We can say that the internet has made tremendous changes in the last decade and a half in our lives. Some being positive changes and others being horrifying adjustments. Yes, the internet has provided us with the flexibility of being able to communicate much faster even if it’s from one side of the world to the other. The great benefits of being able to shop online without having to leave your chair or step one foot outside sound fascinating. These are only a couple of great examples of what the internet has provided us and has changed our way of living. With these changes comes terrifying risks, and must be willing to take to have almost anything with the push of a button.
These risks could mean letting an intruder into your personal computer without your consent and allowing it to view everything in your computer. Would you ever let a stranger inside your home just wonder around? No one will. This is also known as a malware infection, which is a type of software that will penetrate into a computer and install itself. The purpose of this unwanted software is to collect any sensitive information such as passwords, files, pictures or any other personal information that would be important to the owner or of use to the hacker. In cases, a malware infection could be mirroring the owners screen to the hackers screen allowing visual access, to include when passwords are being typed. This is one form of risks we must be willing to take as we continue to use the internet in a daily basis and have made it part of our everyday life.
Statistically, it shows that hackers are shifting to targeting large companies as payouts tend to be larger instead of targeting individuals one by one. Banks have been popular targets to attack, it is estimated that banks have lost approximately $43 billion dollars in the last two years through cyber-attacks. Other well-known companies such as Target, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and even Sony have also been hacked compromising thousands of their customers’ personal information. The following chart provided by PWC shows the increase from 2013-2014.
What now? As technology continues to improve, so do hackers. This means that this cat-mouse game could be going on for many years to come. There are several recommendations that are usually given to internet users. That is, change your passwords at least every six months even if it becomes a pain. Do not visit sites that you might not be familiar with or unsure where it might redirect you if you click on it. Do not open emails from unknown senders, a lot of viruses and malware infections are known to bypass a computer by simply opening an email because the content comes infected. Lastly, the most important action one should do is install anti-virus and anti-malware security to every personal computer and keeping it active. The proper security will help reroute any intruders from successfully breaching and stealing/viewing your information. MOTIONBORG can help you! Contact us today and ask about our maintenance and preventive website packages.
By Benjamin C Ramirez
MOTIONBORG, Inc.
Technology Consultant at MOTIONBORG
With a natural passion for technology, he is always on the search for next great invention to test out and play with. Enjoys sharing his thoughts and knowledge with others through blogging. Helping business owners on how to better utilize technology to their advantage has become the true meaning of success and life.
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