Your complete guide toonline security in 2024
Uncover the top cyber security risks facing consumers
Gain a true understanding of scams today
Learn more about how AI will shape our lives
Know how to stay safe when shopping online
Stay up to speed on the biggest malware threat
Get expert predictions for the year ahead

Contents

2

52024 is the year of the scam

7

The true cost of shopping online

12

Artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday life

15

Cyber Security CSI: 5 top threats26

How the evolution of infostealers is fueling ID theft

30

Q&A: The future is passkeys?

32

Too close to home? IoT device threats pick up

36

Trends and predictions for 2024

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Executive summary
The second annual
F-Secured Threats Guide
offers a complete look at
the cyber security threats
consumers face now.
This guide aims to deliver
crucial information andinsights on the consumer
threat landscape in thesimplest possible terms,
informed by the renowned
experts at F-Secure. Key
topics in the F-Secured
Threats Guide include:

SCAMS EVERYWHERE

The Global Anti Scam Alliance (GASA) found that 78% of people experienced at least one scam in the last year, with losses from scams
totaling 1.05% of the global GDP. While phishing scams have been a staple of cyber crime for decades, attacks that use psychologicaltrickery to steal data, commit fraud, or install malware have become the most common threat consumers face. Plus, cyber criminals haveseized on the intimacy many users have with their phones to launch rip-offs that often end up giving direct access to devices or accounts.

SHOPPING FOR VICTIMS

Attackers love exploiting the trust consumers have for their favorite retail brands. Amazon, the largest online retailer in the world, is mostoften imitated by scammers looking to fool shoppers. 6 in 10 of us avoid shopping with small online retailers and feel safer buying from bigbrands. But we’ve found that leading, mid-market brands may be most appealing to cyber criminals, who mimic them to collect credit card
numbers and banking information from unsuspecting consumers.

CHATGPT FOR CRIME

The biggest impact AI has had on cyber crime in 2023 is as bait. ChatGPT has quickly become a top lure for malware, with malicious
downloads often posing as legitimate apps. While there is growing evidence that scammers are using generative AI to improve what theydo, machine intelligence will likely power increasingly advanced threats. Faking someone’s voice and image gets easier every day.
WormGPT and FraudGPT – AI apps that make it easy to generate fraudulent content and aid malicious actors in developing malware – arealready available for use.

INFOSTEALERS FUEL ID THEFT

Information stealers have emerged as the most common form of malware, making up 89% of the top Windows threats in 2023. Thisphenomenon has resulted in an avalanche of personal data appearing on the dark web. This personally identifiable information sells for as
little as $1 for 100 accounts, feeding a deluge of scams that can escalate to fraud and even identity theft.

TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR 2024

With a dedicated team of researchers, analysts, and threat hunters working behind the scenes, F-Secure operates at the leading edge ofconsumer cyber security. In this guide we have spoken to some of the company’s brightest minds, highlighting their trends and predictionsfor 2024.

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

“The explosion of AI capabilities we’ve witnessedin the past year is only the beginning. Artificial
intelligence will play a pivotal role in shaping theevolution of our society, as well as how scammers
and cyber criminals amplify their operations. Amidst
this technological revolution, the threats experienced
by people in their important digital moments
continue to increase in both quantity and credibility,
making them easier to fall for.
However, there’s a silver lining: AI helps us detectand counter threats more effectively. It also helps us
develop the user experience of our security services,
enabling a whole new level of simple, effective
protection.”

Timo Laaksonen
President and CEO, F-Secure

4F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

SCAMS

2024 is the yearof the scam
F-Secure Threat Intelligence Lead, Laura Kankaala, explores the emerging
significance of scams today, and the value of protecting our digital lives against them.

Laura Kankaala
Threat Intelligence Lead, F-Secure
Laura Kankaala is Threat Intelligence
Lead at F-Secure. Kankaala studied at
Finland’s Turku University of Applied
Sciences before working as a security
consultant for a number of companies
including F-Secure. Kankaala is an active
columnist, speaker, and podcaster, andshe is a regular contributor to F-Alert
F-Secure’s monthly threat report.

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024I

t’s no secret that the internet is full of crooks andcriminals trying to gain access to our money, credentials,
and online assets to turn a profit. And for a long time, theindustry has lumped these kinds of problems underbroad, catch-all terms like ‘cyber security’ or ‘privacy-related’issues.
But as we move into a time of significant technologicaladvancement, where our online lives are intricately linked toalmost everything we do, and AI promises to shape our
future in ways we could never have before imagined, vague
industry jargon to describe real threats seems less and lessfitting.
I spend a lot of time speaking with a lot of people about their
online and digital security. And I see first-hand what happens
when things go wrong. When someone who is a victim ofdata theft, phishing, or malware talks about it, they don’t saythat they’ve fallen victim to a ‘cyber security’ or ‘privacyrelated’ incident. Instead, they tell me they’ve been‘scammed.’

The stakes are higher than ever before
Back in the day, websites were dangerous. Torrenting wascommon and led to nasty bugs on your computer, very few
people really bothered with strong passwords, andtwo-factor authentication only started to roll out slowly in the
mid-2000s.
But times were different too. The internet wasn’t closely
enmeshed with our daily lives like it is today. Instead, it was anovelty, a place of fun, games, and experimentation. And
cyber criminals took the same approach – in those days, theywould do things like hack the websites of private individuals
and claim ownership just for kicks. Now we call these‘defacement attacks’ and while they’ve always been serious,
today they’re very often politically or ideologically motivated,taking them to a whole new level.
In 2024, we have come to an interesting paradox. Generally,
the technology we use online has improved tenfold, and the
security posture of updated software has mostly improved

SCAMS“People aren’t talking aboutcyber security or privacy issues– they’re talking about scams.”
too. Yet our reliance on the digital world in our everyday lives
makes the consequences of hacks and scams much more
severe than they used to be. Ultimately, the stakes are higher
when it comes to cyber crime – and scams are no exception.

Today’s scammers use a wealth of tools andtechniques
It’s very fitting to call online criminals scammers. Because
today, if someone hacks you or steals your money with thehelp of technology, there’s almost always an element ofmanipulation involved. Scare tactics, fake promises,
emotional manipulation – the list goes on. Nowadays, it’s fair
to assume that any nasty trick imaginable is in the playbookof scammers online.
Phishing, malware, fake ads, fake websites, and fakeprofiles are all merely a means to an end leveraged byscammers depending on their goal, and what they’reultimately looking to steal. AI only throws fuel on the fire bymaking it possible to generate text in multiple languages aswell as audio, video, and images, helping scammers fool us
into believing things that aren’t real.

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Scammers want our most valuable asset – our data
While we can’t touch or feel it, our data has become
incredibly valuable both to legitimate businesses andscammers alike. Law-abiding companies crave the personal
data that lets them personalize offers and sales hooks, sell
indirectly to advertisers or other parties, and even feed AI
systems. But on the flip side, there’s a criminal business that’sbooming too.
Credentials to social media accounts, streaming services,and payment services are regularly sold on illegal
marketplaces and instant messaging platforms such as
Discord and Telegram. But it doesn’t stop there – credit card
details, social security numbers, utility bills, home addresses,
email addresses, and phone numbers are all at risk. For theright price, virtually any personal data can be sold on thedark web to scammers who are eager to use our mostsensitive details for their own gain.

