FBI says cybercriminals are hacking into victims’ online accounts to steal their intimate pictures
In a new alert, the FBI said cybercriminals are targeting adults and minors in an attempt to steal their personal and intimate pictures in extortion campaigns.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning regarding a disturbing trend of cybercriminals compromising social media accounts to pilfer intimate pictures and videos. These criminals primarily rely on social engineering techniques to lure victims, often resulting in extortion or the malicious publication of stolen content online.
The FBI's alert notes that victims frequently endure further torment through harassment, sextortion, stalking, or targeted attacks like defacing their social media pages with the stolen material. While such cybercrimes have been reported previously, the FBI's public advisory suggests that these incidents might be increasing, according to Rachel Tobac, the CEO of SocialProof Security, a firm specializing in security awareness training.
Tobac warns that these attacks frequently target young boys and considers it a significant public health concern, as some victims may resort to self-harm due to the trauma. The FBI's alert explains that perpetrators employ brute-force attacks using compromised or previously utilized passwords, impersonate customer support representatives from social media platforms, and contact targets falsely claiming to recover their accounts.
Some hackers even resort to phishing emails with domains that mimic legitimate social media login pages. To safeguard against these threats, individuals are advised to utilize unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager, enable multi-factor authentication, and exercise caution when interacting with unsolicited messages supposedly from social media companies, as legitimate companies typically do not initiate contact with their customers.
The advisory also emphasizes the importance of refraining from storing sensitive and intimate images on online accounts.
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