Protecting Yourself from Sextortion Phishing Scams
The Rise of Sextortion Phishing Campaigns
Recent research from Barracuda Networks has uncovered a disturbing trend in cyber-crime – the rise of sextortion phishing campaigns. These scams involve cyber-criminals using stolen consumer data from data breaches to target victims with threats of exposing compromising videos unless a ransom is paid in Bitcoin.
How the Scam Works
The sextortion scam typically starts with an email sent to the victim, using a stolen password as the subject line to instill fear. The email then goes on to claim that the victim’s computer has been infected with a remote access Trojan from a pornography website, and that all explicit videos watched by the victim have been recorded. The attackers threaten to share these videos with the victim’s contacts unless a sum of money is paid in Bitcoin.
According to Barracuda Labs, the attackers often use scare tactics by emailing the same address multiple times to increase the pressure on the victim. However, researchers have found that while the attackers may have a legitimate password, there is no actual video or infection on the victim’s computer.
Protecting Yourself
It is important for individuals to take steps to protect themselves from falling victim to sextortion phishing scams. Here are some tips to help safeguard your personal information:
- Use strong, unique passwords for each online account
- Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible
- Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown senders
- Regularly update your antivirus software and firewall
- Be cautious of unsolicited emails that contain alarming threats
By following these best practices, you can help prevent falling prey to sextortion phishing scams and keep your personal information safe from cyber-criminals.