Why do Hackers Hack: InfoSec Insights

Hacking is a frenzy right now. It is like a crime in fashion in the cybercrime sector. One case that reached an all-time high in 2016, was a $16 billion worth of losses due to fraud and identity theft. The damage is done to the victims when the hacers use their personal information for malicious acts.

Many users are not aware that they have been compromised and their personal information like, credit card number or information related to bank or information related to insurance are stolen. It’s already too late when they get to know about it. The hackers leave the victims devastated, weak and vulnerable.

What Do The Hackers Do ?

Hackers do not use lock picks to steal information from your home or business, instead they use software to steal your personal data. Hackers will often try to hack information like credit card numbers or bank account information. 

What kind Of Information Do The Hackers Steal And What Do They Do With All Those Information ?

• Personally Identifiable Information – Personally identifiable information (PII) are those data that can be used to identify, locate, or contact a particular individual. For instance, PII include names, birth dates, addresses, social security numbers, phone numbers and all other data that is used to distinguish one individual from another. Hackers use these information to attack the victim directly by applying various kinds of loan under the victim’s name.

• Financial information – It is the data that is used in an individual’s financial activities. This includes banking information, billing accounts, insurance information and other data that can be used to access accounts or make financial transactions. When this information is stolen, it could greatly impact a user’s financial status. Hackers can use financial information for malicious acts such as paying bills, making fraudulent online transactions , and transferring money from victims’ bank accounts.

• Healthcare Information – Healthcare information are those data that is used for an individual’s medical services. This includes hospital records, medical insurance and other information. Healthcare information is like PII. These information contain a large number of a user’s identifying information. Healthcare information can be used to buy prescription drugs that can only be bought under the table. This way hackers can lead to drug abuse on the name of the account holder.

• Education information – Hackers steal education information as it contains an individual’s data based on his or her educational records. This includes transcripts and school records. It is used to blackmail the victim to gain financially. Also hackers can use education information to scare the student into fulfilling their demands. Also, the hackers can use this information to perform phishing attacks by pretending to be students or officials of an academic institution.

• Payment card information – Payment card information contains a person’s individual payment cards data, which includes credit and debit card data as well as other information. Hackers attack the finances of the victim. This is more dangerous as the hacker can use the card details to make payment whenever and wherever they want.

• User Credentials – Digital or online credentials refer to data that is used to verify if the account belongs to the user he or she is claiming to be. This includes email, usernames and passwords. It can also include online shopping log-in credentials. Hackers can use it and pretend to be the user and send malicious messages or use their accounts for malicious acts. Also they can buy things using your shopping credentials.

How To Protect Yourself From Cybercrimes Theft ?

• Use Strong Passwords – Make sure the passwords you choose for your accounts in any social media or your online shopping platforms or your bank accounts are not at all common ones and not at all easy ones. Make it as complicated and strong for someone who is a hacker in mind to understand.
• Go offline when you don’t need an internet connection – Switch off your internet connection when it is not needed. Also switch off your location. It is way easier for hackers to hack your system if internet connection is switched on. Also they track down your location if your location is on.
• Keep your software and systems fully up to date – If your software is running behind and is not updated to the latest version on time then it becomes easier for the hackers to slide in. A new, updated software makes it hard for them to figure out how to enter in. So make sure that the system is updated.
• Backup your data – The main reason here to backup your data is that this way you save your data from getting lost. Also this way you save your hardware from getting crashed.
• Anti virus software should be installed in your system – Anti virus software is very important and must be installed in your software. It ensures to let you know by a notification that the anti virus system has detected a virus in your system. Then you can clean up the virus your software by using the anti virus

Also Read : https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/11213-secure-computer-from-hackers.html