BotNet News

Cybercrime involves illegal activities that use computers, networks and the global information exchange. This includes crimes that target digital infrastructure directly – like hacking, malware and ransomware – as well as those that leverage cyber tools to commit traditional crimes – like fraud, identity theft and harassment. Cyber attacks can hit individual users, small businesses, multinational firms and critical infrastructure. They can cost billions of dollars in damages and damage reputations.

The global reach of cyber crime poses unique challenges for law enforcement. Criminal communities share strategies and hacking tools, and are able to launch coordinated attacks. They also have an underground marketplace where they can sell stolen data and identities. And because the Internet has no borders, it’s difficult for law enforcement to track perpetrators.

A common method of attack is a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, which floods a system with so many requests that it can’t cope. This makes the service unavailable to genuine users, and can have severe repercussions for essential services, such as healthcare systems. Another type of cyberattack is a zero-day exploit, which targets a vulnerability in a network before it’s publicly disclosed and patched.

Individuals can help prevent cyber attacks by following basic security practices. For example, never download files from untrusted websites or open email attachments from unknown senders. Also, consider using a password manager that generates strong passwords for you and stores them securely. It’s also important to make sure your antivirus and antimalware software are up-to-date.