Are you worried about cybercrime? Don't worry, this article will help you understand exactly what cybercrime is, what its types, and how you can protect yourself from it. Your worries about this topic are a thing of the past.
This article describes cybercrime in detail so that you have a full understanding of the types of threats to protect yourself against online.
What Is Cyber Crime?
The term “cybercrime” includes criminal activities that target
either a computer, a computer network, or a network device.
Most cybercrime incidents are caused by cybercriminals or
hackers. Their goal is to get money in this way. Cybercrime emanates
from both individuals and organizations.
The cybercriminals themselves can be very different: some are
well organized, use advanced techniques, and have a high level of technical
competence. Others are newbies to hackers trying out.
Most of the time, getting money is what causes cybercrime to
destroy computers. Political or personal motives are also possible.
The Types of Cybercrime
Here are some specific examples of the different types of
cybercrime:
· Identity fraud (personal data is stolen and misused)
· Theft of credit cards and other financial information
· Company data theft
· Cyber extortion (hackers charge money to avert threatened attacks)
· Ransomware attacks
· Cryptojacking (hackers use resources they do not own to generate cryptocurrencies)
· Cyber espionage (hackers gain access to government or company data)
Cybercrime falls into two main categories:
· Criminal activity that uses computers to commit further crimes
In cases that target computers, viruses
or other types of malware are often involved. Cybercriminals infect
computers with viruses and malware to damage them or to completely
stop their functionality. Malware can also be used to delete or steal
data.
Denial-of-service attacks (DoS) are one type of cybercrime. These
ensure that users are prevented from using devices or networks, or that
companies that make online services available to their customers can no longer
be reached.
Cybercrime that uses computers can include the spread of malware, illegal
information, or illegal images through computer networks.
In some cases, cybercriminals can use both types at the same
time: First, viruses are targeted to infect computers that can then be used to
transfer malware to other network devices.
Cybercriminals can also carry out a so-called distributed
denial-of-service attack (DDoS). It works similarly to a DoS
attack, but in this case, countless computers previously compromised by cybercriminals are used to carry out the attack.
The US Department of Justice distinguishes a third category of
cybercrime: in this case, computers are used as tools to support the actual
crime. One example is the use of a computer as an “accomplice” to store
stolen data on it.
The USA has signed the European Convention of
Cybercrime. This broad agreement includes a variety
of harmful computer-related crimes, which it classifies as cybercrime. For
example:
· Interfering with systems in a way that compromises a network
· Copyright Infringement
· Illegal gambling
· Selling illegal goods online
· Distributing, producing, or owning child pornography
Examples of Cyber Crime
So what exactly counts as cybercrime? And what well-known examples
are there?
In this section, you will learn about notorious examples of the
different types of cybercrime. Read on to understand what this entails.
Malware Attacks
A malware attack infects computer systems or networks with a
virus or another type of malware.
A computer that has been compromised by malware can be used for
many purposes by cybercriminals. These include stealing confidential
information, misusing the computer to carry out other crimes, or destroying
data.
A well-known example of a malware attack is the WannaCry
ransomware attack. This is a case of cybercrime that took place globally
in 2017.
Ransomware is a type of malware that is used to take data as
“digital hostages” and then extort a ransom from the victim. The WannaCry
ransomware used vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows operating systems.
When the WannaCry attack hit, 230,000 computers in 150 countries
were suddenly affected. Users were denied access to your data and instead
received a message asking for a ransom payment in Bitcoin to regain
access to the data.
The global financial damage caused by WannaCry is estimated at $
4 billion.
Phishing
In a phishing campaign, spam e-mails or other communication
media are sent en masse. The intent is to trick the recipients into doing
something that harms their safety or the safety of the company they work for. Phishing
messages can contain infected attachments or links to malicious websites, or
they can ask the recipient to disclose confidential information.
