I’m not one for fear-mongering, but I do preach caution to anyone I can, which is why today I want to talk about the most common cyber attacks people encounter.
You might be wondering why cybercriminals commit cyberattacks, but there’s no one answer; cyberattacks can be used to achieve different goals. For example, one cyber attack may focus on stealing one’s personal information, another may target one individual in an effort to ruin their reputation online, and another may attempt to siphon someone’s funds.
Let’s get one thing straight: there are plenty of cyber attacks–they’re almost inescapable. That said, knowing your enemy is the key to defeating–or in this case, avoiding–them. I don’t want you to become a target of cyber attacks, which is why I’m going to talk about the most common cyber attacks taking place today.
Wifi Hacking
The term “wifi hacking” encompasses any cyber attack that focuses on using a wifi network as a platform to spread malware, steal personal information, and cause overall harm to the network infrastructure and the people connected.
Cybercriminals who plan on enacting any sort of wifi hacking gravitate towards public networks, since public networks are often unsecure and filled to the brim with users.
Avoiding wifi hacks is easy–all you need is a VPN software. A virtual private network encrypts your data and anonymizes your presence on a network, keeping any cybercriminal from harming you in any way. There are plenty of VPNs out there, and different people use different VPNs. For example, Kim Komando prefers ExpressVPN.
Deepfakes
Deepfakes were created in the late 90’s as a method of photo manipulation for movies and TV shows. It’s only recently that cybercriminals and trolls got their hands on technology to easily create their own deepfakes.
Deepfake technology allows one to transpose someone’s face onto another actor/person. For example, one could easily transpose Donald Trump’s face onto another world leader and stir up some controversy.
Politicians, actors, and regular citizens have found themselves victims of deepfake technology. If you want to avoid becoming a deepfake, try to keep pictures of yourself off the Internet. I know, it’s not the best solution, but it’s the only one.
Phishing Attacks
Have you ever received a call from “Microsoft” claiming your “computer is under attack from viruses”? Probably! Everyone gets that phone call or similar phone calls at least once, and to say they’re annoying would be an understatement.
To others, these phone calls represent more than a simple annoyance–they represent danger. These phone calls are only an example of phishing attacks, attacks designed to trick users into handing over personal information, money, or both.
These attacks can take the form of phone calls, emails, texts, and websites. Avoiding phishing scams requires only a bit of common sense and deep analysis; if something doesn’t seem trustworthy or sounds too good to be true, don’t click on it/visit it.
Password Attacks
Finally, we have password attacks, attacks designed to steal your passwords (obviously). These attacks operate similarly to phishing attacks, though many are designed to steal passwords through security holes in a network.
Along with the solutions from our talks on phishing attacks and wifi hacking, you can use two-factor authentication programs to protect your passwords. This way, even if the perpetrator figures out your password, they won’t be able to login to your accounts without your phone or access to your email.
Conclusion
Like I said at the beginning of this article, there are plenty of cyber attacks that happen every day, but there’s no reason you need to become one of the countless victims. Identifying these attacks is the first step to defending yourself against them.
