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back to article Spear phishers target gullible Brits more than anyone else – survey

There’s been a sharp (35 per cent) increase in crypto ransomware attacks, with the UK ranked as the nation third most targeted with ransomware. The UK is also ranked as the most targeted nation for spear phishing attacks and the second most hit-upon country with social media scams, according to other findings from Symantec's …

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  1. Chika
    Trollface

    Optional

    And we're surprised?

    Just click here for a full explanation!

    4 0 Reply
  2. Sir Sham Cad

    top tips from Symantec on improving security,

    The most important of which, "don't use Symantec products", is probably missing.

    As with all these things, the best defence is user education.

    5 1 Reply
    1. Kurt Meyer
      Reply Icon

      Re: top tips from Symantec on improving security,

      "If you would like to read this Very Important ReportTM, please register with Symantec so that we may contact barrage you with offers for the many fine Symantec products which will do sweet FA to keep you and your organisation safe.

      6 1 Reply
      1. AndrueC Silver badge
        Reply Icon
        Joke

        Re: top tips from Symantec on improving security,

        Symantec products which will do sweet FA to keep you and your organisation safe

        Oh I don't know. After you've lost a chunk of RAM and most of your CPU cycles to them there's a limit on how much trouble you can get into.

        4 1 Reply
  3. Anonymous Coward
    Windows

    Symantec products used to work really well back in the day.

    The user gets pwned. They're not going to get un-pwned short of a full format/reinstall. However they don't have the technical knowledge to do so.

    Enter Symantec! Their products slow the users computer down until they give up in frustration and buy a new computer, which starts out clean.

    Well not CLEAN clean. Full of OEM shovelware. But as clean as it's ever going to be.

    2 1 Reply
  4. EvilBanana

    In a country where people are people call the police over someone getting trolled. I am not surprised we are targetted. Are you?

    3 0 Reply
  5. Stevie

    Bah!

    Dammit El Reg, this article is eleven days late!

    1 0 Reply
  6. Paul Slater

    Grains of sand on a beach

    Actually, a billion grains of sand would only fill a bathtub (well, grains of salt actually). So it's not like finding a virus on a beach, more like finding one in a half-filled bath.

    I'll fetch my sunhat..

    1 0 Reply
  7. Someone_Somewhere

    Perhaps

    its the revenge of the tech support pit ponies who had to put up with inane-to-outright-insane-to-just-plain-rude support queries over the years - they realised just how vulnerable UK lusers are and are now getting some payback.

    In fact, I foresee the development of ransomware that doesn't actually demand a ransom - it just fucks you up without offering even a glimmer of hope.

    0 0 Reply
  8. ecofeco Silver badge

    So.....

    What country is first?

    0 0 Reply
    1. Kurt Meyer
      Reply Icon

      Re: So.....

      Oh, the usual suspects would be a safe guess.

      0 0 Reply

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