As the United Kingdom is"braced" for a cyberattack from Russia for aiding Ukraine, cyber spies are warning Russia has developed so-called "COVID for computers" malware that uses porn to cripple phones and internet devices.
"One click on an enticing video is enough to introduce malware into your computer or mobile," a former cyber spy told the U.K.'s "Sunday Mirror." "The advice for safe cyber sex is the same as for real sex – use protection."
That includes having cyber security software and updating the patches.
Russia has reportedly been working the hacking tools for decades, threatening to infect millions in the U.K.
Notably, according to the Mirror, in January, Russia tested having its internet disconnected from the rest of the world in anticipation of a cyber war.
Similarly, the malware cuts off a user's access to the internet, including Google, Instagram, messaging services, and access to bank accounts, The Sun reported.
Russian cyber attackers can also cut off "critical infrastructure" like power and water utilities, according to the report.
"The main objective of a cyberattack is to cause maximum disruption, confusion, fear and chaos," Glasswall head of cybersecurity Danny Lopez told the Sunday Times.
"A power cut, or, say, a loss of critical record access at a hospital, for instance, could unfortunately have a serious impact on our lives," he said.
A senior U.K. intelligence source is surprised the hacking has yet to commence, The Sun reported.
"We're braced for a cyber attack," the source said. "We know they have experience and capability in this area, but we can't work out why they haven't done it yet."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.