These 6 tricks that hackers use to infect your device (and how to avoid them)

We will never repeat it enough, human error is the first gateway to viruses, malware and other ransomware. Be careful and vigilant Must be the thing that comes to your mind when you receive an SMS, an email or a call … But the hackers are unfortunately clever and assisted by AI, they can not only discover security flaws in your computer to exploit them, but also deceive you.

It reminds me of Grimm’s tale: the wolf and the 7 kids. When the wolf appears in front of the door of the Maison des Chevreaux, it uses ever more developed ploys (its voice then its paw covered with flour to seem white) so that the kids believe that it is their mother and open the door to him.

In the same way, Hackers use AI to find ever more ingenious and malicious techniques To enter your computer to steal your data and your money, steal sensitive files against a ransom, or use your equipment resources without your knowledge for embezzlement, etc.

But being hacked is not inevitable and hackers often use the same techniques to try to scam you. Here are the 6 most frequent techniques … and how to protect yourself effectively.

1. PHISHING, in all its forms

Phishing remains the favorite method of cybercriminals To infect a device or steal data. Their main weapon? The deception. In the form of an email or a very credible SMS, the pirates pretend to be a known company, an administration or even a loved one. The message encourages to click on a link or to open an attachment: “Your package is pending”, “a suspicious payment has been detected on your account”, “you must check your identity” … Once the link is open, the victim is redirected to a false site (perfect imitation of a bank, an operator, etc.) which steals the identifiers, or triggers a malicious download.

Another variant: the scam by attachment. The document seems harmless (PDF, invoice, cover letter), but contains a virus as soon as it is opened. These attacks play on urgency and emotion.

How to protect yourself? Use an antivirus with a powerful anti-phishing filterwhich blocks fraudulent sites before they open. Some also analyze attachments in real time. You can turn to yourself in particular to Avira Prime,, A complete safety series which includes an antivirus, a VPN, a secure browser, a locking site system systema module to secure your online transactions, a password manager and cleaning and updating tools for your computer to avoid safety flaws. With Avira Prime, you have a complete and effective solution against phishing and other online threats.

2. Infected smartphone applications

Our smartphones have become our portfolios, our diaries, our messaging, and even our digital safes. The pirates know this. More and more malware is hidden in mobile applicationseven on official blinds. It is not uncommon to read in the press that many malware infects devices through an harmless appearance application. Their goal is to spy on your data, listen to your calls, read your SMS, follow your trips or access your bank accounts.

How to protect yourself? Many users think that antivirus is not necessary on mobile. And yet, It is clear that Android or iOS devices are not immune. And there are reliable mobile antiviruses that automatically scan each application before and after its installation.

They can also Monitor abnormal behavior As requests for authorization to access the microphone, camera or SMS, and block malware in real time. For that, Norton Mobile Security perfectly check all the boxes. It offers active protection in real time and alerts you in the event of potential dangerswhether fraudulent sites, malicious SMS, suspect emails or even applications containing malware.

3. USB devices and infected connected supports

A free USB key or an external hard drive are provided and you connect them without mistrust. Apparently harmless, these accessories can become real physical Trojan horses. Pirates use infected devices to inject malware As soon as they are connected to a device, without the user noticing.

How to protect yourself? Avoid connecting peripherals of unknown or doubtful provenance. Quality antiviruses, as Avast Oneintegrate an SAutomatic USB devices : They analyze content and block all suspicious activity. Avast One also offers a Smart Scan and in -depth analyzes, a VPN, a system for detecting potential threats in emailsor in your browser and many other tools useful for securing your data.

4. False updates or trapped downloads

“Your version of Chrome is no longer up to date, click here to correct the error.” You have already seen this type of window open when you browse a website … Behind this type of message is often hidden a trap. The pirates create False alert pages that imitate real notifications to update a browser or popular software. The goal: to push the user to download an infected file. These pages are sometimes very well made, almost indistinguishable from an official site.

Another frequent trick: pirated downloads. A film, a game or a software accessible for free on a dubious site can hide malware, or even several. Once installed, the file seems to work normally, but in the background, a virus takes control of the system, runs scripts to deactivate your protection system, or installs untimely advertisements.

How to protect yourself? First of all, it is important to Never download programs from unofficial sites or unreliable sources. For browsers, software, or pilots, always go through the publisher’s site or a certified source.

If you have a good antivirus, it may also include a Dangerous download protectionwhich scans each file before it is open, and can immediately block those which contain signatures of malware.

Note that certain safety suites such as AVG Ultimate incorporates a software update system to download only official files. This module being automatic, if you notice the appearance of a notification to invite to update software, you will know that this is a fraudulent attempt.

5. Messages and links trapped on social networks

Social networks and instant messaging have become privileged hunting grounds for pirates. They exploit confidence between relatives: a friend whose account was hacked following a data flight, sends a malicious link to all his list of contacts, often accompanied by a short and intriguing message: “It’s you in this video? 😳” or “Watch what I found!”. Curiosity helping, we click … and the infection begins.

Certain links redirect to pages that steal your identifiers, others automatically trigger downloads. Scams also circulate via Whatsapp, Messenger, Telegram, etc.

How to protect yourself? Beware of unexpected messages, even if they come from known contact. Do not click on a link without checking the source. If a doubt remains, ask the person concerned directly if they have really sent you this message.

6. Malventy browser extensions

Often perceived as practical or essential, browser extensions can however become entry doors for pirates. Some are designed to spy on navigation, inject advertisements or redirect to malicious sites. Others discreetly collect personal data, passwords or navigation history, to resell or exploit them.

The problem : even extensions on official blinds can be maliciousor becoming it after a silent update. Some take advantage of misleading names like “Adblock Plus Premium” or “Fast Translate Pro” to inspire confidence, while operating in the background without the user suspects.

How to protect yourself? Install only extensions from reliable developers, well noted, and regularly updated. Before installing, check the requested authorizations: a weather extension does not need access to your payment data. The best safety suites also monitor the extensions installed in your browser and alert you in the event of a suspicious activity.

This is particularly the case withAvira Prime and its Avira Browser Safety browser extension. By adding this smart module to your browser, you will not only benefit from an analysis system for other extensions that alert you in the event of a malicious program, but you will also have a advertisingprotection against false phishing sites and an anti-tracking system. This last tool blocks any attempt to monitor your online activities by companies.