We keep hearing about dangerous attacks from the Internet, so-called cybercrime. Nevertheless, many of us carelessly browse the World Wide Web and use its services. Spam emails are still one of the best-known possible entry points for bad guys. But there are more and more attack surfaces that we are often not even aware of. Criminals try to harm you and/or make money with the help of viruses and Trojans, for example. To ensure that you continue to be safe on the Internet, we will introduce you to the most important threats. With our tips, we show you how to protect yourself from cybercrime.
Attention the TV is attacking
Thanks to digitalization, our household appliances are estonia number dataset also increasingly networked. Refrigerators, security cameras, televisions and office equipment are now small computers that are connected to the Internet. However, many users are not aware that these devices also need to be protected. This makes it easy for criminals to misuse these devices unnoticed in order to reach other targets. For example, the company server can crash under the mass of requests. But the attack was carried out via a television.
How to secure your smart devices
To avoid a successful attack on your own devices, you should ensure that the device software is always up to date. We therefore recommend that you always activate the auto-update function on networked devices to avoid cybercrime.
The blackmailers
One of the largest cybercrime attacks to date occurred in May 2017. Almost 100 countries were affected by the ransomware Trojan "Wanna Cry", which paralyzed systems at least temporarily. This attack particularly targeted companies and institutions. Hospitals and Deutsche Bahn were also affected, for example.
Protection against Trojans & Co.Unlike private Windows computers, companies and institutions generally do not run automatic updates. These are first tested by IT to ensure that their own systems are not compromised. Such Trojans gain access in particular through hacking tools from secret services, which are discovered and published. Criminals then use these security gaps for their attacks. The malware then often spreads on its own, which particularly affects networks. The aim of these cybercrime attacks is to extort money. Hackers earn several hundred million every year. However, paying the ransom is no guarantee that your hard drive will be decrypted again. Experts therefore advise against it.
Protective measures against Trojans & Co.
As a private individual, you can only protect yourself against this type of cybercrime by always using the latest software versions. Even if it seems annoying at first when a new security update is carried out, you should always work with the latest software. After all, manufacturers do not publish updates out of charity. Investing in an up-to-date virus protection program is also comparatively cheap. After all, the money and time that must be spent as a victim of such a cybercrime attack clearly outweighs the costs. Companies and institutions need trained experts who know best how to protect their own systems.