Securing Trust in Financial Crisis

In early 2026, Brazil’s financial system was shaken by the collapse of a major institution, triggering the FGC to reimburse hundreds of thousands—around $6 billion. As media attention grew, cybercriminals exploited the situation with fake refund campaigns.
Kaspersky identified Beatbanker, a banking trojan disguised as an app for tracking FGC reimbursements. Instead of helping users, it stole banking credentials and funds from victims. The crisis created ideal conditions for cybercrime, with high transaction volumes, public anxiety, and urgent demand for information.
The initiative aimed to highlight a cybersecurity threat linked to a financial crisis, demonstrate the value of Threat Intelligence (TI), and sustain attention beyond the initial news cycle. Kaspersky found that cybercriminals exploit real-world crises using timely lures, and Beatbanker showed how scams evolve with trending topics, expanding beyond the bank collapse to include fraudulent INSS refund offers and false promises tied to services like Starlink. This reinforced that cyber threats are dynamic and driven by uncertainty.
Kaspersky transformed threat intelligence into a phased communication platform that evolved with the crisis, alerting the population. In Brazil, limited access to and underuse of TI—often used only to block threats rather than understand them—creates protection gaps. The strategy positioned TI as a tool to interpret real-world risk by connecting technical insights to current events, while communications translated findings into clear narratives on data, transaction, and trust risks.
Execution combined rapid response and sustained education. Media outreach linked the collapse to cyber threats, issued early warnings about malicious apps, and positioned Kaspersky experts as key commentators. This was followed by the release of an exclusive Beatbanker analysis, expanded narratives beyond the initial event, practical guidance, and broad amplification.
The campaign delivered 495 media articles across Brazil and generated more than 1 billion impressions. It secured prime-time TV coverage, including Jornal Nacional and SBT, and achieved nationwide reach across radio, print, and digital outlets such as BandNews, Folha de S. Paulo, and Agência Brasil.
Kaspersky demonstrated that financial resilience depends on cybersecurity readiness. By extending the narrative beyond the crisis, it ensured cyber risks remained visible, understood, and actionable.