Cyber-attacks, especially social engineering attacks, have become more and more sophisticated and complicated; therefore, internet users are required to enhance awareness as well as cybersecurity skills.

As disclosed by Kaspersky Security Bulletin, in the third quarter of 2024, nearly five million online threats were detected which means one in every five Vietnamese users on average became a target of cyber-attacks.

From July to September of 2024, the cybersecurity situation in Vietnam became more complicated with a combination of traditional attack methods and emerging tricks.

Kaspersky data showed that 18.7 percent of Vietnamese internet users became victims of online attacks. Vietnam ranks 87th among the most vulnerable countries.

In the third quarter of the year, Kaspersky detected more than 20 million troubleshoots related to malware spreading via output devices such as removable USB drives and other local devices, affecting 34.1 percent of Vietnamese users. Vietnam ranks 27th globally among countries being most affected by local threats.

While local functional agencies have made their efforts to update users on new sophisticated tricks and countermeasures to protect both individuals and organizations, hackers have continuously adapted their methods to evade security campaigns. The most common attack strategy is drive-by download, where users unknowingly download malicious software when visiting compromised websites.

One more concern is that there is a rise in social engineering attacks. Common tricks have usually included impersonating reputable organizations to let users download malware disguised as legitimate applications or urgent notices.

Amid the rapid increase in cybersecurity threats, Kaspersky recommends that organizations and individuals in Vietnam should adapt multi-layered security strategies to enhance defense against cyber threats, including backing up data, regularly updating software, strengthening account protection, raising awareness of suspicious communications, and investing in advanced cybersecurity solutions.