
Big tech companies manage an inhumane amount of personal information of millions of people. So, when they experience cyberattacks, the problem not only affects the company as such, but also the users and society in general. Data theft can lead to scams, identity theft and other frauds which ultimately affects anyone who uses their services.
Giants love Apple, Amazon or Meta They have been fighting against computer attacks of all kinds for years, but they recently detected a particularly worrying threat. More specifically, it is a method that allows attackers Steal users’ personal data in record time.
This is how cybercriminals fool emergency services to get your data
The method is to take advantage of a real legal system that exists for emergency situations. According to reports from Wiredin some countries, authorities may request urgent information from tech companies without needing a court order if there is immediate danger to a person.
This procedure is known as “Emergency data request”that attackers use to impersonate authoritiesclaiming that a serious emergency is occurring. What they do is send fake emails or use compromised accounts and attach manipulated legal documents. Some cases are even capable of include presumed death notices for the company to act immediately.
Due to the resulting sense of urgency, some businesses may fail and facilitate personal data such as addresses, telephone numbers or other confidential information users, believing that they are helping in a real situation. Whether it’s one type of deception or another, the goal is always the same: create panic so that we don’t check if it’s real.
In the media they claim that it is the cybercriminals themselves who recognize that this method has allowed them obtain thousands of personal data. They can then sell it on illegal forums and use it to run more credible scams. There is little users can do about these types of attacks. and it is the technology companies, which have not yet spoken out, that must improve their systems.