Skip to main content

Cyber Stalking - Unwanted Attention



With the advent of digital age, we are more connected than ever. Social media has transcended geographical locations, and no place is out of reach. But with this type of connectivity, there is a rise in the number of antisocial players.

Cyber stalking cases has reportedly gone high in recent years. Stalking is considered as any form of unwanted attention, contact or harassment directed towards an individual. This results in victim's personal space being encroached or taken for granted. 

The preparator perform stalking through fake profiles, monitoring social media sites, messages or chat history. They initiate a volley of hate speech or try to tarnish their victim's reputation. Here stalking can be also a form of love addiction. An unrequited love can cause the stalker to perform the above steps as an act of revenge.

Mode of Operation
  • Installing a piece of code in the victim's computer for accessing the webcam. The spyware comes bundled with a software which could be downloaded and installed. Also known as trojan horse attack.
  • Again, the same computer could be infected by Stalker ware, which records a user's browsing history, key logs, geo location etc.
  • The victim on posting their location online, whether a restaurant or music concert, can be tracked. The stalker appears in these areas uninvited, causing panic and fear.

Precautions
  • Only install software from legitimate sites. They can be cross checked for verified signature, and known publisher.
  • Install a paid anti malware software in your device. Eg: Malware Bytes, Norton, McAfee
  • Avoid using public Wi Fi hotspots. If doing so, do not communicate sensitive information in the same.
  • Post location status online few hours after exiting the venue. This prevents active tracking 


Action
  • Keep a record of all transcripts such as messages, and videos from the stalker. This will be useful for legal action
  • Contact the social media site where the issue had occurred. After consultation, the problematic account can be terminated.
  • Inform the authorities if the stalking persists. Show necessary proofs of the event.
  • Try to take an online sabbatical for a few days. Avoid confronting the stalker directly, as this can add fuel to the fire. 

Additional Information:
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Virtual Private Network (VPN) - Browsing Anonymous

  Privacy is a major concern when browsing the internet. Your data could be eavesdropped by hackers, companies targeting ads or even rogue state actors. What gets revealed would be personal browsing history, location monitoring, IP addresses to name a few. Enter the tech... Virtual Private Network or simply known as VPN is a technology used to prevent unauthorized access of your private data. Even if a hacker penetrates the network and get hold of data packets, all that is revealed is gibberish.  This is because all the information that passes through your device is encrypted and can be only revealed through a personal key.  Internet Service Provider Before going further, a knowledge of Internet Service Provider (ISP) is needed. They are the backbone of the World Wide Web. ISP provides each device with a unique IP (Internet Protocol) address, bandwidth allocation and network security. When a website is searched, first it goes from your device to the Router or Modem which...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ransomware - Trojan in Disguise

  You log into the computer, and it boots up. But instead of seeing the welcome screen, you get a dialog box.  "Your data has been encrypted. To recover, pay $$ of Bitcoin." The message also has a countdown timer, which indicates a payment deadline.  Passwords, credit card details, personal videos/pictures all have been compromised. The hacker even threatens to leak everything online. What happened...... Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts personal data and blocks access to a computer/network. To regain control, a ransom needs to be paid. Usually this is through Bitcoin, or other crypto currencies. On payment, a key is given, which decrypts everything, and returns access to the system.  However, you could be placed in a "Sucker's list" which is sold in the dark web. This can attract more ransomware attacks, in future. History.... Originating in the 90s, the attacks were first recorded in Russia. Since then, it has crossed into Europe and North America...
Post a Comment
Read more