Let’s know about Hackers:
Hackers are very advanced nowadays, they can do whatever they want with us. If your phone, mail account or back account is hacked. Nowadays hacking has become a very big technology, with hacking you can do both good and bad things. It depends on you what to do. Cyber crime is a huge crime. There are 3 types of hackers, one is white hat, second is gray hat and third and most dangerous is black hat hackers. Let’s dig a little deeper:
White Hat Hackers:
They work for the government in a way, they don’t implicate people but help them out. Hence, White Hat Hackers are also known as “Good Hackers”. They are ethical security hackers. They investigate cyber security vulnerabilities to help organizations develop stronger security
Gray Hat Hackers:
They are passionate about both good and bad work. He doesn’t work for the government, but he doesn’t harass or blackmail people by hacking his phone, bank account, social media or mail account in the wrong way. It just works to that advantage. A gray hat is a computer hacker or computer security specialist who may sometimes violate laws or typical ethical standards, but usually does not have the malicious intent of a black hat hacker.
Black Hat Hackers:
They harass and blackmail the common man by hacking his phone, bank account, social media account. Due to black hat hackers, some people have also committed this suicide. They hack people’s phones and take advantage of their personal messages, photos, and many other information, they do their work by hacking their personal details from common people like theft, murders, Accidents etc. They are criminals who break into computer networks with malicious intent. They can also release malware that destroys files, hijacks computers, or steals passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information. Back-hat hackers are also known as “malicious hackers”.
1. Account Takeover Threat (ATO):
– Understanding the ATO:
Hackers can an account takeover occurs when unauthorized persons access your online accounts, such as email, social media or banking accounts, without your permission.
– Scope of threat:
ATO attacks have become increasingly prevalent in the digital age, with hackers using various techniques to compromise user accounts and exploit personal information for malicious purposes.
2. Common Methods Used by Hackers:
– Phishing attacks:
Hackers often use phishing emails or messages masquerading as legitimate communications to trick users into revealing their account credentials or clicking on malicious links.
– Brute Force Attack:
In a brute force attack, hackers use automated tools to systematically guess usernames and passwords until they find the right combination to access an account.
– Credential Stuffing:
This method involves using stolen login credentials obtained from data breaches on other websites to gain unauthorized access to accounts on different platforms, exploiting users’ tendency to reuse passwords across multiple accounts.
3. Consequences of Account Takeover:
– Financial Loss:
Hackers can use a compromised account to make unauthorized purchases, transfer funds, or engage in other fraudulent activities, causing financial loss to the account holder.
– Identity Theft:
ATO attacks can result in identity theft, where hackers use stolen personal information to impersonate the account holder, commit fraud or engage in other criminal activities.
– **Data Breach**:
Account takeovers can also lead to data breaches, which can expose sensitive information stored in compromised accounts, such as personal details, financial data or private communications.
4. Protecting Against Account Takeover:
– Strong Passwords:
Use complex and unique passwords for each online account, including combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters, to increase security.
– Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
Enable 2FA where possible to add an extra layer of security to your account, requiring a secondary verification method such as a code sent to your mobile device in addition to your password.
– Beware of Phishing:
Be careful when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources and verify the legitimacy of the communication before providing any personal information.
– Regular Monitoring and Updates:
Regularly monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity and promptly update passwords and security settings to minimize potential risks.
5. ROLE OF CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS:
– Educating users:
Raising awareness of the threat of ATO attacks and educating users on best practices to protect their accounts can help reduce the risk of account takeovers.
– Stay Informed:
Stay aware of the latest cyber security threats and trends and be proactive in implementing security measures to protect your online accounts against unauthorized access.
By understanding the methods used by hackers, the potential consequences of an account takeover, and the importance of proactive security measures, individuals can better protect themselves against this pervasive threat in today’s digital landscape.
Conclusion On Today’s hackers:
You might think that a today’s hacker gets lucky and targets a victim who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that’s not the case. Hackers rely on sophisticated hardware and software to help them scan thousands of computers at a time. One way they can find out is whether or not you have the Sub7 program on your computer.
One of the tools a hacker uses is sending packets of data to probe a computer and find out if there are any vulnerable ports available that are suitable for exploitation. All computers have ports that are open when on the Internet. Ports accept different types of data from different sources—think of them as different doors in a house or boating docks in a busy seaside harbor.
A nasty sub7 program, for example, is known to use port 27374, as well as others. If port 27374 is open that day, Sub7 will open that port. The port probe then alerts the hacker that, indeed, port 27374 is open for business…or hacking. A hacker knows that with a few keystrokes, they can take control of your computer.