British cybersecurity firm Sophos warns users not to type the phrase "Are Bengal Cats legal in Australia?" into Google.
The company has found that those who search these exact words risk having their personal information stolen by clicking on dangerous, fake links appearing at the top of the search results.
According to Sophos, these links often lure users into clicking on malicious ads or websites disguised as trustworthy sources.
If you rely on your computer for daily browsing or work, this warning is for you. British cybersecurity firm Sophos has recently issued an urgent alert for internet users, cautioning against searching a specific phrase on Google that may expose your personal data to hackers.
Sophos warns users not to type the phrase “Are Bengal Cats legal in Australia?” into Google. The company has found that those who search these exact words risk having their personal information stolen by clicking on dangerous, fake links appearing at the top of the search results. According to Sophos, these links often lure users into clicking on malicious ads or websites disguised as trustworthy sources. These links then redirect users to harmful sites that appear legitimate but actually host malware.
Also read: This new malware can infect your Android device and steal sensitive information: How to stay safe
“Victims are often enticed into clicking on malicious adware or links disguised as legitimate marketing, or in this case a legitimate Google search directing the user to a compromised website hosting a malicious payload masquerading as the desired file,” Sophos stated in a blog post.
Once users click on these links, their computers may become infected with hidden malware. If this malware goes unnoticed, it opens the door for a second, even more dangerous program called GootKit. GootKit is a highly evasive info stealer and remote access Trojan (RAT) used to establish a persistent foothold in the victim’s network environment.
GootKit can be used to install ransomware or other harmful software, like Cobalt Strike, to launch further attacks on the system.
The risk primarily exists when searches include the word “Australia.” When users click on a search result,they may unknowingly give hackers access to sensitive details, including bank account information, which is stolen through a program called Gootloader. This malware not only steals personal data but can also prevent users from accessing their computers.
Though the search term about Bengal cats seems harmless, Sophos warns that it actually highlights a concerning new cyber tactic. Criminals are increasingly using a method called “SEO poisoning,” manipulating search engine results to make malicious sites appear at the top of searches.
This incident serves as a reminder that even the most innocent searches can sometimes lead to security risks.
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Ayushi Jain
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