We often think of hackers as loners, but the reality is that cybercrime has grown into a sophisticated and collaborative ecosystem. Hackers can have a variety of motives, from economic gain to political goals. Knowing what hackers are looking for will help you anticipate attacks and establish security measures to safeguard your small companies.
Some hackers make use of their skills for good, locating security flaws and reporting them so they can be fixed. These are known as white hat hackers and they are usually paid by the businesses they work for to carry out penetration tests. There are hackers who are more sinister and include those who use personal information to commit fraud with credit cards, identity theft, or use viruses to make unauthorized payments or shut down devices.
A strong password is your first line of defense against hackers. Incorporating two-factor authentication into sites like social media and banking will further enhance your security. Encrypting your hard drive is a simple step to prevent hackers from gaining access to your sensitive data even if they do manage to get into your device. Also, ensure that your operating system, browsers and important apps updated regularly. Most devices will automatically update and fix any vulnerabilities in software that could otherwise permit hackers to access and steal data.
We live in a world where we’re always connected to our phones, computers, and tablets. It’s tempting to relax and divulge too much information online, but that’s the type of information hackers want. Avoid using public Wi-Fi for shopping and logging into personal accounts. Also be sure to keep a separate account open 24/7.