Brazil led the ranking of countries with the highest volume of leaked data in 2023. Among the information most compromised by cybercriminals last year are full names, emails, addresses and passwords, normally obtained from viruses that steal cookies and saved data of the browser.
The numbers are from supplier NordVPN, which place the country ahead of other traditional targets on the global stage. Firstly, Brazil surpassed India, Indonesia and the United States in the volume of compromised information. These are the largest in a volume of more than 54 million cookies leaked in 2023 – 30% were still active, according to experts.
Among companies, Google appears with the largest number of records exposed, 2,5 billion, followed by YouTube, with 692 million, and Microsoft, with 500 million. It is no coincidence that these are also the main targets of cybercriminals who target not only personal information, but also email accounts and channels that can be used in new scams, increasing the number of victims.
On the other side of this account are so-called stealers, malicious software that installs itself on computers and cell phones to steal data. They lie in wait to obtain cookies that could deliver login data as well as other information that could lead to identity theft.
According to NordVPN, RedLine was responsible for 57% of virtual crimes recorded in 2023. Known to the security community at least since 2021, the malware is embedded in fake corporate documents, manipulated downloads or pirated software, often published or sent from the accounts of victims compromised by the pests.
Therefore, experts reinforce the usual tips about paying attention when downloading. The ideal is to always prefer software developer websites and official application stores, especially avoiding sponsored links that appear at the top of search tools. In the case of attachments, it is best to ensure that the sender is legitimate, as is the file itself, before downloading something received via email or messaging app.
Additionally, deleting browser cookies can be a good security measure. It is also worth using secure passwords and two-step authentication systems, which can prevent an account from being hacked even with the correct credentials, as well as using credential managers instead of leaving them saved in the browser.
