Tech
Hackers target Black Friday frenzy
As many consumers are currently counting their pennies and stashing them for Black Friday shopping spree, hackers are banking on a jackpot of their own right now.
While Cyber Monday is a likely target due to all the revenue this one-day online event can generate, consumers are now warned that Black Friday shoppers seeking deals online will be targeted as well.
Digital risk management service RiskIQ recently released a four-page report called the Black Friday eCommerce Blacklist that reveals how hackers will attack shoppers during the Black Friday shopping season and where they plan to target.
According to the report, 30 per cent of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shoppers will purchase discounted items on the mobile device, making them easy targets.
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RiskIQ states that mobile device owners are at risk of loading up phishing pages claiming big product discounts, malicious apps that promise to make the shopping season easier, and the resulting viruses that install themselves and steal money and personal data.
Malicious Black Friday apps may even lock the mobile device until the owner coughs up a hefty ransom.
The report states that one out of 10 mobile apps that pop up when performing a Black Friday search on global app stores are listed as malicious.
Hackers are also focusing on five leading retailers, providing more than 1 million blacklisted apps combined.
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