It’s Christmas in 2020! This time last year, we were busy with Christmas parties; wrapping, giving and receiving gifts; visiting friends and relatives; and getting hung-over in the mornings. These days, we’re just… online.

We never imagined we would experience a pandemic. That’s why families, companies and even governments have not been able to prepare for a medical catastrophe of this scale, more so that it would last this long.

Despite this misfortune, we’re still a little lucky, because now, we have technology. So during this quarantine, we reached for the nearest, most convenient thing… Our phones, and the internet.

The quarantine has forced you, for all of us to change… to shift our lifestyle and live on the internet. It has given us so much convenience, but also, different types of danger we never expected.

Yes, this blog will put you on an emotional roller coaster.

Online Danger to Individuals Brought About by the Pandemic

We love our phones, we love the trends, we love that it keeps us connected. So now, are you ready for the dangers that are on your devices?

Fake News vs Trusted Sources

When it comes to Covid 19, governments, agencies and event online platforms have made the effort to provide us with as much trusted sources and verification as they can. This aims to lead us towards credible news sources regarding the pandemic.

Sadly, we still love to get angry and scared, and so many people still click and share hoax videos and articles.

But wait, it gets worse. In addition to fake news, people have been taking advantage of the pandemic, and Covid-19-related fake shops and malware have also sprung up in 2020.

Welcome to the world of Malvertising

Malvertising (a portmanteau of “malicious advertising”) is the use of online advertising to spread malware. It typically involves injecting malicious or malware-laden advertisements into legitimate online advertising networks and webpages.

How did these bad people use Covid-19 for Malvertising? What are the online dangers that you may face from Malvertising? Avast identified several fake products as well as mobile apps:

• Fake shops offering fake cure and medication for the virus
• Use of the World Health Organization’s name and logo to download malicious files
• Malicious apps with banking trojans and spyware, offering Covid-19 monetary relief

They’re brutal, sadistic, and effective. So it’s up to you to be careful.

Payment Convenience vs Phishing

Everything is so much more convenient now. Even manong lechon manok sa kanto is now on Food Panda. You can pay using your credit card! Most sellers now accept G-Cash. There are so many e-commerce sites now, you can order and pay from your phone. Great progress especially for the Philippines. But if you’re not careful about the sites you visit and order from, you can fall prey to phishing.

Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.

They usually create fake portals that look like legitimate websites, like your bank website for example. (STOP CLICKING ON LINKS)

Phishing isn’t a new online danger, but Phishing using the Pandemic is new, and is on the rise. As of March 2020, 7.9% of phishing attacks have used Covid-19 as it’s theme.

Online payments are great. But be sure to use the app, memorize the official store or bank URLS. Never open anything from your email or messenger that requires you to input your login or bank details.

Stalkerware – Illegal

Stalkerware is installed secretly on your phone by clicking on links sent to your email, messenger (YES STOP CLICKING THOSE LINKS) or installed physically by someone who has access to your phone. Once installed, the person can track all messages, apps and actions on the phone, including the phone’s movement and location.

There are no benefits to Stalkerware. There’s no bright side to this. It’s illegal. If you’re on the other end, and the one trying to track your ex, husband, wife, weird friend or some person you seem to be obsessed about, it only makes you a creep. Yes, Joe Goldberg is creepy.

Avast has recorded 51% increase in Android spyware and stalkerware from March through June 2020.

Mobile Adware vs Regular Ads

I get happy when I see that more local businesses are running ads. I think… it’s about time. And we have to admit, we’re all used to ads. During this pandemic, it’s good to know that businesses still exist. They still have funds to run ads. Hey, I do wanna eat that Shawarma!

But if ads constantly pop up on your phone, these may be caused by Mobile Adwares. Mobile Adware, or advertising supported apps, are apps that displays unwanted advertisements on your phone.

Marketers know that people are spending more time on mobile. Adware creators know this too. More mobile Adware have been created, disguised as useful apps. Google and Apple security teams had to flush them out

Adware threats top Avast reports, reaching 50% of total threats in the first Quarter of 2020. The only solution: check your phone for adware.

Online Danger to Businesses Brought About by the Pandemic

They say the pandemic has been a blessing to those with existing online solutions, and a huge hurdle for those who haven’t figured it out yet. It’s been a great teacher, for HR, Management and the actual workforce. New learning, awesome. Now let’s move on to the hidden dangers. If you have a business, read on:

Ransomware Attacks

Yes, yung nasa Start-up.

If you haven’t watched the series, and you’re not familiar with ransomware, it’s malicious software that infects your computer and displays messages demanding a fee to be paid in order for your system to work again. This class of malware is a criminal moneymaking scheme that can be installed through deceptive links in an email message, instant message or website.

According to Avast, Ransomware grew by 20% during March and April in comparison to January and February this year. Multiple ransomware attacks targeted hospitals this year, despite threat actors publicly stating they would stop targeting hospitals.

My Christmas wish:

Dear Santa, make a special place in hell for them.

Work From Home

Work from home is awesome! I’ve started gardening, I’m spending more time with the family. But realistically, who am I kidding? It’s not all rainbows and you know it. Here are the downsides to working from home.

• Work-Life vs. Family Life.
• Concentration.
• Motivational Challenges.
• Business Phone Interruptions.
• Lack of Office Equipment.
• Household Noise.
• Access to Documents.
• Ergonomic Issues.
• Mom asking you to cook rice.

We’re not on the online danger yet. Those are just the minor downsides.

Working from home means that we bring our work, to our homes, our PC’s our personal internet connection. Compared to the office set-up, personal set-ups aren’t as secured as the ones we have in the office. This makes businesses more prone to attacks.

And some personnel need to access their office files, which required the use of Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Accrding to Avast, there has been a rise of attacks to exploit RDP to execute widespread ransomware attacks this 2020.

Should We Panic Now?

Humans evolve. Technology evolves. Evolution isn’t exclusive to all that is good. Bad technology and the bad people who make them also evolve based on the time.

We shouldn’t panic. Online danger will always be there. Solve one, another will come up. But we need to evolve as fast or faster than the bad people. Learn, read, be careful, always.

Even the best fall prey to these schemes, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it only means you weren’t aware.

Share helpful information. Spread the word. Educate. If this is the first time you’ve read about this, learn from it, and not from actual experience. Share it.

Stay safe. Stay informed.

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