How Geography Affects Malware Threats Differently

Your location is being tracked by different applications at any given time, for various reasons. Your GPS application may need your location to help you get to where you want to go, but there are countless apps that are out there that also have ill intent. Many apps will track your GPS location in order to track other information about you, or sell that information to various companies who collect and store a vast amount of user data.

Further, malware often differs depending on your location in the world. If you’re traveling — or just want to ensure that your device is protected against the various forms of malware — make sure your device and information is always protected and kept safe by running regular virus scans on your device. DFNDR’s Security Scan feature helps keep your information protected at all times. This feature monitors for threats of all different types, and it scans your device memory and your SD card to make sure that you’re safe at all times. Click here to run a full virus scan on your device:

Malware Differs Country to Country

Some areas in the world are less secure than other areas, and that’s something that can leave people at risk if hackers can determine their location. There are also area-specific viruses that will track you if you’re in certain areas, which can be especially scary. Certain types of malware are more common in China and Russia, for example, than in the US. Malware can target you more efficiently in other areas if your location is determined and shared amongst other applications and websites. Network security also varies country to country. Countries that take cybersecurity less seriously are more prone to serious forms of malware.

No Global Standard for Financial Security

Another major concern is that banks in different countries have different methods and security measures in place to protect your money and financial information — and it isn’t always the most secure methods, in some cases. Often, trojan viruses and malware are utilized to bypass these measures.

There have been times when cybercriminals were able to bypass security, such as the recent robberies of a few major European banks. ATM malware and bank robberies are getting more sophisticated and tech-friendly. For major robberies, criminals today will often hack into a bank’s system through malware and discreetly monitor a bank’s day-to-day activities before they rob them.