- NordVPN Research reveals billions of malware events in 2024
- Nearly 85,000 fake Google URLs were identified
- Phishing remains a serious problem so be on your guard
The United States saw 1.9 billion malware events in 2024, new research has claimed, showing the huge extent of the cyber security problem that both businesses and consumers are facing.
Research from NordVPN also discovered nearly 85,000 fake URLs that mimic Google Sites and Services -and take the place as the fraudster’s favorite, with Facebook taking second place with 6,000 fake URLs and Microsoft in third place with 5,000.
Interestingly, NordVPN blocked over 1.5 billion malware infection trials from video hosting sites alone -so be careful about these dodgy streaming -website ads.
Phishing is king
The malicious URLs are part of a phishing fidus where the websites are imitated as part of a identification harvest. Social Engineering -attacks will cause users to click on links, enter their details, or disclose their sensitive information.
These will try to scare the victims by making them think their accounts have been compromised or that their details are needed for a reset – before delivering malware.
This tactic is not unusual, we have recently seen Microsoft approval systems counterfeit via phishing attacks, and this is a fairly common tactic among cyber criminals.
“In fact, the majority of all phishing -attacks use about 300 brand names for deception. The brands themselves are not guilty – such forgeries also harm their reputation and force companies to actively chase them, ”says Adrianus Wardenhoven, a cyber security adviser at NordVPN.
Experts recommend being very careful when opening unexpected communication, especially avoiding unsolicited links and verifying all downloads. This research outlines the dangers of visiting uncertain websites, so it is always good advice to avoid these, especially when using a business unit that stores sensitive information.
