By Kenny Chee

INTERNET users, beware. A lesser-known type of cyberattack - which holds people's computer files "ransom" unless scammers are paid - is expected to be one of the top cyberthreats in Singapore next year, said network-security firm Fortinet yesterday.

The threat, called "ransomware", is a malicious software that masquerades as an anti-virus software and claims to have found viruses on a computer.

It changes the user's computer files, like wordprocessing documents, so that they cannot be opened.

It then alerts the user to download another bogus anti-virus software, for a price, to "remove" the non-existent viruses and unlock the user's files.

Fortinet expects more ransomware attacks because greater public awareness of its predecessor, called scareware, is rendering the earlier software less effective. Scareware does not lock files.

Furthermore, the overall rate of attacks on computers in Singapore has been rising.

Mr Derek Manky, project manager for cyber security and threat research at Fortinet Technologies in Canada, said that the monthly rate of cyberattacks on newly identified security loopholes jumped from 20 per cent last year to 35-50 per cent this year.

"We are seeing an increase because (cybercrooks) are spending more time and resources to (attack loopholes)," he said.

This could be because cybercrime groups can now hire more people with little or no hacking skills, thanks to the increasing availability of hacking software for rent, he said. Renting software to hack 1,000 computers in Asia could cost under US$10 (S$14).

Cybercrooks, emboldened by inadequate prosecution of their activities, may also launch more attacks, Mr Manky added.

Consumers can protect their computers by updating and patching their computer software to remove security loopholes, he said.

He added that users should also refrain from clicking on links to websites with suspicious names, which could be malicious websites.

Unsolicited online requests for personal data should be treated with caution too, he said.

kennyc@sph.com.sg

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