- Kaspersky’s experts share what threats could rise in popularity as we move into the new year.
- The company predicts that scams leveraging the good reputation of charities could increase as will the use of audio deepfakes.
- Cybercriminals may also use delayed movies and games to lure folks into handing over their credentials.
There is no shortage of threats that lurk online whether that be ransomware, malware or phishing. Cybercriminals are constantly dreaming up new ways to compromise targets and as we move into a new year, Kaspersky has highlighted some of the methods of compromise cybercriminals may use in 2024.
This insight comes courtesy of Kaspersky’s team of experts who analyse the cybersecurity landscape looking for new and evolving threats.
The first insight shared by Kaspersky relates to charity scams. With the amount of conflict happening in the world at present, scammers are looking to take advantage of humanity’s good nature and as such we may see an increase in the amount of charity scams moving into the festive season and the new year. It’s important then for those looking to donate to insure they are donating to legitimate charities that will properly disperse the funds they receive to charitable organisations.
The cybersecurity firm is also forecasting a rise in voice deepfakes. With artificial intelligence tools that make creating deepfakes trivial, Kaspersky anticipates that in 2024, there will be a surge in the use of the technology to assist in scams.
“The recent launch of OpenAI’s Text-to-Speech API, with its advanced capabilities to generate human-like speech, highlights significant progress in artificial voice technology. While these innovations mark a leap forward, they also present opportunities for misuse. Fraudsters could potentially exploit these technologies to create more convincing and accessible deceptive content, escalating the risks associated with deepfake technology,” Kaspersky explains.
Leveraging premieres and early access
With the strike action in Hollywood pushing back the release dates and even upending movie and series releases, there is growing concern that cybercriminals will leverage this to their own nefarious ends.
Not only could cybercriminals pack malware with or instead of a delayed film, but they could also offer exclusive access via a questionable source that hoovers up your credit card information. Titles such as Dune Part 2, Joker 2 and more could be used as a carrot to lure unsuspecting users toward piracy and even giving up their credit card information.
The same could be done for games so keep your wits about you and confirm via the game publisher’s official website when and where the game will be released. Be wary of websites claiming to offer massive discounts on pre-orders for games, you may be getting nothing for money.
One positive from Kaspersky is that users will continue to lean on VPNs to not only enhance their privacy but also allow them to access geo-restricted services and content.
“In our 2024 consumer threat predictions, we provide insights into potential cyber risks. The world of scams is dynamic, with fraudsters continually devising new schemes. Stay vigilant, as new tactics may emerge, and maintaining a proactive stance remains your strongest defense against these evolving threats,” comments Anna Larkina, security and privacy expert at Kaspersky.
Be cautious out there folks, there is no shortage of people looking to take advantage of you, especially over the festive season and moving into the new year when cybercrime tends to spike.
