Syrian Hackers Use WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook And YouTube

New cyber-security threats arise in Syria as groups of hackers use social engineering as a tool to spread their malware online. Popular sites like Facebook and YouTube as well as applications like WhatsApp and Viber are no longer safe.

Syrian Hackers

Syrian hackers use sophisticated techniques to distribute their Remote Access Trojans on social networking sites and attack computers in Syria, Middle Eastern counties, US and Europe. Remote Access Trojans or RATs help cyber criminals achieve full control over the computer and access the private data stored on it. Once a PC is infected with the malicious program, it sends computer user's keystrokes to a remote server, allowing cyber criminals to steal private information.

Malware distribution has been evolving in Syria during the last couple of years.

A hacker group called the Syrian Electronic Army has made a few high-profile attacks on media sources such as BBC, AP, the Guardian and more. They have been distributing malicious files in order to gain access to sensitive data. It is not yet known if the SEA is linked to the new group of hackers as the methods they are using are quite different.

Syrian malware and spyware is distributed in various ways. One of them is fake videos that catch user's attention. Once you click on the link you are offered a program that you need to download in order to watch the video. Instead of a legitimate application, however, your computer gets infected with malware. A similar tactic is used when malicious programs are presented as software updates, video codecs, anti-spyware programs and so on. That is why it is always important to download software only from trustworthy sources.

Social networking sites like Facebook are also used quite often to spread the malignant applications.

You may be presented with a corrupted link that will lead you to a file sharing site where malicious software is hosted. If you download the infected .rar file, you infect your PC. This method is also often used on instant messaging apps as you may download a file there without any warnings.

A well-known example of Syrian malware that is promoted as a security tool is an application called "Ammazon Internet Security" said security experts. The program is advertised and looks like an anti-malware software that you can use to scan your PC to see if there are any threats on it and eliminate them. However, the analysis of the application revealed that the program is actually malicious and installs a RAT onto your computer.

It is important to do whatever you can to keep your PC and personal details safe. If you think that your system might be infected you should not hesitate to scan it with a powerful anti-malware tool. The safety and security of your PC should be a top priority of any computer user, especially considering the ever growing number of malware and its distribution methods.