Billion cyberattacks blocked in a month: avast
The trend of less cyber threats witnessed during vacation time, as people spend less time online, turned out to be the opposite, says digital security provider
Although less people spent time online in July, August and September, Avast, a leader in digital security and privacy, and a brand of Gen has blocked over one billion attacks per month – a record high.
The latest Avast Threat Report, released on Friday, breaks down some of the greatest risks in their connected digital world, from cybercriminals using social engineering and Artificial Intelligence (AI) while running scams to the rise in adware and malvertising.
“Typically, during vacation times people spend less time online, and in turn, we see less cyber threats. This year, we were blown away to see the opposite,” said Jakub Kroustek, Avast Malware Research Director.
“Apparently the days of cyber threat seasonality are long gone with the increased use of AI and advanced tools at the fingertips of cybercriminals. Whether people are using social media, dating online, streaming shows or even just answering emails, it is important they are aware of potential threats when they go about their day-to-day activities.”
He said in a release that threads hidden in ads and spyware were adware and malvertising. Adware doubled globally from July through September 2023 over the previous quarter. A new strain of mobile adware dubbed “Invisible Adware” has already gathered over two million downloads in the Google Play Store. These applications display advertisements while the device screen is off, gaining revenue through fake clicks and views. This is not only contributing to ad fraud but can also impact battery life and potentially install dangerous software without a person’s knowledge.