Scamming is as old as time but technology makes it
more effective
A scammer’s tactic could be as simple as striking up aconvincing conversation on social media, instant messenger,

or a dating app. Or it could be combined with phishing –luring an unsuspecting victim to a fraudulent site and stealing
whatever data they provide. Phishing doesn’t just happen via
email either – it can occur via text message too, something
the industry coins as ‘smishing.’
However you want to look at it, the ways in which
scammers can use today’s online world and technology tocarry out malicious activities are extensive. And with thearrival of generative AI, these are only set to increase – bothin volume and sophistication. Scamming may have beenaround forever, but today’s technology makes it much more
effective.

It’s crucial we protect both our online and offline lives
Scammed, swindled, tricked, cheated, fleeced, hustled,conned. Whichever way you want to look at it, these words
have one thing in common. They portray the pain we feel
when we’re manipulated, and something is taken from us bysomeone – or something – we trusted. And unfortunately, thisisn’t going anywhere.
So how do we tackle the scamming pandemic? Of course,
legislation and government action are important, but they
can only fix so much. The law is only followed by the
law-abiding, and scammers will always throw out therulebook when it comes to using modern technology to theiradvantage.
Ultimately, it’s up to us to take back our power and protect
ourselves by combining education, best practices, vigilance,expertise, and, of course, technology. And while we’re all insome way married to the devices that enable our mostimportant digital moments, we have to make sure we’re
doing what’s needed to protect them too.

ONLINE SHOPPINGThe true cost of
shopping online
A deep dive into consumer attitudes towards online
shopping, which types of brands may be most susceptible toimpersonation, and how to stay safe when buying online.

Today, almost everybody shops
online. The ritual of revamping yourwardrobe from the comfort of yourliving room or snagging that great
deal in the Cyber Monday sales has become
second nature to most. For better or worse,
online shopping is now as integral to our daily
lives as our morning coffee.
By 2026, it’s expected that 24% of retailpurchases will take place online, making the
e-commerce market worth a staggering $8.1
trillion. But with the convenience of sourcing
virtually anything you need at the click of abutton comes an unfortunate payoff: an

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

increased likelihood of being scammed.

1 in 4 consumers fall victim to shoppingscams
In the fall of 2023, we revealed that nearly 1
in 4 consumers (24%) fell victim to an online
shopping scam in the past year. So, it’s nowonder that consumers are trying to protect
themselves. In the same survey we foundthat 6 in 10 (62%) admit they now avoid
shopping with small, independent online
businesses, feeling more secure buying fromwell-known brands.

ONLINE SHOPPINGThe top 10
shopping
scams

46%
of victims of
shopping scams
are under 35

1. Tech or IoT (internet of things) devices 18%
2. Clothing 17%
3. Gifts 16%
4. Sporting goods 15%

62%

5. Beauty 14%
6. Food 13%
7. Travel 12%
8. Furniture or home decor 11%
9. Vehicles 11%
10. Concert tickets / event tickets 10%
Source: F-Secure Online Shopping Survey 2023 (Censuswide)

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

6 in 10 consumers
avoid shoppingwith small,independent
online businesses
Source: F-Secure Online Shopping Survey 2023 (Censuswide)

Nearly 1 in 4
consumers (24%)
fell victim to an
online shopping
scam in the last year

ONLINE SHOPPING

Which retail brands may be most susceptible toimpersonation?
One of the most effective ways for cyber criminals tocarry out shopping scams is to create a fake websitethat impersonates a well-known brand. Brand assets
such as imagery, logos, and colors may be used tomake the website look more legitimate, and often

10 highly impersonatedbrands in 2023
(anonymized)

this fake site sits on a ‘lookalike domain’ URL. This is adomain that is similar to that of the official website but

5%is ‘typo-squatted’ and contains an intentional, hard-

25%

5%

to-notice typo, digit, or letter. Sometimes these fakeLeading US mass-market brand4%

Leading Japanese mass-market brand5%

websites use the brand name itself, but the top-leveldomain is something different i.e. ‘.shop’ or ‘.xyz’. Eitherway, these domains are often indistinguishable fromthe real thing, making them very hard to spot.
By hijacking and impersonating a reputable brand,

Leading US mass-market brandLeading German mass-market brand5%

Leading Dutch mass-market brand6%

US mass-market brand
US premium brand
9%
24%

scammers can trick unsuspecting customers into
providing personal data and credit card details, sell

12%

Leading German mass-market brandSwiss premium brandLeading Italian luxury brandcounterfeit or compromised goods, or simply take yourmoney and not provide your item. To understand better
which types of retail brands may be most susceptible
to this problem, we looked at 10 brands facing the mostserious forms of impersonation in 2023.*
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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

*F-Secure used ScamAdviser data feeds to extract this information. The data includes fake websites with score 1 only, indicating
the highest threat. We recognize the legitimate businesses being impersonated are in no way involved in the creation of fakewebsites or scams.
Source: ScamAdviser

ONLINE SHOPPINGKEY TAKEAWAYS• More than half of the fake websites
we identified are impersonating just 3
leading mass-market brands• A quarter (25%) of the fake websites we
identified are impersonating 1 leading
US mass-market brand• 7 of the top 10 are mass-market brands• 2 of the top 10 are premium brands• Only 1 is a luxury brandaccounting for just 4% of
fake websites detected• The annual revenueof the top 3 mostimpersonatedbrands combined
is $185 billion

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Scammers target everyday people by impersonating
mass-market brands
There’s no doubt that scammers like to hang off thegravitas of luxury brands when it comes to peddlingcounterfeit goods – think poorly imitated ‘designer’ handbags
and sunglasses that break after a week of use. But when we
look at our research, we start to see a different story.
Out of the 10 brands, we don’t see luxury brands
dominating. In fact, just 4% of the fake websites detected areimpersonating a luxury brand, putting it last on the list.
Meanwhile, mass-market favorites account for the majority.
Perhaps by imitating mass-market brands,
scammers can cast a wider net and see
more success.

Low-decision items give scammers
more bang for their buck
Just 3 of the impersonatedbrands cater to shoppers
purchasing ‘big ticket
items.’ Generally, thestakes are higher when
making a bigger
purchase, and so it’s
likely consumers will
do their due diligence
before buying.
Scammers may know

they can make more money faster by impersonatingcompanies that sell smaller, low-decision items, which
require less thought, effort, and commitment from the buyer.

Are we buying into a false sense of security?
In our earlier survey, we found that 6 in 10 people admit they
now avoid shopping with small, independent online
businesses, feeling more secure buying from big well-known
brands. But from our data, it’s evident that cyber criminals
are impersonating leading, mass-market brands at scale.
The top 3 most impersonated brands alone have aneye-watering combined revenue of $185 billion. Whileconsumers may think they’re playing it safe by choosing tobuy from the brands they trust, these unfortunately aren’t
exempt from scammers’ tactics, and we could be buying intoa false sense of security.

