Home Money Could you be a victim of scammers spying on you on your way to work?

Could you be a victim of scammers spying on you on your way to work?

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Who's listening? Talking about work-related issues on public transport could reveal too much information to those nearby
  • How to avoid becoming a target for scammers who attack travelers

Have you ever been on the train or bus and seen a fellow passenger looking at what you are doing on your phone?

And would you notice if someone was looking over your shoulder at what you were doing?

Nearly three-quarters of public transport users say they are concerned about cybersecurity risks during their journeys, even though most expose themselves to these risks anyway.

With the average commute time being 59 minutes per day and around 2.2 million people using public transport to get to work every day, commuters could be unwittingly exposing themselves to cybersecurity risks every day.

Who’s listening? Talking about work-related issues on public transport could reveal too much information to those nearby

Over-the-shoulder snooping fraud is where fraudsters watch what you do to collect passwords, PINs and personal details that can then be used to scam other people. Earlier this year, Santander’s fraud director warned about the modern version of over-the-shoulder snooping, which involves stealing your phone and using it to drain your accounts.

And not only your personal life can be at risk, your job too.

While people are generally aware of the risks, as many as 66 percent said they are happy to type work emails on public transport, while a third use word processing software when surrounded by other commuters, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

However, by doing so, Kaspersky warned that travelers could risk exposing themselves to cybercriminals who exploit this oversight.

Perhaps most worryingly, Kaspersky warns that these criminals are likely to use a targeted approach when they find a potential victim.

While there is certainly a risk of unlocking your phone or banking app to an opportunistic criminal, the danger could also come in the form of attacks targeting travelers with knowledge of or involvement in sensitive business or financial information.

“Targeted attackers are doing their reconnaissance,” David Emm, security researcher at Kaspersky, told This is Money.

‘The information they (the attackers) have could indicate that someone will be on a specific train line, perhaps because it leads to where that business is located, and they could know who the individuals are because they’ve done their research.’

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Spying over the shoulder and staying safe

Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you don’t try to log in to mobile banking in a place where people can look at your screen, especially if you’re in a crowded place, such as public transportation.

It is also quite possible that your screen will be seen in the reflection of the windows of buses and trains, for example, so be very careful.

Make sure you have different PIN codes for your card than the ones you use to access your phone and any mobile banking apps.

Consider enabling biometric authentication that requires your fingerprint or facial recognition to access your device and, increasingly, your mobile banking.

This way, your PIN or password can’t be memorized by someone looking over your shoulder.

Businesses often have physical security barriers in place, such as key-locked passes for entrances, as well as digital security for their IT systems. However, as employees are increasingly expected to be “always on,” existing precautions are rendered useless when work is carried out in the public realm.

Emm said: “If you go back 20 years, we didn’t have this kind of always-on culture that we have now… We’ve reached a point where employees are expected to be available 24/7, and we have the technology to make that possible.”

“A lot of attacks start with hacking humans,” he said. “I don’t think companies necessarily think about the potential impact, in part because there’s no paper trail that goes from something said on a train or a badge I wear, to (a company facing) a financial consequence.”

Warning: David Emm says cyber attackers may target specific travelers

Warning: David Emm says cyber attackers may target specific travelers

Those who travel with visual cues of the workplace on display could be putting themselves at risk of becoming targets of these types of attacks without realizing it.

More than half of respondents said they had seen work badges, personal IDs and email signatures that revealed names and workplace information while riding public transit.

Malicious actors could use this information to target commuters who they believe might reveal sensitive company information while working or making business phone calls on public transportation.

While about 43 percent of people make efforts to protect their privacy, only 38 percent said their employers had given them guidance on using their devices while traveling.

Emm said: ‘Think about World War II, when they took away the signs and maps, and there were signs saying, “If you let go, you’ll sink.” People got used to that safety thing.’

“We have to keep in mind that, one way or another, there may be people spying on us and they might be interested in what we say. A little discretion is probably a good idea.”

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How can you protect your data?

Think about those around you

Kaspersky warns that people around you, especially on a crowded train or bus, will likely be able to see your phone or laptop screen, whether you’re actively looking at it or not.

Liz Wyse, Editorial Director of Debrett’s Etiquette, said: “Many of us are engrossed in our digital devices and, particularly on public transport, we become lost in the illusion that we are moving within our own private digital bubble.”

Be aware of who is around you and consider reducing the brightness of your screen and orienting it so that it is not exposed to potential viewers. You can also install a screen protector to protect your screen from prying eyes.

Kaspersky adds that when travelling at night your screen can be reflected in the windows of public transport, something that reducing the brightness should also help to solve.

Protect your identity

After a long day at work, you may be thinking only about getting home as soon as possible. However, doing so with a work lanyard still around your neck or a badge pinned to your jacket could reveal more information than you think.

Kaspersky says: “These cards provide an interested observer with all kinds of vital information about us and the company we work for, and especially when this data is combined with other information obtained through eavesdropping or spying, it could be a vital tool for industrial espionage, extortion or even blackmail.”

Beware of listeners

While you may be focused on addressing the issue at hand on a work call, your speech on an otherwise quiet train could act as a beacon to those with ill intentions.

“It is extremely irresponsible to discuss confidential or private matters on public transport, because a keen snooper will be able to interpret much of the conversations overheard and some of that information (management buyouts, mergers, impending layoffs, IPOs) could very well be marketable,” Kaspersky warns.

While you’re on the phone, also avoid giving out details like your name or address, even if you’re booking a dentist appointment or a visit to the hairdresser.

Choosing to text instead of call — while shielding your phone screen from onlookers, of course — might be a smarter way to deal with sensitive issues.

“It is non-intrusive and does not disturb people sitting around it; it is also discreet and private,” Kaspersky said.

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