Watch Out, There Are Hackers Who Target Your LinkedIn Account Using Fake Jobs!

Illustration of the LinkedIn app (Photo by inlytics on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - There is always a way for hackers to break into security and steal electronic device user data. Their most recent modus operandi is to use fake jobs through the professional network LinkedIn.

As is known, recently hackers sold some 500 million data belonging to LinkedIn users. Two million of them are distributed for free to users of the RaidForums site.

The rest, by hackers, are sold for about 2 U.S. dollars (U.S.) per data. If converted into Indonesian rupiah the value becomes approximately Rp29 thousand. But, what if there are buyers who buy 498 million data available? Of course it's huge, isn't it?

Now, the latest data theft modus operandi has been uncovered by cybersecurity firm eSentire. To the shake of the head, hackers are trying to break into a user's personal account using fake job openings!

Malware on Fake Jobs

Today, LinkedIn is becoming a huge social network. Not only filled by job seekers or fresh-graduates only. The platform also has active users who are busy establishing professional relationships.

The condition is used by hackers to steal user data. The trick is to share fake jobs.

According to a report by digital security consultant eSentire, hackers infiltrated malware on job information. By hackers, the information is sent via private messages on the accounts of users looking for work.

In the sent message, the hacker attaches the file in the form of . Zip. The name of the file itself has been adjusted to the position of the potential victim. The goal is of course so that the victim is not suspicious of the existence of the file.

Later, once the victim downloads the Zip file, the malware will be active and operate automatically. The malware will immediately run malicious programs with jenii ransonware.

Senior Director of Threat Response Unit eSentire Rob McLeod revealed that fake job openings are quite effective at deceiving victims. As is known, pandemics lead to an increase in the unemployment rate.

"Now is the right time (for cybercriminals) to benefit from job seekers who are desperate to get a job. The job offer looks more tempting," McLeod said.