Cyber Security Threats
What is cyber security and cyber security threats? It refers to the implementation of technological techniques to defend a network from unauthorized access. One can think of cyber security as a way of identifying and neutralizing the “evil spirits” that lurk in cyberspace. Cyber Security is important not only for Information Technology (IT) but also for Public Safety as well. In order to understand cyber security, one must be conversant with the different types of threats that cyber crimes bring.
1. Identity theft
One of the most obvious and prolific forms of cyber crime is identity theft. This is when someone uses your personal information for their own gain. This includes, accessing your bank accounts, mailing your personal mails or even applying for credit cards or leasing automobiles. You will never know until it’s too late if your information has been compromised. The good news is that this crime can be prevented and computers can be monitored to limit the damage that is can do. By educating oneself on the latest technology related to this crime, you can limit the damage to yourself.
2. Hacking
Another type of cyber attack is hacking. In this instance, an individual gains access to a protected computer system without authorization. With this technique, someone can search through all files on the system, including personal files and financial documents. By using a variety of computer “sniffing” software programs, these “bad guys” can literally find out what you’ve been doing at all times. For instance, someone might remotely control your laptop or remotely wipe your hard drive contents if they feel you are not careful enough.
3. Spyware and Adware
Another form of attack is called Spyware and Adware. The goal here is to get private and personal information about a user. These types of attacks occur when someone places malicious spyware and adware on a computer. These harmful programs are designed to monitor and collect information from a computer. Most of the time, the information is used to plan illegal activities such as identity theft.
An example of a cyber crime that is both malicious and unethical is key loggers. Key loggers are malicious software programs that steal information by recording keystrokes and generating copies of the information for their own use. If a person uses their own private key then they are pretty much open to identity theft. Also, these programs log Internet activity, as well as emails and other communications.
When it comes down to it, everyone must be careful with what is cyber security because it seems like there are always new ways for someone to misuse the information that we place in digital trails. However, there are certain measures that you can take to protect yourself such as installing anti-virus software, changing passwords regularly, and knowing what is not acceptable. These steps will help to keep you safe from unauthorized access to your private, personal, and business information technology.
