GETTY • PICTURE POSED BY MODEL
There has been an increase in the number of victims of this type of blackmail
Security experts have warned of a rise in people being blackmailed by hackers spying on them via their webcam.
Hackers are able to gain control of webcams remotely – recording potentially embarrassing footage of the victim watching adult content online.
The cybercriminals then demand a ransom, threatening to release the footage online for everyone to see if their demands are not met.
According to research by New Zealand security firm CERT NZ, there has been a rise in these types of online blackmail scams.
When the person visited an unspecified adult website the scammer turned on the person’s webcam and recorded what was happening
Hackers claiming to have footage of victims in embarrassing or compromising situations have demanded as much as $ 500 in ransom, roughly £280.
CERT NZ shared the news on its official blog, writing “The email claims that when the person visited an unspecified adult website the scammer turned on the person’s webcam and recorded what was happening.
“The scammer threatens to email the video to all the person’s contacts unless they pay a ransom of around $ 500.
“We can’t confirm whether the video recordings actually exist, or if this is an opportunistic scam.”
GETTY • PICTURE POSED BY MODEL
Hackers claim to have embarrassing footage of the victim watching XXX videos online
Hackers typically take control of webcams by targeted the victim with a phishing email.
This email will usually contain a link or attachment that quietly downloads and installs malicious software that enables hackers to remotely take control of the webcam.
Thankfully, there is a simple solution to the problem.
Security experts at CERT NZ offer the simple tip for those visiting “unspecified adult website” in their blog – “for extra security, cover your webcam with removable tape or a webcam cover when you are not using it”.
If you were threatened by this type of blackmail, it’s possible you have malware on your machine.
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CERT NZ recommends taking your computer to an IT specialist to check for malware.
Although it can be tempting, those threatened by these types of scam should not pay the ransom.
“Do not pay the ransom,” CERT NZ cautions.
“It can be tempting to pay money to make the problem go away. In similar cases overseas, the scammers continue to ask for more money once the first ransom is paid.
“Do not contact the scammers. Block them on whichever method of communication they’re using to speak to you.”
And it’s not simply those watching adult content online that have been targeted.
Netsafe has reported incidents of another version of this scam, which sees hackers set up an online profile with an attractive profile picture.
This could be on social media sites, or on an online dating app.
Cybercriminals then reach out and connect with a person, quickly encouraging them to perform certain acts with the webcam on.
They record this activity, and use it to blackmail the person. There have been reports of these videos being released on social media.
CERT NZ advises users to only accept friend invitations from people that you know in real life.
“This means someone you know personally, or someone you know is a real person, like a celebrity or public figure,” the firm adds.
If you need to talk to someone, Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year, providing a safe place to talk for anyone who is struggling to cope.
Please call 116 123 (this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill) or visit samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch.
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