you prevent yourself from being targeted?
Well, Medusa is able to take data by sneaking into computers after tricking unsuspecting victims with fake emails or by locating weak spots in their systems via malicious online content.
This could be fake links which seem like real sites, but are actually going to hack you as soon as you click on it.
As soon as you’re in the trap, your important files will be locked and inaccessible, and then copied for the hackers to ransack.
Medusa will then send ransom for the data, which can be thousands or millions of dollars.
If you don’t pay up, they might leak your information to the public, or simply refuse to unlock the files.
This is why the FBI and CISA have urged Gmail users to set up two-factor authentication (2FA).
If you haven’t used 2FA, it’s essentially a security measure which forces you to create a pin or key for access, or it’ll send a code to your email address for you to enter to the window before allowing you access.
The agency also state that you should make sure that your software is up to date, and that if you have sensitive information on your devices, keep multiple copies on separate servers or hard drives.
For large organizations, CISA has suggested they prevent unknown or untrusted origins from accessing remote services.
Checking who has special administrative powers and limiting what they can do to is also one of the tips or splitting their computer networks into smaller sections to prevent Medusa from spreading into all areas.
The ransomware-as-a-service group create the malicious software and are career criminals.
Also, if you are sent a link, do not open it if you were not expecting it.
This warning comes after federal agents raised the alarm over a new scam that involves a phone call and smart tech trickery which many iPhone and Android users struggle to recognize as a scam.
This scam pretends it's a technical support line, a bank, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or even your local police force.
It can be quite convincing as the scammers have been able to 'spoof' the caller ID number.
So, if you think your convincing customer support call is a scam, just hang up.