Top 5 Methods Hackers Use to Access Your Private Data

Cybercrime is on the rise across the world and it is incredibly costly to businesses. More than 66 million new viruses and malware packages have been created since 2018 and cybercrimes as a whole are expected to exceed $6 trillion by 2021. 

However, having the right defense in place and informing your staff of all the latest tips can help secure your business. Let’s take a look at the top 5 hacking methods being used today so that you can prepare yourself and your employees.

Bait-and-Switch Advertisements

Bait-and-switch advertisements occur when a hacker buys ad space on a popular website and creates a fake ad that looks legitimate. When a website user sees the ad and clicks on it, they’ll be taken to a dangerous website that will download malware onto their computer.

Browser Lockers

Browser lockers will appear as pop-ups while a person is browsing the internet and indicate that their browser has been compromised and needs immediate action, typically offering the user a link to a malware website. 

Keyloggers

Keyloggers are a passive software that sits in the back of your system recording all of your keystrokes and clicks for hackers to later use to find out your passwords and enter your databases. Keyloggers are far more common and more dangerous than you might think and require serious defense software to protect your information.

Direct Denial of Service Attacks (DDOS/DOS)

DDOS attacks are probably the most complicated hacking method on this list and require the most amount of resources, as they involve hackers using thousands of bots or zombie computers to hit a website at once which causes the servers to overload and crash. 

Fake WAPs

Wireless Access Points (WAP) cover huge areas of cities and business centers, and our need to stay connected to the internet can sometimes prompt us to log in to fake WAPs that will track all of our internet traffic. Users should always avoid wireless networks that they are not familiar with and turn off any features in their phones or laptops for automatic connection.

Hackers and cybercriminals are constantly searching for new ways to access your systems and steal your information, but MicroAge Canada is always coming up with new ways to stop them. Give our cybersecurity experts a call today or visit us online and get peace of mind from a well-protected system.