No brand is immune to impersonation
The reality is that scams can occur with any sized retailer.
Of those who reported being scammed in the last year, small
independents accounted for 28%, only marginally more thanlarge platforms (26%) and large retailers (19%).
We would never suggest that consumers shouldn’t buy
from the brands they know and love, whether big or small.
Instead, it’s important that you do everything you can toensure the best protection against online scamming tactics.

ONLINE SHOPPING

9 safe shopping tips

5

If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from a big brand urging you to click alink, don’t do it. If you think it’s genuine, go directly to the official website by typing the
URL into your browser.

If no brand is immune to impersonation at the hands of scammers,
how can you best protect yourself when shopping online?

61

CHECK IF A WEBSITE IS SAFE TO USE
Use a trusted tool like F-Secure Online Shopping Checker
to check if a website is safe to buy from.

2

MONITOR YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS AND
CREDIT CARDS
Regularly check your bank and credit card statements forany unauthorized transactions and report any suspicious
activity to your financial institution immediately.

3

USE UNIQUE AND STRONG PASSWORDS
If user details are stolen from a legitimate retailer via a data
breach, shoppers could be at risk. So it’s important to use astrong, unique password when creating your online accounts.

4

ENABLE TWO-FACTORAUTHENTICATION (2FA)
Always enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
where available. Two-factor authentication works
by adding extra security to online accounts(beyond your username and password).

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

BE VIGILANT ABOUT EMAIL SCAMSUSE A CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL
Many credit card providers offer insurance against fraud. PayPal also offers some support
for safe online shopping. Avoid wire transfers or other untraceable payment methods.

7

BEWARE OF BIG BARGAINS
Nowadays, comparison engines have essentially removed the need forretailers to provide large discounts. So, huge offers that seem too good to betrue probably are.

8

BE VIGILANT EVEN WITH BRANDS YOU KNOWAND TRUST
Given that scammers often impersonate bigger brands, make sure
to remain vigilant even when shopping with the brands you know.

9

USE A RELIABLE INTERNETSECURITY APP
The best way to stay safe online isby using a trusted internet security
product. With F-Secure Total, yourpasswords are monitored, you’ll bealerted of breaches if they occur, andyour access to potentially harmful
shopping sites will be automatically
blocked.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial Intelligence(AI) in everyday life
A look at the beginning of a revolution that will transform technology
and, possibly, humanity.

Everything. That’s what artificial intelligence(AI) will change, according to Mikko
Hyppönen, Principal Research Advisor at
F-Secure. He thinks AI will be bigger than theinternet revolution. And really, what hasn’t beenaltered in some way by computers, and then phones,
and now almost anything that can access theinternet?

What we’re seeing is unparalleled in humanhistory
The advances of AI in replicating and enriching
human thought and creativity have beenremarkable. But the speed at which thistechnology has been adopted may beunparalleled in human history. The first web
browser came out in 1991. Then, it took almost
twenty years, until January of 2009, for there to
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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

be a billion monthly internet users. ChatGPT was
released on the last day of November in 2022. Less
than a year later, it had more than 1.7 billion monthly
users.
When you add together the number of people usingbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL·E, whichquickly produce sophisticated text or images basedon simple prompts, billions of people are alreadyusing generative AI. And this is only one subset of thistechnology. Whether or not you’ve taken the time topurposely try out AI, it’s almost certain that AI will
have touched your life in some way, whether you
realize it or not.

How AI looks today
Machine learning, another subset of AI that allows
computer models to improve themselves based ondata, has been used to power search and social

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

media recommendation engines for years. When people
criticize ‘the algorithm’ for feeding them posts they don’t like,they’re in fact complaining about what many now call AI.
There are a wide number of ways that machine learning
engines process content and then serve it up to people. If
you’ve used an image filter or face recognition on Facebook
or a photo app, these are also algorithms. So are therecommendations on YouTube, the contextual ads that may
follow you from one website to another, and the notifications
that try to lure you back to check a social network you
haven’t visited in a few minutes.
AI also makes it easier to navigate reality. It enhances
satellite images to sharpen GPS directions available to most
locations on earth. Instant text and audio translations havemade a quantum leap over the last decade thanks to deeplearning, an AI method that tries to mirror the human brain. A‘universal translator’ of a sort that only existed in the sci-fi ofthe last century now resides in billions of pockets.

What are the risks surrounding AI?
Criminals, of course, never miss a trend. And they’ve quickly
adapted to use the popularity of ChatGPT to trick consumers
into downloading bad software. WormGPT, an AI bot sold ona hacking forum for malicious purposes, promises the powerof an AI bot without the safeguards that have been built into
ChatGPT and other mainstream tools. But notably, even thecreator of that tool has said that some guardrails have been
added since launch.
Perhaps the most worrying use of AI that you may comeacross in your daily life comes from deepfakes – lifelike

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

images, audio, and videos of imagined events. Using just one
minute of an individual’s voice, AI can create audio of thatvoice saying almost anything. Scammers can use this topose as family members or a representative from your bank.
Similar technology is being used to create fake nudes that
may be used to extort targeted individuals.

What does an AI-enabled future look like?
AI will only get more powerful, to the point where it may
begin to rewrite its own code to improve itself. Over just thelast year, the power of generative AI has increased radicallyas the large language model (LLM) that powers OpenAI’s
bots released an upgrade from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4. The
pressure to improve the already impressive results to keep
up with competing LLMs from Google, Meta, and a variety ofother tech leaders will only grow.
Eventually AI will enhance any form of technology if you
believe the hype. When combined with AI, the wearable on
your wrist suddenly becomes a medical device that can
automatically connect you to a first responder if your vital
signs show distress. AI-powered virtual assistants like Alexa
may be able to tell what’s wrong with your faltering
dishwasher by just listening to it run. Electrical grids will get
smarter to automatically react to fallen trees.
Mikko Hyppönen believes AI could eventually help solve
climate change or cure cancer. If this revolution will affecteverything, it won’t be long before it’s harder to find a part ofyour day where AI isn’t involved than when it is. And soon, it
may be impossible to tell the difference.

“This will
become theoverarchingrole of cybersecurity –assessingauthenticity
in a world of
deepfakes.”
Mikko Hyppönen
Principal Research Advisor, F-Secure

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Nov
2022

ChatGPT, a chatbot that instantly
generates human-like text responses
to questions, is released to the public

Academics and tech leaders issue
an open letter calling on all AI labs
to pause development of the modelthat powers ChatGPT to review thetechnology

May
2023

Mar
2023

Geoffrey Hinton, ‘the Godfatherof AI’, quits Google saying thathe’s afraid that the risks of super
intelligent computers may outweighthe benefits

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is fired
and re-hired, after more than 95% of
its employees signed an open letter
stating they would quit unless he
was reinstated

Nov
2023

Dec
2023

Meta and IBM launch an AI
Alliance, while the European Union
proposes the Artificial Intelligence
Act, introducing binding rules andstandards for more responsible
development of AI“There is no real limitation to how deepfakes
can be used, whether for emotional abuse,political manipulation, or outright fraud.”
Laura Kankaala, Threat Intelligence Lead, F-Secure
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CYBER SECURITY CSI

CyberSecurity CSI:
5 top threats
We deep dive into 5 of the biggest cyber threats
from the past year, what these mean for
consumers, and how to stay ahead.

