It should hardly be a secret to anyone involved in the internet that there are people out there that would absolutely love to get their hands on some of our personal information. Account names, passwords, and almost certainly credit card information all fall within that remit. It seems, however, that while we’re not great at making passwords in the first place malware specifically designed to steal them from us is on a huge rise.
In a report via CNET, internet security firm Kaspersky has said that malware designed to steal (or phish) our data has increased in the last year by over 60%.
Password Stealing Malware on the Rise
Kaspersky has said that compared to the same period last year, over 300,000 more people have reported losing their passwords or sensitive information. Specifically, as a result of contracting malware on their system.
One of the most prolific culprits is the “Azorult” malware. A program that is reportedly widely distributed and sold between Russian hackers.
How To Protect Yourself!
The simplest way to avoid malware is to be extra vigilant of what you download onto your system. The best advice for those not to savvy about this is to ensure that any downloads you make come directly from the source. Rather than, for example, a 3rd-party website. Why? Well, often these websites can look to inject their own programs or code into the downloaded executable.
Remember folks, it’s a dangerous internet out there. Occupied by a lot of people who would just love to go on a spree with your credit card information!
What do you think? Have you ever had a malware attack? – Let us know in the comments!
