There isn't one single "most hacked thing," but rather categories of targets and massive breaches affecting billions of records, with personal data (social media, email, identity info) and critical infrastructure (pipelines, healthcare) being most frequently targeted, leading to huge data dumps like those at Yahoo (3 billion accounts) or the Chinese surveillance database (4 billion records), and major disruptions like the WannaCry ransomware (NHS) or Colonial Pipeline attacks.
1. Yahoo – 3,000,000,000 records lost. In 2013, hackers breached Yahoo's system and leaked customer info from over 3 billion accounts. Fortunately, the stolen data didn't include crucial information such as payment data, unhashed passwords, or bank account numbers.
Why was Kevin Mitnick known as the world's most famous hacker? Kevin's notoriety came from his highly publicized pursuit and arrest by the FBI in 1995 after he successfully penetrated the networks of numerous corporations.
The Most Notorious Cyberattacks In History
In red-team labs the outdated Galaxy A14 has become the unofficial trophy for most hacked phone thanks to readily available exploits.
Protect Devices with a Passcode or Password
All mobile devices have the ability to set a password. Even a simple password may keep your data from falling into the wrong hands. Newer devices have the ability to add a more complex password, fingerprint or face recognition which provide stronger defense and security.
Apple's iPhone 16 remained the world's best-selling smartphone for the second consecutive quarter, further extending its lead over the iPhone 16 Pro variants, which followed in the next two positions. Apple's latest smartphone, the iPhone 16e, entered the top 10 in Q2 2025 owing to strong sales in Japan and the US.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
If you are charged with federal hacking crimes under 18 U.S.C. § 1030, you could face up to a year in federal prison for lesser offenses, between 10-20 years for more serious offenses, and even life in prison if the hacking resulted in someone's death.
Kevin Mitnick is often referred to as the first cybercriminal. From 1970 until 1995, Mitnick managed to access some of the most guarded and secure networks in the world, including Motorola and Nokia.
Cyber-attacks are a global threat that requires serious attention from every country. China, Russia, the United States, India, North Korea, and Iran are among the countries with the most hackers in the world.
Here are seven of the most famous hackers of all time and the stories behind their cyber escapades.
In India, where much of our life depends on the internet, hacking without permission is a punishable offense under the IT Act. But if you are doing it with legal rights, like during security audits or vulnerability assessments. Ethical hacking is not only legal but also essential for protecting digital systems.
The Dark Web is used by cybercriminals to buy and sell illegal goods and services, coordinate attacks, distribute malware and phishing kits, and share other prebuilt exploits. But, perhaps a big surprise to anyone thinking the Dark Web is just for criminal activity, it can also be leveraged for legitimate purposes.
Why are grey hat hackers illegal? Any time you break into a network or computer system that you don't have permission to enter, you're not acting ethically or legally. Even with good intentions, you'll be at risk for legal action if you engage in grey hat hacking.
A hacker is a person who breaks into a computer system. The reasons for hacking can be many: installing malware, stealing or destroying data, disrupting service, and more. Hacking can also be done for ethical reasons, such as trying to find software vulnerabilities so they can be fixed.
Why Is It So Difficult to Catch a Hacker? Hackers employ sophisticated tactics to cover their tracks. Only about 5% of cybercriminals are apprehended, highlighting the challenges law enforcement faces.
In The Hacker's Handbook, Headley is referred to as "one of the earliest of the present generation of hackers" and described her as successfully hacking the US phone system as a 17-year-old in 1977.
The future is not AI replacing hackers but rather AI-augmented hacking and defense. AI as a co-pilot – Cyber professionals will use AI to handle repetitive tasks, while humans focus on strategy and decision-making.
A blue box is an electronic device that produces tones used to generate the in-band signaling tones formerly used within the North American long-distance telephone network to send line status and called number information over voice circuits.
A black-hat hacker is a person that illegally breaks into computer networks. They may be aiming to steal log-in credentials, personal and bank information, modify or delete stolen data, sell data on the dark web, or commit other malicious cybercrimes.
Tools like stalkerware apps, often used by abusive partners, or financially motivated Android malware such as SpyLoan, have been detected exploiting cameras to monitor victims or collect compromising video material.”
Cyber. The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating cyberattacks by criminals, overseas adversaries, and terrorists. The threat is incredibly serious—and growing.
It depends on how you measure: Apple is far bigger in market value and profits, while Samsung (the conglomerate) is larger in industrial scope and sells more diverse products, though Apple now leads in smartphone shipments and revenue share, making it the dominant force in premium mobile tech.
The best phones of 2025
1 Samsung. The South Korean brand; namely Samsung, has 20% market share globally. Thanks to their models for every budget, most people prefer having a Samsung smart phone all-around the world!