News and Analysis

Scam-Yourself attacks are a growing cybersecurity risk where victims are tricked into compromising their own device security and revealing sensitive data. They rely on trust, urgency and self-action to manipulate victims into handing over access. Some common examples include fake security alerts, ‘test your security’ scams, self-generated multi-factor authentication bypass, fake refund scams, and DIY ransomware. The increase in these attacks is attributed to their exploitation of psychological tactics including fear and perceived credibility. Protection involves cautious verification, watching for urgency, careful website browsing, not sharing MFA codes, and skepticism towards free security tools.