Computer users who want to Google whether owning Bengal cats is legal now find themselves victims of a cyber attack quite strange.
It’s urgent! Cybersecurity company SOPHOS warns users on its website. In its publication, this company warned not to type six words into search engines.
“Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” »
Internet users searching on Google “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” » have been victims of cyberattacks. Users have their personal information stolen once they click on fraudulent links appearing at the top of the page.
According to SOPHOS, “Victims are often tricked into clicking on malicious adware or links disguised as legitimate marketing, or in this case, a legitimate Google search.”
Remember that these dangerous links currently only appear in search results when users add the word “Australia” in their request.
This suggests that people who live in Australia are most at risk at the risk of an attack.
An attack with disastrous consequences
As soon as users click on a search result, their personal information like their bank details are stolen from a program called Gootloader.
According to SOPHOS, the program can also prevent Internet users from having access to their own computers.
The request for Bengal cats seems relatively specialized. However, the company says this only confirms that the threat of hacking is even more dangerous.
In fact, you do not need search for something fatal so that your personal data is stolen.
SEO poisoning, a common practice?
SOPHOS also claims that cybercriminals increasingly penetrate innocuous Google searches thanks to a tactic well known as “SEO poisoning”.
This is a practice defined by the Daily Mail as a “insidious technique by which criminals manipulate search engine results to push websites they control to the top of the page.”
So, all users who think they have been victims of SEO poisoning are requested to change their passwords as soon as possible according to SOPHOS.
I think this new form of attack can reach many people. This is why it is always important to be very, very careful when surfing the web.
And what do you think? How can we protect ourselves against this type of attack? What to do if you have already been affected? Don’t hesitate to share your opinion in the comments!
Share the article:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Our blog is powered by readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
