Exposure to data leaks growing while Aussies experience millions of scam emails

I really don’t think we can individually fathom the scale of cybercrime and the threats posed to us online by scammers without seeing the data around it. And let me tell you, it’s alarming.

It’s not my intention to scare people, but I think it’s critical we are aware, and therefore more mindful of the things we come across – especially in email, as well as calls and texts.

Trend Micro’s look at the first half of this year was staggering to me – some 85 billion threads blocked globally. That included 37 billion email threats, and if you think clicking around the internet is bad, then consider the 1.1 billion malicious URLs (web addresses) that were blocked by Trend Micro.

The days of the “Virus” might seem behind us, but with 45.9 billion malicious files blocked, think again.

Here in Australia, Trend Micro blocked 75 million email threads, and – congrats Australia, we’re in the top 10 countries with 24 million malicious URLs blocked.

And again, top 10 for Malware with 53 million detections.

It gets better. We’re FIFTH in the world for high risk and malicious apps – 242,657 of them blocked by Trend Micro.

At home, you’re no safer, every single household on average had 52 smart home attacks.

But it’s the data leaks that worry me most, and what is being exposed.

Of Trend Micro ID Security users, 69% had encountered a data leak, with Email, Name and Phone Number being the most commonly leaked. Then came Usernames, Gameratags, Passports and Drivers Licences as well as Credit Cards.

The fact is, we don’t know if we’ve been a victim of a data leak, unless we’re looking at the Dark Web. There are more and more tools to help you look at this and check, but Trend Micro’s ID Security helps you proactively, by monitoring the Dark Web for YOUR details and helping you take action.

Internet Security for you should include protection of all your devices, your phone, your computer and your tablet, and even devices like you XBox and Smart TV.

Trend Micro has products that can protect you across all those devices, including with ID Protection so folks, don’t muck around – make sure your Internet Security software is up to date and covers you on PC or MAC, Android or iPhone and is working the Dark Web on your behalf – if it’s not – get Internet security now – like Trend Micro.