While the war in Ukraine is of course mostly taking place on the ground, an online threat still remains. Cybercrime is one of the main ways of making money or creating danger today. It is therefore all the more important to arm yourself against this. Here we have some attack methods that are commonly used and how you can arm yourself against them!
1. Lure of Readers (Bait and Hook)
One of the main methods hackers use to gain access to your computer or use personal data is the so-called Bait and hook†In addition, a very realistic email will be sent to you asking for:
– Provide information;
– Clicking a link;
– Enter passwords or personal data.
This method of attack plays very much on the psychology and thinking ability of people. For example, it is often indicated that the reader has won a prize, is compassionate or that a new debit card has to be requested, for example. If you click on the link or if you share the data, there is a good chance that it will be used for other purposes.
2. Hacking Webcams
A second popular hacking method is hacking webcams and other cameras. With this, hackers not only gain access to your camera when you are behind the computer, but also if you have cameras in and around the house. What they eventually see on those cameras can then be used against you, for example in the form of extortion or blackmail. You can take a number of important measures against this, including:
1. Shielding the camera from your webcam.
2. Changing your password regularly, including your router. This is often how hackers gain access to the cameras hanging in and around the house.
3. Check if your camera has been hacked, including the following tips.
3. Smart Home equipment
With the rise of Smart Home equipment in more and more homes in the Netherlands, it also means that the security risk is increasing enormously. Since all these devices, including refrigerators, washing machines and lamps, are connected to the router and thus the internet, these are also all ways hackers can gain access to you digitally.
If they know how to hack one of these devices, there is a good chance that they will also gain access to your router. There are several ways to prevent this:
– Only buy Smart Home equipment from reputable brands. These are often better able to take security measures if we compare this with the cheaper providers.
– Change the factory password immediately after installing the device. Many manufacturers choose the same password for a range of devices. Also change the password regularly.
– You can install and download a VPN on your router. This ensures an encrypted connection and encryption of all exchanged data on your devices that are connected to the router.
4. Outdated Devices
And a final method that many hackers use is looking for outdated devices. These are devices that are still connected to the Wi-Fi network, but no longer have the latest security updates. As a result, security techniques are outdated and hackers can use the so-called reverse engineering access your device.
They do this by looking at the updates that have been released, but have not been installed. They then look for the updates that are missing from your device and look for security holes. Once they have found it, you run a high risk of your devices being hacked. So always install the latest updates as soon as they appear on the market.
So there are several ways in which hackers try to gain access to your devices. By implementing the above measures, you limit the risk of being hacked. This also prevents the risk of your personal data being exposed or that your passwords and PINs are stolen. We therefore strongly advise you to use the above measures to stay safe online!