Hackers don’t have knives, explosives, or guns; they have the technological resources to empty out your or your company’s bank account and ruin lives. While early hackers cared about little more than boosting gaming stats, today’s hackers show interest in many more-threatening pursuits, like obtaining credit-card information, committing identity theft, or even holding a company ransom. Check out some of these top reasons a hacker might want to get into your website — and see what you can do to prevent it.
Accessing Credit Card Information
Some hackers want nothing more than credit-card information. Using banking Trojans or malware, these digital savants use code to digitally steal your cash. Hackers do this by collecting card information, like from popular banking sites. In fact, in 2015, the Identity Theft Resource Center tracked 781 data breaches, including 71 that involved financial companies like Capital One and Citibank, says Bankrate.com.
Be wary of who can access financial information on your website, and always make sure that the websites on which you enter your credit-card information are secured.
Identity Theft
Another popular reason a hacker might want to get into your website is to steal your identity. While credit-card information is great for stealing some of your money, imagine what a hacker could do with all your personal information. Not only could they use your current credit cards, but they could also open up new banking accounts by using your personal data.
To protect yourself from identity theft, be careful about where you provide your social-security information and consider getting identity-theft protection.
Holding a Company Ransom
A lesser-known — yet still popular — reason a hacker might want to get into your website is to hold your company ransom. While they might ask for money, the motive might run deeper. For instance, a group of Iranian hackers paralyzed a Las Vegas casino after the owner of the casino slandered Islam, according to Business Insider. While the money wasn’t the motive, these hackers used their skills to further their religious agenda and hurt the company. This demonstrates how a hacker might not care about your information, but could still use your website to get to your company.
Protecting yourself from this kind of hacking is slightly more complicated, but it is doable. Change your Internet passwords often, and always make sure that you’re signed in to a password-protected network. Find some more steps you can take to keep yourself and your cash safe in the following paragraph.
Ways to Protect Yourself From Hackers
Other ways that you can protect yourself from hackers include the following:
– Download apps, music, and other files only from safe (and familiar) sources.
– Prevent data loss by securing your accounts and systems with products that secure software such as secure salesforce software.
– Don’t store your passwords on your phone or computer.
– Don’t give out your personal information, such as social-security or credit-card numbers, over the phone, especially in public.
Although hackers continue to threaten individuals and businesses, you can keep your information and your money safe as long as you stay savvy about your digital practices.
