The most common malicious use of your digital footprint is what’s known as a spear-phishing attack, which occurs when cybercriminals create a highly personalized email message designed to make the target believe the email is legitimately from you. This email will include malicious links to websites controlled by the attacker, and/or attachments that infect the target’s system with malware.
Let’s say you receive an email that looks like it’s from a representative at your child’s school asking for a few personal forms to be filled out immediately. Without thinking, you click on the attachment provided – which you think simply contains the forms you need to complete. Instead, the attachments infect your computer with malware. You then realize that the email wasn’t actually from your child’s school. Utilizing your digital footprint, the criminal did his homework. He knew you have children and where they attend school, and then used that information to send you a personalized email that would ultimately allow him to gain access to your computer.
We are so glad to have Vista Bank on our side and look forward to growing with them.
- Stephanie