Hackers are once again targeting the VLC player to infect our devices with malware. This time they have used Google and SEO positioning to make you fall.
Be very careful because, as Trend Micro researchers have discovered, hackers are currently focusing on the VLC program , so widely used by everyone, to break into their victims' computers.
As they explain, the hackers have used the technique of SEO Poisoning to create fake web pages that linked to VLC with a modified version of the program and managed to position it in Google in such a way that they make it easier for you to fall for it.
In short, they hacked real pages with JavaScript and injected fake infected links. Once you download VLC from this fake page, you have definitely fallen into their trap. Of course, do n't worry if you downloaded this player from an official source.
The malware deployed on the victims opens the door for hackers to obtain all kinds of information. It can reveal everything related to the system, download files, or any type of activity that violates your privacy. These types of sneak attacks are not uncommon, but this one appears to have occurred on a large scale.
What is SEO Poisoning and why you should be alert
Search Engine Optimization Poisoning (SEO Poisoning) is a tactic in which hackers create malicious websites and use techniques, such as keywords, to boost their rankings and appear among the first search results on Google .
Unsuspecting users, who believe that the first results of their searches are the most relevant to what they want, can navigate to these sites and unknowingly install malware on their devices or decrypt sensitive information to threat actors. However, VLC attacks are not a new phenomenon. They started in 2021, after hackers attacked a known Microsoft Exchange server flaw, according to the Symantec blog.
With all this on the table, and despite the fact that hacking groups are still a serious problem, there are several ways to protect yourself against them , and one of the main and easiest tricks is to keep your software up to date and use security programs to the protection of your device.
Using strong passwords and backing up important data are other easy ways to make a hacker's job more difficult. As we have already explained, if you have downloaded VLC from the official page or from the official Android or iOS download applications, you have nothing to fear.
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