If hackers are so good at computers, why is phishing the dominant type of hack today?
Modern professionals often find themselves wondering at this question when reading tech news or discarding the third obvious phishing email in a week.
For most people, the idea of a “hacker” starts with someone who is good at computers and – for their own criminal reasons – chooses to misuse that ability to crack into other’s servers and steal from them. Hackers are, in concept, supposed to be like the second-story jewel thieves of the modern data world. Except that most of them aren’t. Continue Reading
In the realm of cybersecurity, it is well-known that human error is now the leading cause of security breaches. In fact, more than 90% of data breaches are now the result of human mistakes and scams that directly target professionals – not their firewalls. Part of this is that technical cybersecurity has become so advanced that it’s more worthwhile for hackers to target people instead of software defenses. Firewalls, encryption, virus scanning, and network monitoring all make a whole lot of work for hackers who want to get in the old-fashioned way. Continue Reading
The holiday season is often a joyous time of year as it allows us to spend time with those we love most. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year in which scammers are most active as they devise new ways to cheat and steal, often using complex phishing campaigns through which they trick people into giving them their personal information. Every year, unsuspecting businesses fall prey to these scammers, which can not only be costly, Continue Reading
Scammers have always been a despicable, creative bunch. They will try any lie that will trick someone into giving money, sharing private information, or clicking something malware infected. Once, scams were simple. You know what to do if a person on the street asks to “hold” a dollar. We know how to shrug off a scammy telemarketer call, and we know how to ignore emails that hawk romantic prowess. In many cases, our phones and email filters help filter these scams for us because they’re so predictable. Continue Reading
Phishing is the practice of lying and tricking people into taking actions that harm them. These hacks often involve exposing information or providing access to an infectible computer system. Hackers choose phishing targets who are likely to answer messages and do what they ask without checking with supervisors first. Continue Reading
What is the first thing we all learn when accessing the internet? From the earliest days of internet communication, you learn that not everyone tells the truth in cyberspace. You can probably rattle a few of the “playground rules” of the internet off the top of your head. Continue Reading
Learning is an essential part of growing as a person. From students in school to career training, it’s important to continue to build your knowledge and skills. With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, in-person learning has become impossible. When considered, this has wiped out many types of self-advancement. Continue Reading
We recently published an article on how to respond if your computer has been exposed to malware. Every professional needs to have their version of this process. We are all at risk of targeting from hackers or automated hacking programs. This is not just true of malware infection. Phishing is just as common, and often used as a method to trick professionals into opening or downloading malware files. Continue Reading
Social hacking is a dangerous trend that has always been a part of the criminal community. From the dawn of civilization, there have been con artists. These are people willing to collect information, lie, and steal from the people they lie to. Continue Reading
During the coronavirus lockdown and work-at-home revolution, phishing is a bigger risk than ever before. Phishing spawns from the dark underbelly of business communication. Anywhere there is remote communication, there is a “gap” that can be manipulated by hackers for some advantage. Continue Reading