Black Friday highlights the urgency for companies to invest in cybersecurity solutions to prevent fraud and cyber attacks

With the arrival of November, the trade lives the frisson of Black Friday, one of the busiest dates of the year. This commercial effervescence, eagerly awaited by consumers in search of irresistible promotions, also draws the attention of cybercriminals.

According to Google surveys, 7 out of 10 Brazilians plan to participate in the purchases of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday 29 November this year, a clear indicator of the strengthening of that date in the domestic market, driven by an increase of 5 percentage points compared to previous years.

The transition to the online shopping environment is not only a trend; it is a consolidated reality, with more than 90% of Brazilian consumers choosing to purchase their items over the internet. However, not all companies have followed this transition in a safe way, which has left them vulnerable to the sharp eyes of cybercriminals.Projections from Juniper Research, together with Mastercard, indicate that by 2027, financial losses due to digital scams can exceed the incredible 340 billion dollar mark.

“In addition to the already known risks of phishing and financial fraud, our recent report reveals the alarming sophistication of a quantitative increase in constantly emerging malicious agents, such as the” bank stealers and trojans, explains Frank Vieira, CRO of Apura Cyber Intelligence.

The expert highlights some threats, such as JaskaGO, a malware that attacks Windows and macOS systems, innovative due to its numerous commands and various persistence mechanisms. Other malware aimed at banking systems have also gained prominence, such as the new Coyote Trojan, which targeted users of more than 60 banking institutions, with 90% of infections in Brazil.The CarnavalHeist trojan also recently discovered, targets Brazilian financial institutions, using sophisticated tactics to avoid detection and drain bank accounts.

Should only large companies protect themselves?

Faced with this threatening scenario, it is vital that not only large companies, but also medium-sized ones, seek to increase their security standards, especially during Black Friday, with robust cybersecurity and fraud detection measures. Thus, it is essential to know the existing risks and to anticipate the threats of criminals and digital fraudsters. 

Vieira cites BTTng, a disruptive tool of the Open Source threat intelligence investigation, which has SaaS (Software as a Service) architecture and maps the various layers of the internet, including the Deep and Dark Web, facilitating the active search for cyber threats. Vieira highlights the ability of custom configuration of collection robots, as well as regular bulletins that highlight the main threats and incidents in the cybersecurity scenario, both national and international.

As BTTng is a robust and already consolidated tool for large companies, in early 2025, Apura will launch a modular cyber intelligence platform, based on BTTng, focused on medium-sized companies and their more specific demands in relation to cybersecurity. This is BTTse, which allows the choice of security components that best fit the budget and particular operability of each organization.

As Frank Vieira emphasizes, “instead of acquiring a complete intelligence solution, companies can select specific modules that offer effective protection against cyber threats and” fraud.

Among the notable features of BTTse is the ability to immediately detect credential leaks, prevent data misuse by fraudsters, and monitor social platforms for diligent removal of fake or fraudulent profiles.The willingness to counteract phishing attacks and carry out takedowns of illegitimate pages ensures an essential safeguard against fraud.

One of the most frequent scams in the Black Friday period, fraudulent sites with fake promotions ads, as well as malicious advertisements and profiles on social networks, are easily identified by BTTse and can be taken down quickly, preserving the company's image and protecting consumers. 

According to Vieira, this real-time effectiveness is critical not only to preserve the operational integrity of sales during Black Friday, but also to solidify consumer trust.With robots processing millions of pieces of information daily, the BTTse solution generates instant alerts about potential threats, ensuring your business recognizes and mitigates risks before they cause greater harm.

“Therefore, while promotions seduce customers and promise record sales volume, cyber protection must be included, in a stepwise fashion, in the strategic agenda of companies. Investing in systems that protect their digital assets and maintain consumer loyalty is imperative. In a constantly evolving technological world, being prepared is not only necessary, but absolutely crucial”, Vieira points out.