*The American Federal Bureau of Investigation urges Gmail users to adopt two-factor authentication to thwart ransomware hackers, noting the dangers of phishing e-mails are designed to steal consumers’ login credentials and deploy ransomware

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

Against the backdrop of phishing scams cybercriminals are using to exploit unprotected software on consumers鈥� devices, the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is urging Gmail users to adopt two-factor authentication to thwart ransomware hackers.

绿帽献妻 learnt if you use a Gmail account, the FBI cautions you may be the target of ransomware phishing attacks.

The Bureau disclosed the “Medusa ransomware group” has already claimed over 300 victims by using phishing scams to exploit unprotected software on consumers鈥� devices.

The FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported that the scheme has been particularly successful in targeting large institutions, such as hospitals, schools, and large corporations, agency report said.

Shedding light on how it works, the FBI explained when a target clicks a link in a message, Medusa malware downloads into the device and encrypts files so the user can鈥檛 open them.

It stated the files are unencrypted, only after the victim pays a ransom to the hackers.

What consumers need to do

In order to guard against this cyberthreat, however, the FBI has urged Gmail users to enable two-factor authentication, or 2FA.

The Bureau equally warned that passwords alone are no longer sufficient to protect devices.

2FA provides an extra layer of security, noted the American secret police.

How 2FA works

2FA requires device users to provide two forms of identification before accessing an account, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access.

Common methods include receiving verification codes via SMS text message, using authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, or utilising hardware security keys.

It was gathered the FBI also had issued several warnings about the evolving tactics used by cybercriminals.

It stressed the dangers of phishing e-mails designed to steal login credentials and deploy ransomware.

They have also noted that “cookie theft,” where attackers steal session cookies to bypass passwords and even multi-factor authentication, is a growing threat.

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