With the development of technology, came malicious software, something that has the potential to affect every organisation. Today there is an entire industry dedicated to keeping out cyber intrusions of all types. Cyber intrusion can be defined as an unauthorised act of spying, snooping, or stealing information via the Internet. Victims of cyber intrusion are usually unaware of their vulnerability, making the need for protection essential.
Cyber Crime
One reason why your personal information might be stolen is financial gain. By stealing your credit card details, a person, or organisation, can effectively rob you by secretly accessing your bank account, or using your credit card information to purchase items in your name. Using a variety of techniques, a hacker can ultimately gain access to your personal data, which gives them the opportunity to access your financial details. When a person enters their credit card number on a website, they could be unwittingly allowing an intruder to steal that data, and that can result in fraud.
Bad Marketing Practices
This is another area of cyber intrusion, and although it doesn’t cost you money, your web behaviour will be sold to companies that sell things you are interested in. Have you ever wondered how those spam emails arrive in your inbox? By giving your email address in order to access information, your email data can be sold to unscrupulous marketing companies that will target you with soliciting emails.
The Danger of Attachments
In order for a hacker to take control of your computer, they need to install a file on your hard drive. This is usually done by attaching a file to an email, which normally has a .exe file extension. This extension signals an executable file that can alter your computer’s configuration. So, if you receive an email from an unknown source that has an attachment which contains an executable file, do not click on it, as this could be the beginning of a cyber intrusion.
Commercial Intrusions
Normally a cyber intrusion on a company is primarily to steal data, which might be given to competitors, or used to disable the business. For this reason, it is essential to have an application security program installed on your computer that effectively protects your crucial data.
Human Complacency
The expert hackers rely on human habits to trick people into clicking on a link that might seem innocent enough, but in reality, it is the gateway to an intrusion. One way to arm yourself against any cyber intrusion is to learn more about essential applications we use on a daily basis. All computer programs offer the hacker an opportunity to access your data, so you should learn more about how to protect yourself. Learning more about popular applications such as Microsoft Excel will help you to increase your working knowledge, as well as giving more awareness about the threat of cyber intrusion, which is something that cannot be ignored.
Leave a Reply