Ahead of International Children’s Day, Kaspersky experts looked into the recent threats using as a bite the mention of gaming and toy brands popular among kids like Minecraft, Roblox, LEGO, Disney, and more. As a result of research based on chosen key words, it was found out that the number of attack attempts grew up by 35% in Q1 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year. Specifically, almost 1.3 million attack attempts were detected from January to March, 2024.
A total of 1,264,866 attempts to attack mobile and desktop devices disguised as topics popular among kids were detected in Q1 of 2024. This is an increase of 35% growth compared to Q1 2023, when 936,840 attempted attacks were recorded. According to Kaspersky’s data, desktop threats significantly dominate the number of attacks detected during the reporting period – 98.7% versus 1.3% of mobile threats.
Based on the research by Kaspersky experts’, the top brands exploited by cybercriminals included the most popular children’s games: Minecraft, Roblox, and Brawl Stars. Besides this, attackers also tried to leverage product names such as LEGO, and a number of popular kids’ cartoons including Paw Patrol, Bluey, and entertainment giant Disney, whose name could be used to search cartoons, movies and popular TV series, and related games or merch. More than 1.2 million of the infections are from downloaders distributed in Q1 2024. While this type of software is not itself malicious, downloaders are often used to load other potentially unwanted apps onto devices.
Trojans, malicious programs that can enable cybercriminals to gather credit card details, login credentials, modify data or disrupt the performance of computers, ranked second among the most widespread threats masquerading as children’s favorites. In Q1 2024, there were 27,576 attempts to launch Trojans on users’ devices, while adware – a type of software that displays unwanted irritating pop-up adverts on your screen – resulted in 27,570 attempts.
The number of increased attacks detected was also accompanied by a drop in the number of unique targeted users. In particular, in Q1 2024, 49,630 unique users were attacked in contrast to 57,873 during the same period in 2023, a decrease of 14%. This may imply that the children may have continued to encounter new threats as a result of repeatedly downloading malicious files from the Internet.
Analyzing individual cases of attacks on users, Kaspersky researchers found cybercriminals spread malicious Trojan-SMS to mobile devices under the guise of the popular Brawl Stars game. Specifically, they presented it as cheats for the game allowing gamers to gain an unfair advantage over other players. Once installed and launched, the app first asks for permission for numerous features (many of which are not necessary or even risky) and then only pop-ups to unlock access to the content – without giving the content itself.
To make it difficult for users to delete the app, cybercriminals made it a transparent icon and an empty name so it could not be simply seen on the home screen. At this time, the application itself, once launched and granted permissions, performs a malicious function, sending SMS messages from the affected mobile device as a spam tool, thereby emptying the victim’s phone wallet.
Kaspersky researchers also found malicious web pages with toys, dolls and other children’s products. These pages were originally legitimate resources, later hacked by cybercriminals to spread malware. In this case, not only children who want to choose a new toy, but also parents looking for products for children can also become victims.
The example of the infected page with kids’ products
“As part of the research, we see attacks on children are becoming a traditional vector for cybercriminals that will only become more and more active. Children are often unaware of the basics of cybersecurity and easily fall into attackers’ traps, for example, when trying to download a free version of a popular game, or a new episode of a favorite cartoon. That’s why cyber hygiene education is a must-have for parents who care about their children’s safety in the online environment,” comments Vasily Kolesnikov, Malware Analyst at Kaspersky.
To keep your kids safe online, Kaspersky recommends users:
• By staying informed about the latest threats and actively monitoring their children’s online activities, parents can create a safer online environment for their kids.
• It’s crucial for parents to have open communication with their children about the potential risks they may encounter online and to enforce strict guidelines to ensure their safety.
• With dedicated apps for digital parenting such as Kaspersky Safe Kids, parents can effectively safeguard their children across both online and offline spaces. Such apps helps adults ensure a safe and positive digital experience for little ones, establish healthy habits, protect from inappropriate content, balancing screen time and checking children’s physical location.
• To help parents introduce their children to cybersecurity amidst the evolving threat landscape, Kaspersky experts have developed the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Alphabet with key concepts from the cybersecurity industry. In this book, your kids will get to know new technologies, learn the main cyber hygiene rules, find out how to avoid online threats, and recognize fraudsters’ tricks. After reading this book together, you’ll be sure that your kid knows how to distinguish phishing website, how VPN and QR-codes work, and even what honeypots and encryption are and what role they play in modern cybersecurity. You can download the pdf of the book for free and go through the basics of cybersecurity with your child, building their cybersafe future.
• To secure your child from downloading any malicious files during their gaming experience, we advise to install a trusted security solution on their device.
