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Data Security: All About Computer Hackers
Filed Under: Security
When most computer users think of hackers, they think of people determined to break into their system and steal passwords, vital information and even credit card numbers. They also may think of people who write and distribute viruses. But like with most things, there is no concrete, one-size-fits-all answer.
The term itself is one that not many people agree on. “Hackers” is a word that has a negative connotation in most people’s minds, because they picture the above description. But there are also ethical hackers, who work hard to break into a system to find its weak points so it can be better protected. In fact, many such hackers dislike the term being used for people who break into systems to steal or cause damage. And certainly, ethical hackers arenít the ones most of us need to worry about. The hackers with criminal intention are a point of concern for anyone who uses a computer or a network. The more you understand about them, the better protected you can be.
Hackers May Not Be Thieves
There are hackers who break into systems to steal identities, payment information or even information that can be sold to a competitor of the company. But security experts agree that control is often a big reason for their actions. The ability to break into a system and control it provides a thrill. Only some hackers go from that type of adventure to actual criminal activities like theft.
The ones that do move up to theft are the ones worth worrying about. The number of attacks goes up each year as more and more security holes in both old and new software are found. And unlike virus writers, hackers don’t always use a virus as a means to an end. While virus writers are often kids and teens who are playing around, hackers rely on more sophisticated ways to break into a system, like denial of service attacks and overflowing a system’s memory. Data theft and things like denial of service attacks combined actually cause losses over 4 times higher than virus data losses.
Hacks Often Go Unreported
The FBI has reported that only about half of the companies that have had losses because of hacking actually reported it to law enforcement and company authorities. Some hackers claim that companies even pay them to not use or reveal the information they’ve stolen, in cyber blackmail plots.
Reporting a hacking incident means that a company has to reveal that its customer and client information, often financial information, has been stolen, and that’s bad for business.
Businesses with Web Sites Need Top Security
If your company has a website and it’s not well-protected, it could fall prey to a hacker. They don’t have to target your company specifically, but if their scanning program shows your site has vulnerability, you may be fair game to them regardless of your type of business.
Put a security policy in place, make sure that your security experts are on top of the situation with firewalls, antivirus protection and anti-intrusion server protection, and investigate any issue with an eye toward hackers. Get the very best security you can afford, and you can avoid having your data stolen by criminal hackers.
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