The figures were shared with Diário de Notícias and Dinheiro Vivo by cybersecurity company ESET and come as criminals increasingly use artificial intelligence and new methods to target internet users.

As reported by ESET's latest threat report, cybercriminals are finding new ways to use AI as part of their attacks, while more traditional methods such as phishing continue to cause problems.

Threats detected

In Portugal, phishing represented around 40% of detected threats during the first six months of the year.

These attacks usually involve criminals pretending to be a trusted company or organisation in an attempt to convince people to hand over passwords, banking details or other personal information.

QR codes are also increasingly being used in scams. Instead of asking someone to click on a suspicious link, criminals can direct victims to fraudulent websites through a QR code, making it more difficult to immediately see where the link will take them.

Another noticeable change has been the rise in threats targeting Apple computers. Macs have traditionally been seen by many users as less vulnerable to cyberattacks than Windows computers, but the latest Portuguese figures show they are far from immune.

Artificial intelligence

ESET's global report also points to the growing role of artificial intelligence in cybercrime. AI tools can be used to make fraudulent messages more convincing and help criminals create more sophisticated attacks.

At the same time, the technology is also being used by cybersecurity companies to identify suspicious activity and respond to new threats.

The latest figures are another reminder that online scams are continuing to change, with criminals combining familiar m methods such as phishing with newer tools including AI and QR codes.

ESET recommends that users remain cautious with unexpected emails and messages, avoid opening suspicious links or attachments and check the destination of QR codes before entering personal or financial information.