Protect Your Identity Online by Understanding Cyber Risks
From the Marshalls and T.J. Maxx hack to the more recent Citigroup and Lockheed Martin breaches, cyber crime committed against corporations dominates our news when it occurs, but what about the tens of thousands of individuals victimized by cyber criminals each year?
According to Insurance Journal, the FBI received more than 25,000 complaints per month last year from people scammed online by fake companies selling products that never arrived, from Internet users whose identities were stolen, and from victims of scams crafted by someone pretending to be an FBI agent.
The FBI’s 2010 Internet Crime Report indicated that those who fell victim to cyber crime lost hundreds of millions of dollars, so it’s more important than ever to understand cyber risks and how to protect your identity online.
Who Are Hackers?
- Hackers, also sometimes referred to as “Attackers” or “Intruders,” are people who seek to exploit weaknesses in software and computer systems.
- Although some individuals and groups hack for fun or political reasons, the more troublesome hackers are crime rings abroad in Asia and Eastern Europe where hackers may use public wireless connections that help them avoid detection.
- Many hackers steal personal information, like names, birth dates, addresses and email addresses, then sell it to others in online chat rooms. Social media sites like Facebook help hackers learn even more personal information.
How Hackers Strike
Hackers use different types of code, known as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses, to try to obtain private information from their victims.- Viruses refer to the type of code that requires you to actually take action before it infects your system. This action can be as simple as opening an e-mail attachment or clicking a link sent by a scanner.
- Worms enter your system without action on your part, usually beginning by exploiting a software flaw. Once the victim’s computer is infected, the worm will then attempt to discover and infect other computers.
- Like its name suggests, Trojan horses refer to software that pretends to be one thing but is acting differently behind the scenes. A common example is a program that claims to speed up your system but in reality sends confidential information to a remote intruder.
How to Protect Your Identity Online
- Limit the personal information you share on social media sites like Facebook. While it may feel natural to fill in all the requested information, remember that this is optional. Your real friends already know this information about you, so it’s important to think twice before publishing your birthday, hometown, current town, educational background, and/or place of work online.
- Never click a link or download an attachment in an email from an unknown sender. Many hackers will send phishing emails that pretend to know the victim, so it’s important to always look at the sender’s email address. Emails that seem too good to be true usually are. Clicking on a link from an unknown sender that claims “You’re the winner of a new iPad 2!” will most likely award you with a virus, rather than a highly-desired Apple product.
- If you receive suspicious links from a friend, his/her computer is most likely infected with a virus, so it’s best to contact your friend before clicking.
- Use strong passwords, especially if making financial transactions online, and don’t hesitate to change them frequently. These passwords should contain a combination of number, letters, and symbols.
- Ensure that you have reliable Internet computer security software and update it monthly to help protect your confidential information stored online.
Like any other third party to which you submit information, the Internet should be used with caution, and being proactive is key. Understanding who hackers are, how they strike, and the cyber risks involved in submitting personal information to social media sites will help you learn how to protect your identity online. For additional safety tips and information about our services, please subscribe to our blog or contact us.
You can also protect your identity online with insurance.To request a free identity theft insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.
Photo Courtesy of Salvatore Vuono.