Will you be watching the World Series this week, as the Kansas City Royals take on the New York Mets in what many see as a match-up for the ages? Cyber-criminals sure hope so, and plan on scoring big off unsuspecting victims.
The popularity of this annual event garners a lot of attention from fans cheering on their favorite team; however, fans may not see a squeeze play coming. Kaspersky Lab has released an infographic about cyber-criminals using the World Series as a hook to attack consumers through phishing emails, texts with dangerous links, insecure Wi-Fi networks and more.
Cyber-criminals often use timely and popular events for such nefarious purposes; for instance, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Luis Suarez became cybercrime gold after his biting incident, as perpetrators looked for fans of the star Uruguayan player to, err, nibble, as it were, on Suarez-themed bait. Searches for celebrities are rarely safe either.
In this case, a primary lure will be offers for free or discounted tickets, Kaspersky said.
“Cyber-criminals have many tools in their lineup, including using major sporting events like the World Series, to trick unsuspecting consumers into falling victim to a cyber-attack,” said Chris Doggett, managing director of Kaspersky Lab North America. “By knowing what types of curveballs they may throw and having cybersecurity solutions as your clutch hitter, fans can not only stay protected, but also help strikeout cyber-criminals’ attempts during this year’s World Series.”