In today’s world, cybercrime is vastly growing. That means criminals of the web are almost everywhere, and they’re exploiting personal information of Internet users for their own gain. These cyber criminals dive deep into the darkest parts of the World Wide Web to purchase and sell illegal services and products. Some of them can successfully gain access even to classified government information.
Smart tech’s increasing accessibility because of the evolution of technology means that cyber criminals can exploit multiple access points within the homes and business establishments of Internet users. Here are different ways criminals of the web can affect your daily life:
- Computer Or Network Getting Hacked
Ethical Hacking is an extremely broad term for various activities that attempt to exploit the security weaknesses of systems and networks. It refers to any unauthorized entry into a system, network, server, computer, or any other device, which breaches the security of users and their private information, or seeks to harm or, otherwise, compromise network-based properties, such as data and information-processing capabilities.
Computer programmers use hacking techniques and tools to break into an otherwise closed network or to gain unauthorized access to networks and computer systems. Some common hacking techniques are denial of service, impersonation, malware, and remote control. So it is recommended to take Ethical Hacking training that will guide you on how to protect yourself from this kind of harmful hackers.
- Identity Theft
Another way cyber criminals can affect your daily life is through identity theft. This refers to a crime that occurs when someone steals your personal information, which may include bank account numbers, social security numbers, birth dates, passwords, and other sensitive information. It’s important to protect yourself from this crime before it takes hold and makes life miserable for you.
In order to stop identity theft from getting out of hand, there’s one important step you must take, and it is to get online to sign up for an identity and data protection service, like a VPN, and protect your data with the help of this program or tool.
- Phishing Attack
Phishing is a common practice of Internet criminals that’s used to obtain personal and financial information from their victims. This activity can take place via email, instant messaging, phone calls, chat rooms, and others. Phishing attacks are often performed for the purpose of gaining sensitive information, including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and database passwords. When phishing takes place, hackers usually have access to the victims’ financial information and use their accounts to transfer the money that they’ve accessed, or purchase items using the victims’ money.
- Falling Victim To Social Engineering
What is social engineering? It’s the process of manipulating people to give personal information, access to resources, or valuable data. In cybersecurity, social engineering scams typically lure unsuspecting individuals into revealing personal information, uploading malware to spread infection, or granting unauthorized access to restricted networks.
Social engineering has many characteristics, and is often used in combination with other tactics. A well-crafted social engineering scheme can be used to gain sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, bank account numbers, and even real names. These techniques are often used by Internet criminals, hackers, and identity thieves.
When it comes to avoiding the risk of social engineering, the best way to be safe is to prevent giving out sensitive information to anyone. Also, when speaking with others on the phone or on social media platforms, like Facebook Messenger, always use caution and make sure to ask a question or request specific information.
- Experiencing A DDoS Attack
Another common type of cyberattack is called a distributed denial of service (DDoS). In a DDoS attack, a number of different computers are attacking the website of an organization at one time. The attacker is trying to overload the website’s servers so that it can’t handle the amount of traffic that it’s receiving.
For example, if there were 20 computers attacking a website at once, the website could be overwhelmed and unable to handle the influx of traffic. This attack could also be caused by several websites working together in a joint attack. Regardless of the reason for a DDoS attack, the end result is the same: the website loses its ability to process transactions and is rendered useless.
Final Thoughts
In this modern age of technology, cyber criminals seem to be taking over almost all systems or networks, and no one is really safe. The problem is that it takes more than 200 days for a company or a person to detect a cyberattack or breach. Most cyber criminals also become successful with their attacks because the majority of Internet users rarely update passwords or change their credentials online. Many aren’t dwelling on the fact that the chance of getting hacked is always there.
It’s very important to become informed. The best way to prevent being susceptible to cybercrimes is to educate yourself on the preventive measures to protect yourself as a business or as an individual.
