The technological revolution has brought vulnerabilities that make owning modern technology a benefit accompanied by problems, sometimes extending to theft and blackmail by internet hackers.
Information security expert Abdalnour Sami told Al Roeya that malware tries to invade a device's privacy and obtain all its data through deceptive methods that escape its owner's notice.
He explained that one threatening tactic is to hack a device and encrypt some of its contents, then demand a ransom to “release” the files and refrain from publishing them, ostensibly to protect the reputation of the phone or device's owner.
Sami warned against negotiating with lawbreakers under any circumstances. Hackers, he said, do not keep their promises and have no regard for principles. The owner should accept what has happened and contact the security authorities.
He stressed that trusting a hacker's promise is misplaced. Whoever hacked the device will not simply release its files in return for a small payment. That payment is an appetiser, intended to ensure that a main course follows: larger sums or other demands.
Sami said that this form of blackmail and hacking was relatively new to smartphones. He noted that the iPhone's iOS had resisted the worst of it, although it still faced some obstacles in this area.
He emphasised the importance of security awareness and vigilance. Some breaches, he said, result from users being inattentive, using software shared with other parties, opening untrusted programs and files of unknown origin, and following random links.
Dania Al Shamaa — Abu Dhabi