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1

CYBER SECURITY CSI

AI threats:
A new age
In 2023, we saw what could best be described as a teaser for how AI
will both enrich and threaten our digital lives. While we saw progress in
how AI can be used to benefit cyber security, there was also a rise in
AI-driven and enabled cyber attacks, with AI used to create realistic
deepfakes and adaptive malware. This dual-edged development
highlighted the technology’s critical and evolving role in cyber security,
and we saw both challenges and opportunities come from it.

How is AI being used for bad?
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT offer real promise for how we canboth streamline everyday tasks and enable major breakthroughs ona societal level. But there’s a darker side to this, as F-Secure ThreatIntelligence Lead Laura Kankaala explains: “As with any new groundbreaking technology or innovation, there is a huge risk of misuse andAbove are screenshots of WormGPT generating sample malware, after someone on a forum/
discussion board asked if it was capable of doing so. ChatGPT has guardrails in place toprevent generation of malicious software, but WormGPT is a large language model (LLM)
specifically made for cyber criminals.

unethical behavior.”
Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

CYBER SECURITY CSIWhile the mainstream AIs developed by organizations like OpenAI
and Google will always include guardrails that help to prevent theirmisuse, cyber criminals will always find a way to weaponize apowerful tool. We’ve already seen how generative AI is being
exploited, with the creation of ‘WormGPT’ and ‘FraudGPT’, large
language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT but made by and sold for
criminals.

How to protect against AI-driven threats
To protect yourself from AI-driven cyber threats, it’s important toremain vigilant and practice good cyber security hygiene. This
includes verifying the authenticity of emails or other messages you
receive and avoiding clicking on suspicious links. It’s important to beaware and cautious of deepfakes, especially in social media andnews contexts, and verify information from credible sources.
Standard good practices such as using strong, unique passwords,
two-factor authentication, and regularly updating your security
software can also help to protect against AI generated scams andLegitimate, cutting-edge technology
allows anyone to clone a voice basedon a minute of audio. But AI-generated
audio can be leveraged by cybercriminals in scams, targeting
everyday individuals too. In thesescams, the perpetrators pretend tobe someone the victim knows, suchas their child, or even the CEO of thecompany they work for. The goal isusually to make the victims carry out
quick money transfers.
F-Secure’s Laura Kankaala explains,“As the power of generative AI
becomes more accessible and theyrequire even less existing sample
data for copying someone’s voice,these very tailored voice attacks may
become far more common.”attacks. Plus, staying informed about emerging threats and being
cautious during online interactions are essential precautions thateveryone should take.

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

0:32

2

CYBER SECURITY CSI

Phishing:
Evolving tactics
In 2023, phishing scams continued to mimic messages

3%

Most imitated e-commerce
platforms for phishing in 2023

3%

4%
5%
40%

2%

6%

2%

9%

from platforms with lots of users to target a wide rangeof consumers. Of the targeted e-commerce platforms,

12%

Amazon was the most impersonated, accounting for

13%

Mercado Libre followed, demonstrating the wide range
spared, as Facebook and WhatsApp users weretargeted as well, with a staggering 96% of social
media-related phishing scams masquerading ascommunications from Meta’s platforms. In the gamingworld, Garena and Steam were also highly impersonat-

What is phishing, and is it still a threat?

40%
96%
16%

MagaluAlibaba

LeBoncoin

AllegroRakuten
ShopeeShopifyof e-commerce-related phishing messages were impersonating Amazonof social media-related phishing messages were impersonating Meta’s platforms
increase in phishing messages impersonating Facebook, but decreases acrossthose impersonating Instagram, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp

88%
QR

of all gaming-related phishing messages were impersonating Garena and Steamcode phishing (quishing) was a major new phishing trend in 2023

Source(s): Open Phish; F-Secure Threat Intelligence

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Mercado Libre

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Phishing is a form of cyber crime where scammers
18

Ebay

Source(s): Open Phish; F-Secure Threat Intelligenceed, with 46% and 42% of all gaming-themed phishingtargeting their vast user bases.

AmazonMercado Livre

40% of the phishing messages we captured. eBay andof e-commerce platforms at risk. Social media wasn’t

We know that scammers impersonate the brands thathave the widest customer base and reach. So, the fact that
more than half (53%) of all e-commerce-related phishingmessages were impersonating the big players Amazon andeBay is hardly a surprise. What’s unexpected is the platform‘Mercado Libre’ taking third place, suggesting the range ofplatforms at risk of impersonation is wider than we think.

CYBER SECURITY CSI

pretend to be trusted entities, such as popular fashion

5%

brands or banks, to steal money or sensitive data fromyou. With the rise of ‘quishing’, or QR code phishing, in

Most imitated social media
platforms for phishing in 2023

3%

13%

2023, these scammers are now also using QR codes totrick people. They create fake QR codes that lead to1%

websites that look real but are set up to steal your78%

sensitive information like credit card numbers or login
details. This is becoming more common as QR codes areused more often for legitimate services. ‘Smishing’,
through text messages, and ‘vishing’, through phone calls,

Facebook, Inc.

also continue to be widely used by scammers to ask for8%

To avoid phishing scams, it’s important to stay alert andNaver

Most imitated gaming platforms
for phishing in 2023

informed, and be cautious about surprise messages
asking for personal information. Always check if these2%

messages are real, turn on multi-factor authentication for1%extra security on your accounts, and use advanced spam

to protect yourself from these sneaky tactics too.

42%

46%

In 2023, we saw significant changes in the gaming phishingscam landscape. Phishing scams targeting Steam users
rose by 5%, while those impersonating Garena leapt up by
a whopping 32%. Roblox – which last year was the second
most impersonated – dropped by 21% compared to 2022.
GarenaSteam

Mobile Legends

RobloxRuneScapeSource(s): Open Phish; F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Instagram

Source(s): Open Phish; F-Secure Threat Intelligence

How to avoid phishing scams

to date with the latest tricks like ‘quishing’ and ‘smishing’

WhatsApp

LinkedIn Corporation

personal, banking, or password details.

filters to keep suspicious emails at bay. Be sure to keep up

Social media platforms didn’t escape 2023 unscathed,with phishing scams impersonating Facebook up 16%
compared to 2022. However we saw decreased figuresacross other key platforms, including Instagram, LinkedIn,
and WhatsApp. It’s worth noting that Facebook offers
scammers interesting avenues for attackers to exploit(marketplace, groups, etc). For example, they can easily
compromise a legitimate account and sell counterfeit/
non-existent items on these. Perhaps this is what makes
Facebook so appealing to scammers.