A popular example of a phishing scam in
2018 took advantage of the soccer World Cup that took place in the same year. According to reports from website Inc,
the phishing scam was based on emails sent to soccer fans.
The spam emails tried to lure fans with invented free trips to
Moscow, where the World Cup was taking place. However, people who opened
the email and clicked the link in it had their personal information stolen.
Another type of phishing campaign is known as spear phishing. These
are targeted phishing attacks that target individuals to compromise the
security of the company they work for.
In contrast to emails from phishing mass campaigns, which are
very general in their formulation, spear phishing messages are carefully
prepared so that they actually appear to come from a trustworthy source. For
example, the emails look like they came straight from the CEO or the IT
manager. It may well be that these messages contain no identifiable
features that could reveal them to be fraudulent.
Distributed DoS Attacks
Distributed DoS attacks are attacks that cybercriminals
typically use when trying to paralyze a system or network through overload. Sometimes
even Internet of Things (IoT) devices is misused to carry out DDoS attacks.
A DDoS attack overloads a system by using its standard
communication protocols to overwhelm it with countless simultaneous connection
requests.
Cyber blackmailing cybercriminals can use an impending DDoS
attack as leverage to extort money. Alternatively, a DDoS attack can also
be used as a diversionary maneuver to commit another cybercrime in
the meantime.
A well-known example of a DDoS attack is
the 2017 attack on the UK National Lottery website. This
overloaded the lottery website and app offline and prevented UK residents from
playing.
How You Can Protect Yourself Against Cybercrime
Now you know the threat posed by cybercrime. But how can
you best protect yourself from it? Here are our top tips:
1) Keep Your Programs and Operating System up To Date
By regularly updating your programs and operating system, you
can benefit from the latest security patches to protect your computer.
2) Use Antivirus Software and Keep It Updated
Using an antivirus program or a
comprehensive internet security solution like Protegent Total Security Software is a clever way
to protect your system from attack.
An antivirus program allows you to scan your system for threats
and remove them before they become a problem. If this protection is in
place, it helps to protect your computer and your data from cybercrime and
gives you peace of mind.
If you use an antivirus program, you should also make sure that
you update it regularly to always have the best protection.
3) Use Strong Passwords
Make sure you use strong passwords that no one can guess or
copy. The best thing to do is to use a reputable password generator to
randomly generate strong passwords and store them securely.
4) Never Open Attachments to Spam Emails
A classic way to infect your computer with malware attacks or
other types of cybercrime is via email attachments. Therefore, never open
an attachment from a sender you do not know.
5) Do Not Click the Links in Spam Emails or On Dubious Websites
Another way to fall victim to cybercrime is by clicking links in
spam emails or messages, or on unfamiliar websites. Avoid this to protect
your online safety.
6) Do Not Give out Personal Information if You Are Not Sure
Never give out personal information over the phone or via email
unless you are 100% sure that the line or email is secure and trustworthy. Make
sure you are actually speaking to whoever you think is the person you are
speaking to.
7) If Something Seems Suspicious to You, Check with The Company Directly
If a calling company (e.g. your bank) asks you for your details,
hang up. Instead, call the company back and use the official website phone
number to make sure you are really speaking to the company and not a
cybercriminal.
Ideally, use a different phone for this, as cyber criminals can keep the line open. In such a case, you will still talk to the
cybercriminals even if you think that you have now dialed the number yourself. The
criminals can then pretend to be from the bank or another organization.
8) Check Which Websites You Visit
Take a look at the URLs you click on. Do these look real? Avoid
clicking links with unknown or deceptive-looking URLs.
If your internet security solution offers functionality such as
securing online transactions, make sure it is enabled before conducting any financial
transactions online.
9) Keep an Eye on Your Bank Statement
Our tips should help you avoid falling victim to cybercrime. Even
so, it is important to quickly realize that you have become a victim of cyber
criminals.
So keep an eye on your bank statement and clarify unknown
transactions with your bank. The bank can find out if it is a fraud.
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