Kaspersky has predicted six cybersecurity threats for young people in 2023. Image: iStock
The digital age has turned the world into a global village, connecting people from all corners with a simple click.
Cybersecurity company Kaspersky has predicted that the top threats will especially affect young people online in 2024.
While technological innovation has simplified the way people talk and get informed, it has also opened users up to cybercrime, with young people being the most vulnerable.
Generation Alpha has swapped classic toys for tablets and mobile phones, giving cybercriminals the ability to profit from every moment they spend online.
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Kaspersky’s predictions suggest that young people will use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which the company says don’t offer a good enough level of cybersecurity or age-appropriate consent.
A United Nations (UN) study indicates that 80% of young people report interacting with AI multiple times a day.
Security and privacy expert at Kaspersky, Andrey Sidenko said numerous seemingly harmless applications had emerged with the development of AI, such as uploading a photo to receive a modified version.
“However, when young people upload photographs to these types of applications, they never know in which databases their photographs will end up or if they will be used later,” he explained.
Sideenko also said that AI teams can seamlessly provide age-inappropriate content when requested, adding that some AI chatbots have been designed in particular to offer erotic experiences.
“Although some require some form of age verification, this is harmful because some young people may lie about their age and the prevention of these cases is insufficient,” he said.
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Sideenko noted that young people can be easily manipulated by cybercriminals, who are likely to lure other young people with gifts and promises of friendship to build trust.
“Once they have buy-in from a young player, they get their private data by clicking on a phishing link, which downloads a malicious record like a Minecraft or Fortnite game onto their device, or even prepares themselves,” he says.
The expert said the arrival of bank cards and specialized monetary products for children as young as 12 had left them vulnerable to money-motivated cybercriminals.
“Using social engineering techniques, cybercriminals can simply exploit children’s acceptance by posing as their peers and asking for the main points of their cards to be shared or for cash transfers to be made to their accounts,” he said.
For example, Sideko warned against scams such as promises of loose devices by offering card details on a phishing site.
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While the smart home system has some convenience, it may simply pose a cybersecurity risk.
“Despite the increasing number of cases of threats to smart home devices, manufacturers are not rushing to create cyber-immune tech that preemptively prevents potential exploits of vulnerabilities,” Sidenko said.
He added that this could lead to young people using “tools” for cybercriminals.
“If a smart device becomes a fully functional tracking tool and a child is home alone, cybercriminals can tap into them through those devices and ask for sensitive information,” he explained.
Karspersky predicts that children will demand that their online space be respected.
“As children mature, they develop greater self-awareness, encompassing an understanding of their personal space, privacy and sensitive data, both offline and in their online activities,” said Sidenko.
He recommended that parents invest in digital parenting apps to monitor their children’s online activities.
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Some applications on the web are only available in certain regions of the world, forcing web users to look for alternatives, which tend to be malicious copies.
“Even if they turn to official app stores like Google Play, they still run the risk of falling victim to cybercriminals,” Sidenko said.
Since 2020, Karspersky has discovered that more than 190 apps on Google Play have been infected with the Harly Trojan, which registered users to pay without their knowledge.
“As we can see, many of the trends playing out in society are also affecting children, making them potential targets for attackers,” Sidenko said.
“It is very important to teach young people the basics of cybersecurity from an early age,” he concluded.
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