Internet security trends with ESET
Protecting yourself while being online has become a need, especially when you never know when danger lurks. Malicious software and even people can even conceal themselves to make it look like you’re safe…in actuality, it just makes you let your guard down.
As internet threats get more and more diverse, users need more complex internet security suites with features based on individual preferences. PC.com speaks to Roman Kovac, Head of Security Research Lab of ESET HQ Slovakia to find out what the company is about and some of the many threats that lurks online.
PC.com: Tell us about your role in ESET.
Roman Kovac: I’m responsible for the Security Research Lab, or shortly, Virus Lab. The department has several roles including malware analysts, researchers, and detection engineers. Our method of detecting new threats can be done through technology, which involves proactive detection. We can detect threats through the samples we have even before it happens, though not all the time. In some cases, you need to create different layers of protection to be able to catch them.
PC.com: What should consumers be concerned about when it comes to Internet security?
Kovac: I would say one of them would be ransomware. As the name suggest, there will be some sort of ransom involved, which we don’t recommend “paying”. Some people unfortunately do. The best way is to have a proper backup system in place – even if you’re infected with ransomware, you’ll have no issue since you can just use the backup files. However, most consumers don’t have a system in place; I don’t think the vast majority are aware of the need. Another concern would be banking Trojans.
PC.com: How is this different from those banking email scams and why is it happening?
Kovac: This isn’t something new but it’s continuously evolving and coming back all the time. Recently, there had been several cases in Europe where a malware called Remote Access Trojan (RAT) was stealing Internet banking credentials. It was targeting users of European online banking.
This is still happening because users are not careful about the links they click and freely provide their information to pages that look legitimate without checking the authenticity. It’s definitely a challenge for users to distinguish some of them as some of them look like the real deal, right down to the ‘Secure’ certification on the browser. Unless you click on the ‘Secure’ lock icon and check the details of the certificate, you’ll be fooled into thinking that it is really the bank’s online banking login page.
PC.com: How about things like adware? Should consumers be concerned about this as well?
Kovac: Adware is something is quite prevalent but it isn’t as dangerous as ransomware or banking Trojans. It can definitely affect the users experience and the performance of your computer.
PC.com: How can consumers protect themselves from these threats?
Kovac: First and foremost, you should do regular updates on the operating system and the applications you use due to the various evolving exploits. This is especially so in an office setting, where your browser should also be regularly updated.
Secondly, it’s always recommended to have a good security solution in place like an anti-virus. You don’t need an overly complicated security solution in place to protect yourself. For basic needs, we have the ESET Internet Security. If you’re looking for a suite, the new version 10 of our ESET Smart Security Premium is built upon the award-winning NOD32 technology that offers the optimal mix of detection, speed and usability.
