Hackers have been using dating sites to steal personal data. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Summary
- Kaspersky’s analysis has shown that within 2019 the region saw a circulation of 1,486 threats under the guise of over 20 popular dating applications in Africa, with 7,734 attacks on 2,548 users detected.
- Around 10 percent of all these threatening files (765) were detected in Kenya, with 380 attacks seen in this region
Kenyans are among the African users falling prey to cyber
attacks disguised as dating apps, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has
revealed.
Cyber criminals have been using popular
dating services names such as Tinder, Bumble or Zoosk to spread mobile
malware, retrieve personal data to later bombard the users with unwanted
ads or even spend their money on expensive paid subscriptions.
“Cybercriminals
who specialise in phishing also do not miss the chance to feed on those
seeking to find love. Fake copies of popular dating applications and
websites, such as Match.com and Tinder, flood the internet. Users are
required to leave their personal data or connect to the applications via
their social media account. The result is not surprising: the data will
later be used or sold by cybercriminals, while the user will be left
with nothing,” explained the report by Kaspersky.
Kaspersky’s
analysis has shown that within 2019 the region saw a circulation of
1,486 threats under the guise of over 20 popular dating applications in
Africa, with 7,734 attacks on 2,548 users detected. Around 10 percent of
all these threatening files (765) were detected in Kenya, with 380
attacks seen in this region.
“Love is one of those
topics that interests people universally, and, of course, that means
that cybercriminals are also there. Online dating has made our lives
easier and yet uncovered new risks on the path to love,” said Vladimir
Kuskov, head of advanced threat research and software classification at
Kaspersky.
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