Hackers have been around almost as long as computing; data is valuable, and many criminals realised that, with some IT knowledge, they can remotely steal valuable data, which they can sell on to unscrupulous data brokers.
In this short blog, we present some background information about a number of common techniques that hackers use to steal online data.
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Table of Contents
Ransomware
This is a nasty piece of code that quarantines large blocks of data, and you can only access it after paying a ransom, typically to a Bitcoin account, which is not traceable. The virus gets into the registry and hijacks Windows, instructing it to protect specific data, and from then on, you cannot access it; all attempts are denied. What’s more, you can’t copy the data and load it into a different drive. If you use the cloud, you are protected with the best cybersecurity, and ransomware will be detected, keeping your data safe. If you want to extend your reach, talk to the best marketing company in Sydney and let the experts put together an aggressive marketing plan.
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Phishing –
A term for creating an identical copy of an official website; the victim receives an email with the link, citing a data loss and then is invited to click on the link and enter their personal data. You naturally assume it is from your credit card company or bank, because that is their website; the best way to tell is the URL, the web address would be slightly different. Always use the links directly from your browser when accessing password-protected sites, which avoids phishing attempts.
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Data Wipe –
This is a strange one; the perpetrator does not want money, they seem to derive pleasure from wiping your drive clean, and in some cases, the drive cannot be reformatted! Thankfully, data wiping. This type of virus is usually contained as an attachment with a .exe extension, and when that file is double-clicked, the virus gets to work, or it might be set to occur at a specific time and date. Check out the free AI tools from Google, which can boost your business.
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Phone calls –
There are some hackers who call potential victims and try to get them to give them information. It is a numbers game, and some people fall for it, while most do not. There are so many online scams, it is hard to keep up; the scammers are always looking for new ways to steal valuable data.
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Keystroke Copier –
Once installed on a digital device, the code will copy every keystroke the user makes and send it to a preset URL, and eventually, the hackers get all your usernames and passwords. This is not used as much as it once was, mainly because most anti-virus programs have this in their database and would quarantine it.
Some small business owners hire a freelance IT specialist to spend a few hours with the office staff and familiarise them with common cybercrime tactics, which helps to prevent cyber-attacks from happening. If your staff are aware of most of the techniques, they will not fall prey to the attempts.
