Learn how to identify vulnerable accounts and protect your business. Online privacy experts say Facebook, Instagram and Spotify are the most commonly hacked account types in the United States. Hackers use leaked credentials to break into accounts or steal login details via phishing emails.
A data breach can be disastrous for a business. In nine cases out of ten, human error is a significant contributing factor.
The goal might be financial gain, disrupting a competitor or enemy, or theft of valuable data or intellectual property. Their clients might be nation-states, companies interested in corporate espionage, or other criminal groups looking to resell what the hackers steal.
The Most Valuable Data in the World!
First-party data, in layman's terms, is information that a business collects on its own through its own channels, such as website visits, app usage, call center interactions, sales transactions, and customer surveys.
Cybercriminals rarely choose their victims at random. The first stage of the cyber kill chain is reconnaissance, where an attacker narrows down a list of targets based on organization profile, security posture, and vulnerable individuals.
The most important factor among hacking victims is their value as a target. Research shows that 86% of all data breaches are financially motivated, so attackers often favor targets that offer a larger payday.
SMB's are the perfect target for attackers since they don't take security seriously. Attackers have a greater chance of breaching an SMB than a large corporation. The most common attacks against SMBs are phishing, social engineering and malware attacks.
The biggest motivation is often financial gain. Hackers can make money by stealing your passwords, accessing your bank or credit card details, holding your information to ransom, or selling your data to other hackers or on the dark web.
Fend Off Phishing : Learn how more than 90% of all cyber attacks begin with phishing. Find out how attackers leverage phishing attacks to gain access to protected systems, hosts, and networks. Discover how technology can be used to mitigate phishing attacks and train users to better recognize phishing emails.
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.
Local alarm systems, for instance, aren't connected to the internet and thus aren't hackable. Smart home security systems, on the other hand, are connected to the internet, so there is a possibility of hacking, like any other internet-connected product.
Small and medium business are the top target for cyberattacks. Unlike large corporations who have the money and resources to pay for cybersecurity and upgrade their network match the latest hacker tricks, small businesses do not have that same luxury" and hackers know it.
One reason CPA firms are targeted is the valuable data they possess, including clients' tax returns, financial statements, and personal identification information. Attackers use social engineering and phishing scams to gain access and use this data to commit financial crimes like identity theft or tax fraud.
Hackers tend to target users with limited technical skills. Older users are a particularly favorite target, as they are unfamiliar with newer technology. Remember, most hackers are after money, but that doesn't mean they all are. Some hackers target people for revenge or to harass someone for kicks.
1. Hackers can sell your data to other criminals
One way hackers profit from stolen data is selling it in masses to other criminals on the dark web. These collections can include millions of records of stolen data. The buyers can then use this data for their own criminal purposes.
They may take money, steal sensitive data, or disrupt a company's systems. Politically motivated attackers are often associated with cyberwarfare, cyberterrorism, or "hacktivism." In cyberwarfare, nation-state actors often target their enemies' government agencies or critical infrastructure.
1. Compromised Credentials. The username and password continue to be the most common type of access credential. Compromised credentials describe a case where user credentials, such as usernames and passwords, are exposed to unauthorized entities.
Phishing is the most common hacking technique. All of our inboxes and text messaging apps are filled with phishing messages daily.
Out of all the companies on this list, Google collects and stores most of your information by far.