Security Report: Ransomware Targets Grandparents While Scammers Prefer Youngsters

The kind of online scams you become involved in have a lot to do with your age, it turns out. A new survey by anti-virus behemoth Avast shows that your grandparents are more likely to fall prey to ransomware, while you are more likely to be scammed on TikTok and Instagram.

The generation gap in understanding of online security awareness may be a key factor in this. The research, which was done partially in partnership with YouGov claims that those aged above 65+ (40 per cent of all respondents) and those between the ages of 25 to 35 (39 per cent) primarily use their computer systems or laptops to log onto the internet.

Reuters

Installing ransomware and initialising tech support scams is relatively easier on computers owing, for malware can be accidentally installed by accidental clicks on email links or through websites.

What are the online threats?

Most people aged between 25-44 (87 per cent) use their smartphones to go online, followed by 18-25-year-olds (85 per cent.) According to Avast, these users are more likely to be infected by Adware, Trojans, FluBot SMS scams that spread malware, along with Instagram and TikTok scams that promote adware.

In addition, the youngest and the oldest of the respondents are most likely to by targeted by romance scams and phishing attacks.

Also read: REvil Ransomware Group Was Itself Hacked And Forced Offline By A Planned Attack

According to data by Avast Threat Labs, about 1.46 million ransomware attacks were blocked each month this year between January and April. In addition, 5.9 million tech support scam attempts were made each month globally.

Reuters

On smartphones, the biggest threats over the year were adware (59 per cent), Trojans (9.7 per cent), and downloaders (7.9 per cent). Downloaders are defined by Avast as apps that use social engineering tactics to trick victims into installing malicious apps.

In India, about 3,500 attacks were blocked monthly in August and September this year. Globally, 35,000 attacks were blocked on average per month.

Also read: Crazy Story Of Man Who Created World¡¯s First Ransomware Attack On A Floppy Disk

The survey took into account 16,147 online users from 17 countries - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Reuters

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