Gardaí in Limerick warn of common cyber-attack methods amid crime increase

LIMERICK gardaí have issued a warning about cyber attacks, which they have said “are becoming more prominent in our society”.

The European Union Agency for Cyber Security, ENISA, has launched the annual European Cyber Security Month campaign to target specific online threats.  

This is a joint approach with An Garda Siochana. Gardaí in Limerick are now advising people to become familiar with common cyber-attack methods and brush up on jargon regularly used when it comes to cyber crime.

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The two main focuses are ransomware and phising:

Ransomware: This is where malicious software is downloaded onto a computer system through an infected email, website or device and encrypts the system and its data, preventing the owner from accessing their networks. 

The attacker then demands payment, often in cryptocurrency to regain access and may give a sample of the data to demonstrate they have control. 

Phishing: This a fraudulent email which pretends to be from a trusted source such as a bank, revenue or supplier and states that the recipient's accounts have been locked for security reasons. 

The email asks the recipient to follow a link and enter their personal or account details in full to regain control of the account. However, the email leads to a fake webpage that has been created to capture the banking or personal data.