Stolen personal information is fuel for identity theft Many online services require users to fill in personal details such as full name, home address and credit card number. Criminals steal this data from online accounts to commit identity theft, such as using the victim's credit card or taking loans in their name.
Unfortunately, some attackers want to steal your data just to prove that they can. They are not motivated by monetary gain, access to free resources or the ability to steal your users' identities. They simply want to prove to themselves – and their hacker friends, perhaps – that they can break past your defenses.
Searching for a target organization
An attacker might choose their target list through readily available data online, such as employee count, industry, or existing vendor relationships, then narrow their search down further from there.
Hacking refers to activities that seek to compromise digital devices, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and even entire networks. Hackers are motivated by personal gain, to make a statement, or just because they can.
Yes, a person can hack your screen. This is true about phones, computers, and tablets. If your device has a screen, there is a possibility that it can be hacked.
Hackers can target literally anybody, and if you think your data wouldn't be of much use, think again. Hackers can use your data in so many different ways, and nobody is ever completely safe. Here's how hackers steal your personal information and why they do it.
Most hackers are on the lookout for one thing: money. They may not be hunting for it directly, but that is typically the end goal of most hackers, except state-sponsored hackers that are after secret information. Bearing in mind this goal, hackers will target someone they think or know has money.
Following an attack, many will turn to hacker's forums to brag about their exploits and this often provides police with the vital clues they need to start identifying the person responsible. Honeypots have also proved an effective way to lure cybercriminals in and find out more about how they operate and who they are.
Hackers often go after financial institutions because of the opportunity to gain access to personal financial information. Additionally, they may try to gain access to accounts such as credit cards or investment portfolios. Common attacks in this industry include ransomware, server outages and data breaches.
Unknown apps have access to camera
When setting up a spy app on your phone, the hacker will sometimes need to grant it permission to access your camera. This allows the app to take photos and videos in the background without you knowing.
Most hackers will understand that they can be tracked down by authorities identifying their IP address, so advanced hackers will attempt to make it as difficult as possible for you to find out their identity.
Getting hacked. Hackers and crackers are extremely paranoid about their online activities; it would be the ultimate embarrassment to get hacked themselves.
You get signed out of your online accounts (social media, email, online banking, etc.), or you try to log in and discover your passwords don't work anymore. You receive emails or text messages about login attempts, password resets, or two-factor authentication (2FA) codes that you didn't request.
According to a new survey, twenty-somethings are actually the worst at keeping their personal data and passwords safe.
Phishing for passwords
Phishing is one of the most common ways that hackers gain access to other people's login data. Phishing emails often contain links that lead to fake websites designed to trick you into entering your password.
Younger generations, like women and BIPOC, face different rates for different online suspicious activity. For starters, individuals who are 18 – 34 years of age were most likely to suffer any social media hack and ransomware as opposed to older generations (35 – 65+ years of age).
If hackers get into your device or accounts, they could access your money and personal information and you could become a victim of identity theft or identity fraud.
Mostly for the money
While some hackers do it for fame, because they're disgruntled ex-employees or because they view hacking as sport, the majority of cyber criminals do it for the money. Verizon's 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 86% of the data breaches they analysed were financially motivated.
How many people get hacked a year? There isn't concise data on how many people get hacked a year. However, considering there are around 2,200 cyberattacks per day, that could equate to more than 800,000 people being hacked per year.