How to Protect Yourself From Hackers
Hacking is the act of exploiting weaknesses in computer systems and networks to gain unauthorized access to personal or organizational data. Hacking is mostly associated with cyber attacks and other malicious activities, although it can also have more legitimate and research-based purposes.
Hackers use a variety of techniques to access personal information, including social engineering, phishing, spam emails or instant messages and fake websites. They may also install malware on your computer to spy on you – spying software often allows hackers to read your messages, record your conversations, take screenshots of your screen and even hijack your webcam.
The hacking world really gained notoriety in the 1990s with high-profile cybercriminals being arrested and convictions for a range of crimes, from stealing proprietary software to running the first widespread internet worm (the Morris Worm), to breaking into government agencies and corporations to steal sensitive data and carry out Distributed Denial of Service attacks. These hacks caused significant financial and reputational damage for many organizations, and led Congress to pass laws around computer crimes.
Today, hacking has become an epidemic as hackers target all kinds of connected devices, from smartphones and tablets to smart TVs and appliances to security cameras and baby monitors. Hackers are using these “Internet of Things” devices to access your personal information, spy on you, and steal your money.
The best way to protect yourself from hackers is to ensure all of your computers, programs and apps are updated with the latest versions. This will patch any security vulnerabilities hackers might be able to exploit. Additionally, it is important to avoid public Wi-Fi when accessing personal or financial information and properly erase or dispose of old computers and electronic devices that might contain your login credentials or other sensitive information.