3

CYBER SECURITY CSI

Mac threats: Riseof the infostealer
Until now, infostealers have generally been regarded asa problem for Windows PCs and Android. However, in2023, F-Secure observed a significant emergence ofinfostealers that target macOS. One of the mostcommon infostealers was Atomic, which targeted
passwords, credit cards, and browser cookies fromvarious online platforms and cryptocurrency wallets.
Regardless of the rising threat of infostealers, the mostprevalent file and malware-based threats on macOS
are still phishing via malicious PDFs, annoying adware,and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that may
cause unexpected behavior or display ads on your Mac.

What are Mac threats?
The cyber threats specifically targeting macOS systems
include malware, adware, ransomware, and othermalicious software. The sophistication and frequency of
20

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

CYBER SECURITY CSI

these threats have been increasing, meaning Macs are
no longer peripheral targets for cyber criminals. We
have also seen certain creators of malware start totarget Mac specifically, indicating Mac threats are on
the rise.

A deeper look at WebAidSearch, our most detected Mac threat last year
This intrusive adware resulted in unwanted redirections and browser hijacking. It has also appeared under different
names such as AccessibleGuideSearch (marketing itself as a friendly app that enhances accessibility features for thebrowser while using search engines) and different varieties of *AidSearch names.

WebAidSearch detections in 2023

How to protect your Mac
Protecting Macs involves a combination of updated
security practices and tools. Regularly updating
macOS to patch security vulnerabilities is crucial.
Luckily macOS comes with the auto-update feature on
by default for security patches, so make sure yourMac’s charger is plugged in at night as this enables
your Mac to manage updates while you’re away.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

MacOS does allow manual bypass of security features
which can leave your Mac open to threats such as

Oct

Nov

Dec

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

KEY TAKEAWAYS

malware. Using comprehensive antivirus and anti-malware solutions specifically designed for Macs cansignificantly reduce the risk of infection. Finally,
remember to be vigilant about the software you
download and the websites you visit, and be sure to
avoid any unofficial sources that might have malicious
content on offer.

Infostealers such as Atomic can affect Macs too
The biggest file and malware-based threats on macOS are still phishing via malicious PDFs,
annoying adware, and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs)
Keep your Mac’s charger plugged in at night to enable your Mac to manage updates while
you’re away
Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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4

CYBER SECURITY CSI

PC threats:
Persistent andevolving

Detected fake ChatGPT on Windows 2023

In 2023, the PC threat landscape was dominated byinfostealers, with our research finding 89% of all
Windows threats were different types of these.
Infostealers are malware that steal information stored
on your computer as well as your browser, such as
saved logins, active logged in session cookies, or saved
credit card details. The threats we saw were particularly focused on harvesting personal and financial data

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligenceand showed advanced capabilities in evading detection and exploiting system vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals were also quick to capitalize on the rapid risein popularity of ChatGPT, as we saw Redline stealer
malware hidden inside a fake ChatGPT installer anddistributed throughout the year.

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Cyber criminals and scammers wasted no time in capitalizing on the rapid rise in popularity of ChatGPT. Luckily, theRedline infostealer fake ChatGPT installer campaign was spotted early in the year. But there are potentially otherinfostealer campaigns camouflaging as ChatGPT or other popular generative AI tools, so the threat could still be out
there.

CYBER SECURITY CSIWhat are PC threats?
These are a broad range of cyber attacks targeting

9%

Windows-based systems, including traditional

Windows threat types in 2023

malware, ransomware, spyware, and newer filelessattacks that exploit legitimate system processes. The
increasing availability of malware-as-a-service has

1%
1%

89%

Infostealers dominated the PC threat landscape in 2023. This
threat will only become more significant as cyber criminals
utilize and exploit generative AI.

made these attacks more accessible, leading to a risein incidents.

Information stealer
CoinMiner

How to protect against PC threats
To protect against PC threats, you need to use a robust

Downloader

Ransomware

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligenceantivirus solution, regularly update your software anddevices, and adopt good cyber security hygiene overall.
Advanced endpoint protection can also detect andneutralize sophisticated threats. Staying up to speed on
the risks of phishing, suspicious downloads, andunsecured websites is also crucial to help mitigate thepotential data loss caused by different types of
malware. Finally, regular backups and the use of cloud

KEY TAKEAWAYS

services can help to mitigate the damage from

89% of Windows threats detected in 2023 were infostealerspotential data loss caused by different types ofRedline stealer was hidden inside a fake ChatGPT installer and distributed throughout the year

malware.

Ransomware made up just 1% of Windows threat types for consumers
Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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5

CYBER SECURITY CSI

Mobile threats:
The growing
frontier

Android threat distribution type2023
2023 saw a new dynamic emerge in the mobile threat
landscape. While we saw a 26% surge in malware threats
compared to 2022, we saw PUAs drop by almost as much.
While PUAs still pose a threat, malware is on the rise andconsumers should be vigilant.

42%

58%

MalwarePotentially Unwanted Apps

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

In 2023, the mobile cyber threat landscape really
evolved, with Android devices experiencing a mix ofmalware and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).
Throughout the year we saw a consistent presence of
SpyNote spyware incidents, with notable increases ofactivity in January, May, and November. Spyware is a
type of malware that infects your device and spies onwhat you do. It then passes the collected informationback to the cyber criminal who’s responsible for the
infection. Malware made up 58% of threats, while PUAs

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

made up 42%, showing a real risk from both intentionally harmful software and intrusive but non-malicious
applications. The trend of infections rose as the year
progressed, showing an increased vulnerability within
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Oct

Nov

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

Mobile threat infection hits 2023
Above is a graph showcasing the hits for mobile threat infections from January to November 2023.
While we see the overall trend decrease, we saw infections pick up towards the end of the year.

CYBER SECURITY CSI

the mobile space and the crucial need for better

Month-wise distribution of SpyNote 2023

security awareness and measures.

What are mobile threats?
Mobile threats are varied and include malware,
spyware, and adware targeting smartphones. These
threats exploit vulnerabilities in the operating system,
often through malicious apps or compromised
websites. The ease of distributing apps throughunofficial channels has contributed to the proliferationof these threats.

How to protect against mobile threats
To protect against mobile threats, you should install

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

In 2023, we saw a steady flow of android trojan SpyNote to our customers, with peaks in January, May, and November. Thisis an Android trojan that records audio and phone calls.

apps only from official app stores and keep youroperating systems updated. Using mobile security
apps provides a valuable extra layer of protection. Be

KEY TAKEAWAYSKEY TAKEAWAYS

cautious about granting app permissions too. Regular
backups and enabling features like remote wipe canhelp mitigate the impact of a compromised or stolen
mobile device.

58%
42%

of mobile threats were made up of Malware, a 26% increase from 2022
of mobile threats were made up of PUAs, a 24% decrease from 2022

We saw a steady stream of SpyNote infections, an Android trojan that records audio andvoice calls
Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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INFOSTEALERS AND IDENTITY THEFT

How the evolutionof infostealers isfueling ID theft
We’ve been following infostealers all year. Now, we look at
how they’re fueling one of the biggest threats to consumer
cyber security: identity theft.

W

hen it comes toinfostealers, the clue is in
the name – that’s right,
they steal your personal
information. But what’s really at stake
when we talk about infostealers today?
Here at F-Secure, we’ve been following
infostealers all year. Now, we’re diving
into how the evolution of this notorious
malware type is fueling one of the mostdamaging consumer threats: identity
theft.

