Formjacking

Formjacking is a new form of digital information theft. As consumers have become smarter regarding password management and phishing scams, the criminal playbook has evolved to new software hacks to steal personal information.

Criminals use viruses to insert formjacking code into a commercial website. A site infected with formjacking code can then capture your data when you submit an online order form, and transmit the information to the hacker. Criminals will typically target sites that collect personal information, such as banking or e-commerce.

A formjacking website is able to do its dirty work without disrupting a legitimate transaction, making it effective as it can evade detection. A victim will be unaware of what has happened; unfortunately, you may only be alerted to criminal activity depending on what data has been stoled or used. Many attacks are aimed at payment gateways, in order to steal credit card or bank details. In this instance, your bank may contact you regarding any suspicious activity on your account.

To protect yourself from formjacking threats, it's important to stay vigilant:
- Keep on top of your credit card score - if there is a significant drop, it may be a sign of criminal activity
- Check credit card statements - make sure you recognise every transaction