According to the New York Post, a strange cyberattack has led internet users to search for “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?”—a seemingly innocent query that could expose them to data theft. Cybersecurity firm SOPHOS recently issued a warning on its website, advising users against searching for this phrase. The alert highlighted that people who search for this question and then click on certain top search results might end up compromising their personal data.
SOPHOS explained, “Victims are often lured into clicking on malicious adware or links disguised as legitimate content, or in this case, a standard Google search.” The security firm cautioned that Australian users are particularly at risk, as only links containing “Australia” in the phrase appear dangerous. Users who click on these links risk exposing sensitive information, such as banking details, or losing access to their devices via a malware program known as Gootloader.
Though the topic of Bengal cats might seem harmless, SOPHOS emphasized that it’s actually an alarming indicator of evolving cybersecurity threats, as even benign search terms can be exploited by hackers.
This tactic, known as “SEO poisoning,” is increasingly used by cybercriminals to push their harmful sites higher in search results, as described by the Daily Mail as an “insidious technique.” SOPHOS recommends that anyone suspecting exposure to this attack should change their passwords immediately.