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

Today, what don’t you do online?
Think about all the things you do online.
From using services through online accounts– which often include personal details suchas your full name, phone number, homeaddress, and credit card number – to doing
your weekly shop and handling your banking.
Nowadays a more fitting question would be:what don’t you do online? Online criminals
know this, and they’re extremely interested instealing this information, because they knowthat they can profit from it.

INFOSTEALERS AND IDENTITY THEFT

On the dark web, your data is currency andstolen personal details can be used foranything from impersonation to applying forloans in your name (otherwise known as
identity theft). What’s worrying is that whenpressed, 77% of adults we surveyed in the
UK, Germany, Sweden, and Finland rarely, or
never, check if their data has been stolen or
leaked. Plus, a further 39% admitted they
don’t know if their data has been leaked.

Infostealers are now the biggest
malware threat to consumers
In 2022 , 69% of the malware threats
F‑Secure observed on Windows PCs were
infostealers. In 2023, this number shot up to89%. This 20% increase makes infostealers
by far the biggest malware threat Windows
users face today. And it’s not just Windows
users that need to be concerned about this– Android users are impacted too.
Infostealers specifically targeting macOS
were on the rise in 2023, and we observed asteady flow of SpyNote Android malware
throughout the year.

Password managers have becometargets
Cyber security is essentially a game of cat
and mouse. Once online criminals come up
with a new way to attack, security evolves tocounter this. However, this also works viceversa – criminals always find new techniques

to counter defenses.
One of the latest examples of this is how
infostealers are now specifically targeting
password managers. Perhaps the best
example from 2023 is the infostealer
ViperSoftX , which was distributed onshareware sites. Installing a cracked orotherwise free software could result in a
trojan infection. This is a typical way ofgetting victims to install infostealers: masking
them as something the victim wants todownload.

Multiple ways to attack
Breaking into password vaults isn’t the only
way infostealers can steal passwords. They
can also do this by logging keyboard strokes,
copying credentials from clipboards, andaccessing browser-saved information andbrowser extensions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t
end there. Cyber criminals have also
targeted browser-based password
managers with phishing attacks and fakelogin pages. While they’re not making use of
infostealers by doing this, these attacks arefurther proof that cyber criminals are actively
targeting password managers. And nothingsuggests that this development will stop
here. It’s more likely that what we’re
witnessing is only the beginning, andinfostealers will continue to enable identity
theft globally.

Windows
threat type
distribution 2023

9%

1%
1%

89%

Information stealer
Downloader
Coinminer
Ransomware
Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

An example of how cybercriminals are using Google ads topromote fake password
managers, here impersonating
the official ‘1Password’.

Source: MalwareHunterTeam

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

INFOSTEALERS AND IDENTITY THEFT

77% of adults surveyed in the UK,
Germany, Sweden, and Finlandrarely, or never, check if theirdata has been stolen or leaked
The price of stolen information
Selling stolen data has become anestablished part of criminal ecosystems.
Infostealers are one way our data iscompromised, but our data can also end up
in the wrong hands because of a phishingattack or a data breach targeted at acompany. There are many marketplaces
that have varying levels of ‘trustworthiness’
and quality online. These offer a platform not
only for the selling and buying of information,
but also selling tools and knowledge forillegally obtaining access to data.
Compromised access to any online or
payment service or stolen identity
documents can wreak havoc on our lives.
Yet, our data can be bought relatively
cheaply – depending on several factors. The
data is often sold in bulk, making the total of
the illegal purchase larger than the numbers
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HOW IT WORKS

How infostealers work
1. The user unknowingly installs and executes
the infostealer (this could happen via pirated
software or apps downloaded from sites
promoted by malicious ads)
2. The infostealer is connected to a domain

we share below. Unsurprisingly, the more
followers you have, or the more money
associated with your accounts, the higher
the cost for these will be.
Usernames and passwords to the biggest
and most well-known online services aremostly stolen by phishing and malware
techniques. However, there are plenty ofsmaller websites and online services that areroutinely targeted, and data is stolen fromtheir databases and sold online. Smaller andlesser-known websites are often hacked
because they are generally easier targets foropportunistic threat actors. The dataobtained from smaller online providers may
be very critical in nature – passwords that
may be reused on other services, email,phone and home addresses, social security
numbers, and so on.

to download further components, such as
malicious scripts and browser extensions
3. With these components, the infostealer starts
stealing information and passing it to themalicious actor

ViperSoftX was on the lookout for cryptocurrency
wallets, but it also scanned infected devices forthe presence of password managers. Utilizing
known vulnerabilities on some password
managers, the malware had potential for getting
access.

INFOSTEALERS AND IDENTITY THEFT

Data type

Average price per account sold online

Social media – Facebook, Instagram,
TikTokFrom €0,50 - €2,75 and upwards, depending on
number of followers

Streaming – Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu,
Spotify€0,90 - €2,75

1. Use internet security software

PayPal Account$15 upwards, depending on account balance

Blocking harmful websites with good internet security prevents you from entering

Shopping – eBay and Amazon$1.00 - $5.00 regular account$15 eBay seller account with 100+ feedback

Passports

US: $1150
Canada: $1200
Australia: $1400
UK: $1250
EU: $1100

What can you do to stay safe?
While infostealers may be fueling identity theft, the situation is far from hopeless.

malicious webpages that distribute malware. And even if you do download one,antivirus protects you.
2. Unique, strong passwords and 2FA
Unique passwords are fundamental in protecting your online accounts – andtherefore your personal details. If you use just one password and it gets stolen,

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

everything is at risk. And for the same reason, 2FA is important. After all, infostealers
are just one way to steal your data. Saving passwords with a trustworthy password
manager will help you both keep track of them and keep them safe.
3. Monitor your identity for breaches
Scammers and cyber criminals can use all manner of data to steal your identity,from your email address to your passport number. Make sure you use good ID
monitoring tools. You can also check if your identity has been stolen using our free
F-Secure ID Theft Checker.

Source: F-Secure Threat Intelligence

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PASSKEYS

Q&A: The futureis passkeys?
How will using passkeys
instead of passwords
shift the cyber threat
landscape? F-Secure
Threat Intelligence
Researcher, Ash
Shatrieh, reveals all inthis exclusive Q&A.

#

>

S

ince 1960, passwords have been
the go-to best practice forprotecting our online lives. But morethan 50 years on, we now require a
password for almost every online touchpoint– making it increasingly difficult to protect
them. Could passkeys be the future?

More secure than passwords and 40%
faster to input, passkeys are a new typeof login credential developed by the FIDO
Alliance to protect consumers against
phishing attacks. Passkeys allow you to log inA

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

x

8

W

Q What are passkeys?

30%

to a website or app by proving your identity
on your mobile or other supported device, forexample using biometric authentication.
Passkeys are website-bound – which means
fake websites can’t steal them to be reusedlater.

