Have you searched these 6 words on your computer? You may be at risk

Cybersecurity firm SOPHOS has issued an urgent alert for computer users following reports of a cyber attack linked to a seemingly innocent Google search. 

Individuals who search for “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” may risk exposing their personal information to hackers through fraudulent links that appear high in Google’s search results.

SOPHOS detailed how victims are often lured into clicking malicious links disguised as legitimate search results. In this instance, the search term involving Bengal cats and Australian legality has been identified as a vector for the attack, leaving users vulnerable to data theft.

“Victims are often enticed into clicking on malicious adware or links disguised as legitimate marketing, or in this case, a legitimate Google search,” the cybersecurity company stated. 

The firm explained that individuals searching with “Australia” in their query are at the highest risk, as the threat is geographically focused. Once users click on the deceptive search result, they may have sensitive information, including bank details, stolen by malware known as Gootloader. Additionally, the program can even lock victims out of their own devices.

SOPHOS believes that the narrow focus of the search term may be precisely what makes this hacking attempt particularly dangerous. Hackers use a method known as “SEO poisoning,” where search engine results are manipulated to position compromised websites near the top of the page. According to the Daily Mail, this method allows cyber criminals to covertly direct unsuspecting users to malicious sites.

The cybersecurity firm is urging anyone who believes they may have clicked on the misleading links to immediately change their passwords.