The country’s nodal cybersecurity agency, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), has asked users to remain cautious as the festive season kicks in. The cybersecurity watchdog said that users are being targeted through fake messages that claim to contain festive offers. These messages lead users to dangerous websites that can potentially steal sensitive data such as bank account details, passwords and OTPs.
“It has been reported that adware are targeting prominent brands and tricking its customers in fraudulent phising scams. Fake messages are in circulation on various social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram etc that falsely claim a festive offer luring users into gift links and prizes,” warns CERT-In.
The ‘Chinese connection’
CERT-In advisory says that the website links involved are mostly Chinese (.cn) domains, including (.xyz, .top) extensions. This means that the web pages/websites that many of these links take users to are Chinese.
These links come via social media platforms. The most common trap used to dupe internet users is the promise of free prizes or gifts from a popular brand, say Zara. Users when click on the links recieved via WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook or other social media platforms, they land on malicious web pages. These pages have malware or viruses that get injected in their device, stealing their personal as well as financial information like banking/email passwords, OTPs and more.
In some cases, users are presented with questions and asked to pick their gifts. To claim their free gift, users are instructed to share the link with a certain number of people within the WhatsApp group. This is how the malicious link gets spread.
“It has been reported that adware are targeting prominent brands and tricking its customers in fraudulent phising scams. Fake messages are in circulation on various social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram etc that falsely claim a festive offer luring users into gift links and prizes,” warns CERT-In.
The ‘Chinese connection’
CERT-In advisory says that the website links involved are mostly Chinese (.cn) domains, including (.xyz, .top) extensions. This means that the web pages/websites that many of these links take users to are Chinese.
These links come via social media platforms. The most common trap used to dupe internet users is the promise of free prizes or gifts from a popular brand, say Zara. Users when click on the links recieved via WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook or other social media platforms, they land on malicious web pages. These pages have malware or viruses that get injected in their device, stealing their personal as well as financial information like banking/email passwords, OTPs and more.
In some cases, users are presented with questions and asked to pick their gifts. To claim their free gift, users are instructed to share the link with a certain number of people within the WhatsApp group. This is how the malicious link gets spread.
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