Are we moving towards a
Q passwordless future?
Passkeys offer several advantages overpasswords: they’re more secure, moreconvenient, and more user-friendly. As they
aren’t vulnerable to phishing attacks or otherpassword-related scams, you have greater
security while using passkeys. And there’s noAPASSKEYS“This is cutting-edge technology –but it’s not entirely foolproof.”
need to remember or type passwords – you
can log in to websites and apps with a single
tap or swipe.

How confident can we be in
Q passkeys to keep us safe?
While passkeys have significant
security advantages over passwords,
they aren’t perfect. The way passkeys must
sync into the user’s cloud (such as iCloud,Google Password Manager, etc.) means theaccount recovery process is still open to asmaller, yet still significant, set of phishingattacks. This could range from phishing
one-time passwords (OTPs) and accountrecovery through guessing answers tosecurity questions, to exploiting two-factor
authentication through SIM swap scams.

A

Which companies are using
Q passkeys as their go-to for
security?

A

Google now encourages all users toditch passwords in favor of a fingerprint,

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

face scan, pin, or pattern. In fact, passkeys
have now replaced passwords as the default
for securing accounts on the tech giant’s
platform. Following Google’s lead, manyother FIDO members – including Amazon,Apple, and Microsoft – have now also
implemented passkeys support.

Will we see a shift in the threat
Q landscape for websites and apps?
The shift towards a passwordless futureoffers many security benefits, but it alsocomes with a downside: people will
underestimate their accounts’ vulnerability
to phishing attacks. Once passkeys are in
regular use, the consumer threat landscapewill shift towards accountrecovery phishing – sothe security of users’
identities will only be as
good as their passkey
managers’ recovery
process.

A

A step in the right
direction for consumer
security
Ultimately, passkeys are a better
option than passwords – for justabout every reason – but mostsignificantly because this form ofcredential isn’t vulnerable topassword-related scams fueledby constant data breaches. Yet inan ever-changing cyber threat
landscape, it’s crucial that we
remain vigilant in identifying andprotecting our accounts fromevolving forms of phishingattacks.

CONNECTED HOME

Too close tohome? IoT device
threats pick up
Smart devices make our lives more convenient than ever,
but are we ignoring the risks? We investigate below.

Today, smart homedevices are more
popular than ever.
Deloitte has found that
there are 22 connected IoT
devices in the average home
within the United States, and this is
expected to rise by 55% by 2025.
And the advances in generative AI

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

that we’ve seen over the past
year only promise to boost ourdesire for these kinds ofproducts. But with this rising
popularity in the connected
home comes an expanding
threat landscape, and a clear
need for adequate protection.

CONNECTED HOME

What does our IoT device
usage look like today?

77% of us have a TV streaming
device41% of us have some kind ofhome monitoring device

27% of us use smart wearables
of us plan to add or replace

18% a device in the next 12months22% of us plan to add a new

device in a new category

Source: F-Secure Global Connected Home Survey, 2023

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

2023 showed us that consumers careabout connected home safety

the board. Less than half of consumers say it’s
important to protect smart home and kitchen
appliances for example, while smart TVs andWhile consumers are happy to welcome
streaming devices came in 6th place. We think
convenience-boosting smart devices into theirit’s important that consumers are aware that
homes, they’re not blind to the risks. In research
all smart devices in the connected home
we conducted in 2023, we found that 42% areshould be considered vulnerable.
worried that one of their internet-connected
smart home devices could get infected byWill connected home threats become
malware or be hacked. Plus, we found that aworse with AI?
further 42% believe that smart home device
manufacturers are not doing enough to ensure Some security experts have predicted the rise
their online security and privacy.
of AI-powered botnets that could learn andautonomously conduct attacks, mimicking
human behavior. And given the security issues
Consumers may not see the full picturethat exist in many internet-connected smart
when it comes to protecting their devices
appliances, these devices will be an attractive
High-value, high-use items like computers,
target for these sorts of threats. Nation states,
laptops, phones, and home security devices
which have the most resources and intellitop the consumer protection priority list. But we gence to pour into cyber attacks, are certainly
found that this sentiment wasn’t shared across looking to compromise IoT vulnerabilities.

CONNECTED HOME

% saying it is important toprotect selected devices

42%
worry that one of their internet
connected smart homedevices could get infected by avirus/malware or be hacked

80%

60%

40%

52%

48%

Kit
ch Smaenr
Ap t Hom
pli
an e/
ce
s

53%

s

62%

Ga
mi
ng
co
nso
le

Ho
me
sec
u
de rity
vic
es

63%

S tr
ea Smaming rt TVDe
vic s/
es

72%

Sp
ea
ke SmaAs r/ Vo rt
ice
sis
tan
ts
Ho
me
M
& A oniuto torima ng
De tion
vic
es

78%

Ph
on
es/

believe smart home device
manufacturers are not doing
enough to ensure their online
security and privacy

0%

79%

Co
mp
ute
lap rs/
top
s

42%

tab
let
s

20%

Source: F-Secure Global Connected Home Survey, 2023

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

I
Mika Lehtinen
Director of Research, F-Secure

Example:Android TV boxes installedwith malware
n late 2023, we commented on findings thatsuggested devices from hundreds of Android
models had been enlisted in a network ofzombie devices to commit fraud. Mika Lehtinen,

Customers were in the dark
“The ad fraud, fake emails being set up and hijacked proxy,

below.

and code installation being carried out by the infected

These were sold on mainstream sites“The report identified 77,000 devices with backdoors thatmillions of these boxes sold globally. Affected models weredelivered to customers infected with a sophisticated andadaptable malware known as Triada that received active

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

installed.”

F-Secure’s Director of Research, explains more

open them up to malware installation, but there are probably

35

The mystery is when the backdoors in the firmware wereboxes all take place silently. The only sign that your device isparticipating in a global organized crime botnet may comefrom slight performance issues. But since these devices
are infected from the moment that they’re operational, thechances of a customer picking up on this are tiny.”

Expert advice for protecting yourself

fraud ‘modules’ as soon as the devices were powered“When shopping for Android hardware, look closely at recent

up. What’s most significant is that this hardware is being

reviews and try to stick to Play Protect–certified devices.

sold through mainstream ecommerce sites like Amazon.

None of the affected boxes were certified by Play Protect.”TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

5 trends andpredictionsfor 2024
Leading experts within F-Secure share their cybersecurity trends and predictions

1

SCAMS WILL BE A
UNIQUE PROBLEM FOR
CONSUMERS
Laura Kankaala
Threat Intelligence Lead

Whether it’s on our online banking
apps, social media accounts, or
dating apps, we’re constantly
being told to be vigilant against acommon threat. Scams. And
there’s good reason for this –36

F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

because today, scams posea unique threat to our online
lives. Modern day scamming
employs both the manipulation tactics that appeal to
our emotional sides with thereadily available technology
to deliver them, whether that’s
via email, fake websites, SMS,
social media, and more. This

makes them a real problem for
consumers.
In 2024, this trend will only continue, andwe’re likely to see a rise in scams thattarget specific groups of people including
those who lead busy lives, are not IT
professionals but have to work withcomputers all day, or haven’t implemented the proper measures to protect
themselves. We have already witnessed
how AI can be leveraged for nefarious
purposes by creating fake voices andimages, but in 2024 we will begin to see
in real-time the true impact of AI andavailable tools on theeffectiveness and capabilities of scams. Finally,
we’re likely to see scams
become the #1 vehicle
for consumer-focused
cyber attacks.

TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

2

CONSUMERS WILL GETSERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTINGAGAINST AI-ENABLED THREATS
Joel Latto
Threat Advisor

If 2023 was the year we started incorporating artificial intelligence into our daily
lives, thanks to the adoption of generative
AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL·E, then2024 will be the year we get serious aboutprotecting ourselves against the threats.
Before general availability of generative AI, phishing emails, scam SMS messages, and fraudulent
websites were much easier to spot because ofgrammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and generally poor visuals and copy. But now, these threats
and scams will become nearly impossible to spot.
And AI doesn’t only pose a threat to consumers –the use of deepfake and vishing technology makes
the threat landscape globally much more complex.
This year, I’d expect to see a rise in consumer desire
to stay ahead of and protect against AI-enabledthreats, both by becoming more vigilant andusing the right technology.
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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024

3

AI WILL FUEL AN
EVOLUTION IN SMART
HOME ATTACKSTom Gaffney
Cyber Security Expert

I expect that this year, we’ll see
attackers build on the way they
have targeted smart home devices
previously. AI-enabled products likeAmazon’s Alexa and Echo are so
popular because they make our lives
easy. But to help streamline our day today, they require us to share information, data, and – quite literally – ourhomes. While the introduction andintegration of the newer generative AI
tools and capabilities enable theseproducts to better enrich our daily
lives, this will also likely increase thelevel of intimacy we share with theseproducts. As a result, these will
unfortunately become increasingly
attractive to motivated attackers.

TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

4ONLINE SHOPPINGWILL BECOME RISKIERTHANKS TO AI
Yik HanResearcher

In 2023, we saw a rise in shopping
fraud delivered through fake ads onsocial media, most prominently foundon Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
In 2024, this type of fraudulent
advertisement will grow to newheights with the use of generative
AI. We are already seeing a rise in
the usage of generative AI tools inboth legitimate and illegitimatesocial media advertising,making it hard to differentiate
between fake and real ads.
Cyber criminals will also create more
fake shopping websites andcombine them with fake ads totrick victims into making
payments and giving out theirpersonal information.
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5

CONSUMERS ARELOOKING FOR A
TRUSTED COMPANION
Paula Al Soufi
Director Portfolio Strategy

Consumer trust is plummeting due to an explosion ofscams and uncertainties about online security. People are
increasingly unsure about who to trust, whether theirdevices are secure, and how they can protect themselves online. This trend is expected to intensify withthe prevalence of deepfakes and AI-generated
content.
When it becomes harder to trust anything they see
online, consumers turn to their established partners,
such as telcos, insurance companies, and banks,
seeking a comprehensive security solution for peaceof mind online.
This paves the way for an AI Trusted Companion. Telcos,
insurance companies, and banks are anticipated toleverage AI for the greater good by combining consumer
security solutions with their own AI advancements. This
innovative approach aims to deliver a holistic security
approach, as these trusted partners rapidly introduce theirown AI solutions to combat evolving online challenges.”Sources and methodologies• GASA Global State of Scams Report 2023, https://www.gasa.org/research• https://www.f-secure.com/en/identity-theft-checker• https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ecommerce-statistics/• https://blog.google/technology/safety-security/passkeys-default-google-accounts/• F-Secure Online Shopping Survey 2023 (Censuswide), https://company.f-secure.com/en/for-media/
experts-warn-shoppers-to-stay-alert-this-holiday-season• F-Secure Connected Home Whitepaper, https://assets.f-secure.com/p/partners/20230912-connectedhome-whitepaper.pdf• ScamAdviser, https://www.scamadviser.com/• https://twitter.com/malwrhunterteam/status/1618721906114572290/photo/1• https://www.f-secure.com/gb-en/online-shopping-checker• https://blog.f-secure.com/infostealers-and-macos/• https://www.f-secure.com/gb-en/password-generator• https://darktrace.com/blog/vipersoftx-how-darktrace-uncovered-a-venomous-intrusion• https://www.f-secure.com/gb-en/articles/what-is-two-factor-authentication• https://fidoalliance.org/members/• https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/WorldWideWeb.html• https://www.passkeys.io/who-supports-passkeys• https://www.computerworld.com/article/2530462/internet-hits-major-milestone--surpassing-1-billionmonthly-users.html• www.statista.com• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/30/chatgpts-one-year-anniversary-how-the-viral-ai-chatbot-has-changed.
html• https://github.com/DesktopECHO/T95-H616-Malware (Daniel Milisic)• https://cloud.google.com/learn/artificial-intelligence-vs-machine-learning• https://knightcolumbia.org/content/understanding-social-media-recommendation-algorithms• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_translator• https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/08/meet-the-brains-behind-the-malware-friendly-ai-chat-servicewormgpt/• https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/ai-deepfake-scam-calls• https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/business/voice-deepfakes-bank-scams.html• https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230605• https://www.f-secure.com/gb-en/articles/staying-ahead-of-cyber-threats-in-the-age-of-ai• F-Secure Threat Intelligence• Open Phish, https://openphish.com/• F-Secured Threats Guide 2023, https://assets.f-secure.com/p/f-secured/annual-threats-guide-2023.pdf• https://company.f-secure.com/en/for-media/internet-users-still-in-the-dark-about-the-dark-web

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• F-Secure Global Connected Home Survey, 2023
• https://www.wired.com/story/android-tv-streaming-boxes-china-backdoor/• F-Alert October 2023
F-Secure Online Shopping Survey 2023 was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 4,001
consumers, aged 16+, across the UK, Germany, and Finland. (2,000, 1,001 and 1,000 nationally representative
respondents respectively) The data was collected between 11.10.2023 – 23.10.2023. Censuswide abides by
and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is basedon the ESOMAR principles. The UK sample was nationally representative of age, gender and region. The
Germany and Finland samples were nationally representative of age and gender. Extrapolations based onamount of money lost to scams at Christmas (3%) or in the last 12 months (5%), have had outliers taken out tovalidate the results.
F-Secure Global Connected Home Survey was undertaken in June 2023. The total number of respondents
was 4400. Data in charts selected from 11 countries: Brazil, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States. (N = 400/country, age 25-74 years).
F-Secure ID Theft Survey 2023 (Censuswide) The survey commissioned by F-Secure (2023), four countries(United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, Sweden), sample size 2000/UK and 1000/Finland, Sweden, Germany,
total 5000 respondents.

About F-Secure
F-Secure makes every digital moment moresecure, for everyone. We deliver brilliantly
simple, frictionless security experiences thatmake life easier for the tens of millions of people
we protect and our 200 partners.
For more than 30 years, we’ve led the cybersecurity industry, inspired by a pioneering spiritborn out of a shared commitment to do betterby working together.
For more information visit f-secure.com today.

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F-Secured Your complete guide to online security in 2024