For the most part, the internet has bettered the world. It has, however, brought an incredibly serious plight to life: cybercrime. The web is full criminals who make it their life’s work to operate online scams, hacks, and attacks in order to extort money out of helpless tech users.
Whether they set out to steal cryptocurrencies, whether they leverage phishing attacks via social media platforms, or whether they scam innocent email users with lies about financial reward — no matter its endgame, cybercrime carries a heavy price for those that are victimized by it. In order to ensure you do not become a victim in this instance, you need to know what you’re up against.
Here are just a few of the latest cybercrime threats that you need to be aware of:
Ransomware
Ransomware, as its name suggests, is a type of system infection that holds users to ransom — in exchange for their all-important files and documents, they are asked to hand over substantial financial sums. This strand of malicious software has been plaguing the internet since its inception, but it just as dangerous now as it always has been. Today, this kind of danger comes mainly in the form of banking Trojan infections, the likes of which are designed to score big-figure sums from the world’s leading financial institutions.
This doesn’t mean that you’re safe against ransomware, however. No matter your financial capabilities or how much personal data you have for cybercriminals to potentially tap into, there’s always the possibility that your system could become infected. In order to ensure that you are never held to ransom in this sense, you should make use of McAfee products. The technologies that this company leverages — Endpoint Security, Web Protection, Threat Intelligence Exchange, and Application Control — are all proven to help defend against ransomware perpetrators. If you want to take safeguarding your data and savings seriously, this is the type of protection you have to invest in.
Cryptojacking
If you trade in cryptocurrency, no matter what specific currency it is you use, then cryptojacking is a danger that you could very well face. This kind of attack aims to exploit bandwidth and take advantage of processing power in order to steal and mine crypto coins and credits. The scariest thing about this particular cybercrime? In some cases, it isn’t even yet deemed illegal.
In order to ensure that your system isn’t exploited in this instance, you should be sure to never access crypto sites unless you are sure they are completely legitimate. Above all else, ensure that you do not open up your cryptocurrency wallet in unfamiliar online settings.
If you wish to protect yourself, your data, and your finances from cybercrime, you have to stay vigilant at all times. You also have to ensure that you remain up-to-date with all the latest security measures. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit systems and pieces of software, so the way you protect yourself must evolve too. When you see that an update is available, then, just make sure you don’t ignore it.
