Cyber threats: what’s the danger, and how to protect yourself
A hacker attack occurs every 39 seconds.- Hackers steal 75 records every second.
- By 2025, cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually.
Learn how to stay on the safe side.
Anyone with an online presence can become a victim of a cyber attack
Real user stories.
Online scams. Targeted attacks. Cracking passwords. Coming for your data.
Cybercrime – we assume it can’t happen to us until it does. While you may think you are safe online, cybercriminals prove otherwise: according to Cybersecurity Ventures, by 2025, cybercrime is expected to cost the world $10.5 trillion yearly.
Large companies and big celebrities aren't the only ones under threat – as long as you’re using the internet, your private data is vulnerable to all kinds of cybersecurity threats. Read on and take precautionary measures to protect yourself from cybercriminals.
#1 Phishing scams are still on the rise
90%+ cyber attacks begin with a phishing scam.
Phishing is the most commonly occurring attack, usually done through email, social media, ads, or fake sites. The goal can be anything from tricking you into giving up your personal and financial information, sending money, or infecting your device with malware.
Phishing campaigns are often highly targeted and believable, with the attackers pretending to be your bank, credit card company, or other familiar organization.
Source:
CyberCrime Magazine
Source:
EY
#2 Weak passwords lead to breaches
123456 was the most widely-used password on breached accounts.
Despite warnings by cybersecurity experts and repeated data breaches, many people use simple passwords, such as ‘123456’ or ‘password.’ Easy to remember, even easier for hackers to guess.
But what’s worse than a weak password? Using the same password everywhere. If a hacker cracks that password, they can easily log in to all your accounts.
3# Public Wi-Fi – a hackers’ favorite target
24.7% of Wi-Fi hotspots in the world don’t use encryption.
Love free public Wi-Fi? So do cybercriminals. Most public networks are poorly secured, which makes them an easy target for attackers.
If a cybercriminal is monitoring the Wi-Fi network you are using, they can observe your communications and steal sensitive information, such as login names, passwords, or credit card details.
Source:
Inc
#4 Is your smartphone at risk? Absolutely.
60%+ of online fraud is carried out through mobile devices.
Mobile security threats are on the rise, with cybercriminals increasingly attacking smartphones with credential theft, scammy ads, and malware hiding in popular apps.
If you’re lucky, a fraudulent app might only affect the performance of your device. If you aren’t, it can be used by criminals to spy on you and steal your sensitive information.
Source:
Comparitech
#5 Smart but vulnerable. IoT devices are easy targets for cyber attacks.
Home security cameras account for 47% of the most hacked devices.
Many of the internet-connected devices we own have little to no security, meaning that almost anyone can remotely access and control them.
It doesn’t mean that your vacuum cleaner is spying on you, but your camera might be. According to research, home security camera systems represent almost half of the IoT devices that are compromised by hackers, followed by smart hubs, network-attached storage devices (NAT), and smart TVs.
Source:
Help Net Security
Source:
Forbes
Getting back to basics to protect
against online threats
Do you really need that smart toothbrush?
Think twice about the risks of the internet-connected gadgets before purchasing them.
Protect your IoT.
Change the default password as soon as you bring your new device home.
Be cautious on public Wi-Fi.
If the network is left unprotected, chances are some cybercriminal is lurking there to steal your sensitive information.
Don’t reuse your passwords.
If a cybercriminal cracks one password, they can access all your online accounts.
Use 2FA wherever possible.
It will add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Think before you click.
Be extra careful clicking links and opening email attachments from unknown senders.
Take care of your software.
Don’t ignore updates, invest in a good antivirus, install spam filters, and use privacy browser extensions.
Secure your internet connection.
A reliable VPN (Virtual Private Network) will help you protect all the information you access and share using your devices.
Read more about how to keep online
snoopers out of your business
NordVPN cybersecurity blog.
NordVPN: a must-have in your online
security kit
Robust data encryption
NordVPN secures your data with top-tier encryption. Neither ISPs nor third-party snoopers can read it, even if they manage to intercept it.
Malicious-site blocking
The advanced CyberSec feature blocks suspicious websites so that no malware or other cyber threats can infect your device.
Strict no-logs policy
We don’t keep logs of what you do online. That’s your business. Even if someone asks us about you, we’ll have nothing to share.
