Consumers Face Greater Risks From Malware But Many are Unprepared and Vulnerable


Consumers experience the same malware threats as do businesses, but are often victimized by inadequate cybersecurity protections, ReasonLabs reports.

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Many consumers face the same malware threats as do businesses, yet they are often victimized by inadequate security to protect themselves from cyberattacks. In many cases, the resources to defend their home networks and devices, ReasonLabs said in a new report.

A good deal of individuals and home users also are saddled with using legacy anti-virus products with antiquated engines that need to be replaced, the New York-based, consumer-centric security provider said:

“One commonality that unites most individuals or home users, no matter where they are in the world or what their socioeconomic status might be, is a lack of adequate cybersecurity with the capabilities of protecting their devices and home networks from next-generation threats.”

Key Findings From the Report

Here are the study’s findings:

  • The emergence of the metaverse and increased adoption of IoT devices carry new cyber risks, such as the metaverse attack vector identified by ReasonLabs researchers in 2022.
  • Malicious web extensions are becoming more and more prevalent; 15% of all malicious extensions detected throughout 2022 came from users in the United States.
  • Trojanized software, such as coin miners, backdoors, infostealers, remote access trojans (RATs), and spyware, continues to be a top threat to home users and remote employees, as they accounted for 31% of all detections.
  • The rise in HackUtilities detections from 4% in 2021 to 20% in 2022 demonstrates that online piracy — the use of pirated or cracked software and applications — is either at or near an all-time high.
  • Cyber warfare is increasingly impacting average citizens around the world, with the most notable examples in 2022 coming from Russia’s war in Ukraine. The study found a large increase in detections in Ukraine throughout February compared to January, signaling that Russia’s invasion was also paired with cyberattacks.
  • The…

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