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Cybercriminals Are ‘Hacking Humans’ by Exploiting Weaknesses and Behavior
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Crime & Justice

Cybercriminals Are ‘Hacking Humans’ by Exploiting Weaknesses and Behavior

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Malaysia’s Cyber Consumer Association says cybercriminals increasingly exploit users’ personal information, habits and emotions rather than targeting technology alone.
  • Police figures cited in the report show nearly 40,000 online crime cases and losses approaching RM1 billion through July.
  • The association is urging stronger consumer reporting platforms and closer cooperation between Malaysian and international enforcement agencies.

Cybercriminals are no longer focused only on breaking into devices. They are also studying the people who use them, according to Siraj Jalil, president of Malaysia’s Cyber Consumer Association.

Siraj described the tactic as social engineering. Criminals gather information about a victim’s personal life, habits and behavior, then use it to launch targeted scams. By creating panic or triggering strong emotions, they try to push victims into acting before they think rationally.

Criminals are no longer only ‘hacking’ technology, they are also ‘hacking’ humans by exploiting users’ weaknesses and behavior.

— Siraj JalilHe explained how cybercriminals use social engineering to manipulate victims.

He said every internet user with a device, an internet connection and a digital identity faces a high risk of becoming a victim. That includes national leaders, bank officers and bank managers, regardless of their cybersecurity knowledge.

All 10 out of 10 internet users are highly likely to become victims of cybercrime, even if they have a high level of cybersecurity knowledge.

— Siraj JalilHe stressed that technical awareness does not eliminate the risk of targeted scams.

The warning comes as online crime losses continue to rise. Datuk Rusdi Mohd. Isa, director of Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department, said police were actively responding to changing cybercrime methods. He cited nearly 40,000 online crime cases and losses approaching RM1 billion through July this year.

Siraj called for reforms to Malaysia’s consumer forums so users can raise complaints, report exploitation and press for stronger protection policies and enforcement. He said cooperation between local and international agencies also needs to improve because cybercrime crosses borders. He warned that public awareness can quickly become outdated as criminals change tactics. Files that appear to be PDFs or images but are actually Visual Basic Script files, for example, can contain malware and expose personal data when downloaded. He urged victims to report incidents, saying a larger number of reports would help police identify criminal patterns and act against those responsible.

If only the MCCA speaks, nothing will happen. If 100 other entities speak in the same voice, they will create consumer power themselves.

— Siraj JalilHe called for broader consumer participation in pressing the government to improve digital protections.
About this summary

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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