‘Freelancers face cybersecurity risks’

LAHORE: Freelancers in Pakistan are vulnerable to cyberattacks that can compromise their accounts and money, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky warned on Thursday.

During their tasks, they communicate with a lot of people whom they do not know. Further, they are often required to open files that come from unknown sources, be it text for translation, technical documentation for a coding project, or a description for a picture they are supposed to draw. Such interactions make them an easy target for cybercriminals who use phishing and malware to steal their credentials.

Kaspersky in a statement said that in the case of the recent campaign, a keylogger or a remote access Trojan (RAT) was installed on the victims’ computer. With a keylogger or a RAT installed on the victims’ computer, the crooks got access to everything including routine computer use, logins and passwords, which allowed them to steal accounts and money. Country representative for Pakistan at Kaspersky Usman Qureshi said Pakistan being one of the largest freelancers’ markets was also a potential target for cyber criminals. Not only freelancers, small businesses also face critical cyber security threats. The costs of overlooking the problem will only grow, he said.

“Malware doesn’t distinguish between its victims and even small organizations have something to lose. It is no secret that data breaches are becoming more and more frequent. Yet, a specific concern for smaller businesses is that the number of breaches they are experiencing is growing faster than their larger counterparts.” Qureshi added.

Recognizing that cybercriminals often exploit human error as a gateway to compromise, as it’s easier than exploiting technology, freelancers are advised to exercise caution when prompted to install software by clients or potential clients.

Kaspersky underscores the necessity of downloading software exclusively from official sources and ensuring that such installations do not grant unauthorized access to personal computers.