Inside The Hacker’s Mind: What Technology Can Do
Understanding the different types of hackers may help us know the attacks we will most likely encounter. What goes inside the mind of a hacker? What are their motivations? With these threats at hand, how can you protect yourself? Let’s dig deeper and discuss each of their tactics.
Technology Today
Computers today are on a different level, and so are hackers. Gone are the days of messing around with technology. Now, they’re using their skills as highly-trained professionals with serious careers. They accept compensation and even take holidays off.
Hackers use their computers to steal or destroy information. They do so by installing malicious software in your systems. This devious strategy is applicable in various ways. Each hacker profile is diverse, but they fall into these primary types:
Phishing
Greed is a story as old as humanity. Back then, bank robbers used their guns to steal from banks. Today’s financial hackers use ransomware to infiltrate security systems. They gather information to use in fake invoices and other ways that could lead to stealing money.
Cyberattack
Have you watched the American Blackout? The power grid is a common topic of interest in many documentaries and sci-fi films. But can a cyber-attack throw off our power grids?
Experts believe this security breach has the potential to be a severe problem on a large scale. As digital warfare becomes more sophisticated, unconventional ways for these attacks can occur. Recently, researchers have found that hackers could take down a power grid by using common appliances in our homes.
Clickbait
Online marketers spend time looking for profitable and relevant opportunities for their audience. With so many campaigns, it’s easy to overlook every landing page. Hackers often hijack these pages through an adware program. This tool can target anyone who clicks the link by redirecting them to another site. Most of the time, they use this tactic to send malicious viruses across the web.
Corporate Spying
Some hackers work to steal intellectual property. They spy on corporate businesses and use this stolen information for personal gain. Common targets of corporate hackers are patents, financial data, and business plans. They focus on what they can use against their target organization.
Gaming
Most of us see online gaming as nothing more than an obstacle to productivity. For some, though, gaming is a serious industry. It gives rise to businesses worth billions of dollars. Players even spend thousands on high-performing, cutting-edge hardware, not to mention the time and effort it takes to play these games, so, unsurprisingly, hackers are on the gaming platform to do their deeds. They often look for ways to get into the developers’ system to gather players’ information.
Protecting Yourself Online
Hackers use different tactics, but each method poses serious risks. Being wiser about computer security can make you less vulnerable to these threats. Below are simple ways to protect your information:
Use A Firewall
A firewall is a filtration system that secures your information. It works by managing your network and validating incoming traffic. It can also scan for malicious vectors that could potentially threaten your device. Moreover, it blocks unwanted networks that may crawl into your database.
Install Extra Security Software
Aside from a firewall, antivirus software adds a layer of protection to your computer. It helps scan, detect, and remove unwanted viruses on your system. This software runs in the background, offering real-time protection against suspicious attacks.
Avoid Questionable Websites, E-mails, and Links
Hackers can transfer all your personal information without your knowledge. They can send links to websites that can crawl into your system. So, it pays to be careful when opening an e-mail or clicking links. According to this ad agency, design helps clients ensure they’re entering a safe website. Thus, you don’t need technical knowledge to verify that you’re on the right landing page.
Add 2-Step Verification on Purchases.
The most common reason hackers do what they do is so that they can access your financial information. Luckily, banks and other providers added a 2-step verification when making purchases. Activate this feature to make sure that unauthorized transactions will not take place.
Final Thoughts
Anyone who connects to the internet is at risk. These online villains lurk across different platforms to compromise your computer security. They use phishing schemes, send spam messages, and fake websites.
Always be mindful of the necessary steps to protect yourself. You keep yourself free from these harmful ways. Take your cybersecurity a step further and follow our advice. You’ll continue using your device without worrying about compromising your safety.
