When you read that a hacking attack is dangerous, it generally means that there is a danger to your data rather than your life. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, however, has issued a security alert warning that one type of internet-driven attack has the potential to cause injury or violence. Now is the time to review your social media presence, the FBI said, and ensure you have strong and unique passwords. Here’s what you need to know.
The FBI Takes This Threat Extremely Seriously – So Should You
Don’t get me wrong, you should take all security alerts, especially those that have prompted the FBI to issue warnings, very seriously. That should go without saying. And when we talk about the potential for danger, ransomware actors with no moral compass are quite happy to target blood banks in New York and critical medical devices across the broader healthcare system. However, there are very few threats that present an immediate danger to life, like swatting does. And, the FBI has now warned, your online accounts and smart devices are helping those who perpetrate these evil acts.
An April 29 FBI public service alert, I-042925-PSA, defines swatting as “the malicious tactic of making hoax calls or reports to emergency services, typically feigning an immediate threat to life.” The malicious intent behind these attacks is to draw a significant, armed response from SWAT teams or other law enforcement to descend upon the unknowing victim’s residence or place of work.
“Threat actors often compile sensitive information from a wide range of publicly available sources, including online accounts, to develop invasive profiles of their targets,” the FBI alert warned members of the public. They do this by leveraging spoofing technology in order to anonymize their identities as best as possible, as well as relevant phone numbers, email addresses, and social media profiles “to make it appear the false report is coming from the victim.” The FBI went on to warn that compromised smart home devices have also been used in connection with these swatting attacks. It has been reported that attackers hack into these smart devices to be able to livestream the SWAT raid, one assumes to add to the harassment of the victim.
FBI Advice To Mitigate The Risk Of A Swatting Attack
If you do find yourself the victim of a swatting attack, be sure to stay calm and cooperate with all the law enforcement instructions for your and their safety. The FBI has issued the following advice to mitigate the risk of such an attack:
- Review your online footprint for sensitive personal information that could be useful to anyone wanting to SWAT you.
- Take care when posting any photo and video content that these actors could exploit by way of manipulation.
- Employ strong and unique passwords that are not reused for any other accounts, and back them up with the additional protection of two-factor authentication. This should apply to all online accounts and all devices.
The FBI concluded that you should report any such threats to your local law enforcement agency and the FBI itself here.
