Innocent people fall victim to hacking incidents every day. With how much we depend on the internet these days, it’s no surprise that so many people get attacked.
But how exactly do hackers do what they do? Getting to know their techniques is the first step toward protecting yourself online. Below is our list of the four most common ways hackers can violate your online privacy:
1. Phishing
Phishing is a fraudulent message that either asks you to provide sensitive data or contains malicious links or attachments.
Messages are carefully constructed to resemble a real message from a legitimate source. It’s becoming harder to differentiate between genuine messages and phishing attempts each day.
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Other social engineering attacks include:
- Spoofing: Hackers impersonate someone else to gain your trust. Their goal is to gain access to your systems and data or financial information.
- Scareware: Hackers will bombard you with false alarms requiring your immediate attention. A common false alarm is that your computer is infected with a virus. They will then try to get you to download their software – which is the actual virus.
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2. Exploiting Unsecured Networks
Millions of people use public, unsecured networks every day. If you happen to be one of them, you should know that hackers can easily exploit these networks.
You should also beware of fake WiFi, also known as an evil twin. These are malicious networks set up by hackers with the same name as a legitimate network in the area.
The best way to protect yourself at all times is to encrypt your pc with a VPN. The VPN will encrypt all data transfers from and to your device. This will make it much harder for hackers to find a way inside.
3. Buying Breached Credentials On The Dark Web
Hackers want to maximize their profits. That means finding ways to make the hacking process as easy as possible.
There’s nothing easier than buying already breached accounts on the dark web and making a profit by exploiting the victim.
The scary thing about this method is that anyone can purchase credentials online and do damage without any prior hacking knowledge.
4. Brute Force Attacks
A brute force attack is when hackers try to guess your login credentials by trying out thousands of combinations.
They will try commonly used passwords (like Guest123.) They may also use logic to guess your password based on any information they have about you.
Instead of doing it all manually, hackers have developed tools to make the process a lot quicker.
Once the hacker successfully breaches your device or account, they can do all sorts of damage.
Brute force attacks are precisely how many login credentials end up for sale on the dark web.
To prevent falling victim to a brute force attack, use strong passwords and update them regularly.
5. Malware
Malware is malicious software that hackers will attempt to install on your device. Through this software, they can extract data, monitor your activities, or alter core system functionalities.
There are several ways hackers can install malware on your device. The most common one is getting you to click on malicious links, leading to the installation of malware.
They can also exploit vulnerabilities found in outdated software or operating systems.
Common types of malware include:
- Viruses: Malicious software that spreads from device to device. Some viruses are disguised as legitimate software with useful functions. These are called trojans.
- Spyware: Hidden software that operates in the background. It can track everything you do on your device.
- Keylogger: Simple software that tracks everything you type. The hacker then analyzes the tracking data to identify passwords and other sensitive information.
6. Bait And Switch
Another common technique for spreading malware is bait and switch. Hackers buy advertising space on legitimate websites and place ads that lead people to download malware.
These ads are all over the internet. You should be very careful with clicking links no matter how reputable the site you’re on is.
To lower the chances of falling victim to bait and switch, install a browser ad-blocker extension.
Conclusion
Hackers are all over the internet, and there are many ways in which they can do damage. But the good news is that you’re already one step ahead of them because you know all about their sneaky techniques.
