Tense traffic: scammers took advantage of YouTube's record slowdown
Cybercriminals are luring users by offering various gas pedal services amid the record slowdown of YouTube. The most common technique is sending emails with links disguised as notifications from the video hosting service. Another scheme involves placing links to malicious software in the descriptions under videos. Read more about how fraudsters operate in the Izvestia article.
Fraudulent schemes
Against the background of a record slowdown of video hosting YouTube increased the number of fraudulent offers of various services-accelerators, told "Izvestia" cybersecurity experts. Izvestia's source in the telecom sector reminded that since July-August the number of such publications has grown from 100-150 to 300 per month and continues to increase.
The use of these programs entails potential dangers for users. First of all, it is data logging - that is, saving the history of all the user's actions, the actual tracking of the user. Viruses or spyware are very often hidden under applications to bypass blocking, the expert noted.
- YouTube can be used for cyberattacks and hacking, although it is not intended for this purpose. In particular, some videos may well contain QR codes to phishing sites. Clicking on the links can download malware. And the video content itself may be unsafe, for example, providing false data or offering to participate in fraudulent schemes. A link in the description can lead you to a place where hackers can steal your data or money," he said.
The actions of fraudsters have reached absurdity - phishing service "retelling of YouTube videos" flashed on message boards, but the administration of resources removed it in time, the expert added.
- One popular tactic is the creation of fake channels imitating the accounts of famous bloggers, companies or organizations. They publish videos with tempting offers such as "investments with guaranteed income", "distribution of cryptocurrencies" or "prize drawings". To participate in these "promotions," viewers are asked to send money, provide personal data or click on suspicious links, which leads to loss of funds or compromise of confidential information," Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, told Izvestia.
Another way is to place malicious ads or links in the description and comments under the video. They can also manipulate the platform's algorithms by promoting fake reviews or creating fake activity to inspire confidence in their offers. Users who fall for such tricks often find themselves victims of data theft or financial fraud. And no one fights the spread of these schemes on the platform, the deputy noted.
In general, the number of attempts to watch YouTube on mobile and fixed networks has decreased in Russia more than five times since the beginning of June, calculated specially for "Izvestia" Russian service Vigo, which specializes in the analysis of user traffic. The experts analyzed the situation for the period from June 3 to December 23, 2024, the platform traffic analysis was based on more than 318 thousand measurements in the data networks of the Russian Federation.
- After the degradation of YouTube video playback affected fixed networks in August 2024, the total views in the Russian Federation decreased by about half. In October-November, views increased by about 30% due to YouTube's work on mobile networks, but after the problems appeared on mobile networks as well, their number fell by another 3.5 times. As a result, if we compare the beginning of June and the middle of December, the total number of attempts dropped by more than five times," said Vigo Product Director Anton Prokopenko.
For the first time, the index of video rejections has equalized for mobile and fixed networks - the number of video rejections in the first case reached 40%, and in the second - 48%, Vigo service told Izvestia. According to the service "Traffic and failures of Google services", the total traffic of the platform in Runet has fallen four times since June 2024.
- Most often, emails with links disguised as notifications from video hosting are sent out. The descriptions under the videos provide links to malware. YouTube is also an unprecedented tool for manipulating public opinion," said Igor Bederov, head of the T.Hunter Investigations Department.
Kaspersky Lab experts have also discovered a new online cryptocurrency fraud scheme. Attackers swindle people's digital assets by distributing a cryptocipher from crypto wallets with Tether USD tokens as bait.
- The cryptocipher is posted in comments under financial-themed YouTube videos. Comments are given on behalf of an allegedly naive user who, as if unaware of basic security measures, posted confidential data from his cryptocurrency wallet into the public domain for consultation," the company's press service said.
Illegal content on YouTube
YouTube's main problem is that the platform does nothing about defeating fraud on its platform, said Vladimir Zykov, head of the Association of Professional Users of Social Networks and Messengers. Even before 2022, Google's moderation let through any false YouTube ads that "scammed" people into commissions and fake legal services.
- The banned network Facebook (owned by Meta, recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia) didn't react to our applications, they didn't think anything illegal was going on there. Despite the fact that it looks like an advertisement, there is an "advertisement" bar and this ad was given through the YouTube advertising cabinet, it is not an advertisement, they answered us. Contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding fraud," he added.
According to the expert, many people have suffered from such advertising, and YouTube does not pay attention to illegal content. Not to mention that a huge number of bloggers advertise fraudulent sites and recommend investing in them.
Earlier, Roskomnadzor reported that numerous violations of Russian law, disrespect for the Russian Federation and its citizens are grounds for taking measures against YouTube. In 2024 alone, more than 80 channels of Russian media, journalists, public figures and musicians were blocked.
- At the same time, due to Western restrictions and sanctions, Google has cut funding for its structures in Russia and supplies of equipment needed for the operation of its platforms. As a matter of fact, Google has indeed been officially not operating in Russia for two years, having stopped supporting the infrastructure of its caching servers in Russian communication networks. It would be foolish to expect that this will not affect the work of the equipment. No matter how much the company tries to deny it," said Anton Nemkin.
Blogger and streamer Roman Dorogavtsev noted that in the current situation, domestic sites will get an additional incentive for development.
