Gen Zs’ tendency to overshare info leads to cybercrimes – report

MANILA, Philippines — Think Gen Zs are the most advanced in digital life? Think again.

Cybersecurity giant Kaspersky has identified Gen Zs as one of the most exposed to cybercrimes due to oversharing of information online.

In a report, Kaspersky said Gen Zs may be the most tech savvy among generations, but their tendency to post every activity online is also recoiling as a threat to their digital life.

Kaspersky warned that Gen Zs, or people born between 1997 and 2012, love to post daily stories and geotagged selfies on social media, leaving behind a digital footprint that criminals exploit for identity theft and social engineering.

“Oversharing can inadvertently reveal sensitive details, from home addresses in the background of photos, to routines that make users predictable. Even seemingly harmless content, like photos of their partner or pet, can provide clues for password recovery questions,” Kaspersky said.

Kaspersky also cautioned Gen Zs about their fear of missing out, known as FOMO – the anxiety they feel when left out of the latest trend online. Kaspersky observed that FOMO drives Gen Zs to click on unverified links promising exclusive access or deals to events and products.

“Cybercriminals exploit this urgency by creating clickbait phishing schemes, and this leads users to malicious sites that steal log-in credentials or distribute malware,” Kaspersky said.

Citing a study from think tank Resolution Foundation, funded by Health Foundation, Kaspersky said one in three 18- to 24-year-olds are reporting symptoms of mental health problems.

These mental health issues are pushing Gen Zs to resort to online platforms for digital therapy, a phenomenon that could expose their personal data to bad actors, Kaspersky said.

“These platforms store highly sensitive personal information, including emotional states, therapy notes and user routines. If breached, this data could be exploited for blackmailing and phishing,” Kaspersky said.

Kaspersky privacy expert Anna Larkina urged Gen Zs to add an extra layer of security when navigating the digital space. She said criminals tend to take advantage of popular trends to develop new ways to deceive people.

Larkina said Gen Zs can take control of their security by verifying links before clicking on them; using strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication when logging in.

“Whether it’s leveraging the Gen Z love for online shopping, capitalizing on the urgency created by FOMO, or targeting the growing use of mental health apps, attackers are quick to turn popular behaviors into opportunities for phishing, scams and data breaches,” Larkina said.