The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has alerted Nigerians about a cyberattack linked to Spotify. The agency cautioned that cybercriminals are using the music streaming platform to promote harmful activities.
According to them, cybercriminals exploit Spotify to advertise game hacks and spam links, thereby exposing users to all forms of cyber threats. They also promote pirated software (commonly called ‘cracks’) and other malicious sites.
A post on X by NITDA reads “Spotify is being exploited to promote game hacks for video games like Fortnite, GTA, Apex, and Roblox. Threat actors are also using the platform to advertise pirated software(cracks), spam links and malicious crack sites. They embed these malicious promotions within playlist names and podcast descriptions.”
Attackers exploit Spotify’s legitimate software to manipulate search engine results, exposing users to scams, malware, and other cyber threats. This can lead to drive-by downloads, risking personal data loss and security breaches.
Also read: Over half of cyberattacks in Africa target government and finance — new report
How to safeguard yourself
To protect against these threats, NITDA advises users to take the following actions:
- Be cautious with content descriptions: Avoid interacting with playlists or podcasts containing suspicious or irrelevant text in their descriptions.
- Be careful of the links you click: Avoid clicking any link in the description of playlists and podcasts.
- Update Spotify regularly: Always ensure your Spotify app is up-to-date. Updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit.
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