"You've been hacked" - the words you dread to hear : Internet Scambusters #1,105
There was a time when "hacking" meant slashing your way through the jungle with a machete.
Today, it has an equally vicious meaning that affects nearly every one of us - taking control of our online accounts and even our home networks for theft and extortion.
In this week's first part of our hacking special issue, we'll help you understand who does it and how it happens. Next week, we'll show you how to protect yourself.
Let's get started…
How Crooks Hack Your Accounts and Home Network
"You've been hacked." They're the words we all dread hearing. But they could be true for you right now, without you knowing. If not, someone will almost certainly try to hack into your home or business network at a future point.
Thousands of hack attacks happen every day, costing consumers and businesses billions of dollars over the course of a year. And, as more and more of our devices connect to the internet, the situation is likely to get worse.
In this two-part Scambusters special issue, we're going to explain how hackers work and how you can protect yourself from attacks.
What exactly is hacking?
In simple terms, hacking is the unauthorized access to computers, mobiles, networks, and other connected devices. It's the virtual equivalent of a break-in and burglary of your home, with the same result - theft and chaos.
It also happens when someone takes control of one or more of your online accounts. Your home network may not be hacked but an individual account - say on Facebook or Amazon - could be compromised, leading to serious financial and reputational damage.
Why would someone want to hack me?
Hackers usually want one of two things - to steal your information to use for theft or extortion or to rope your devices into a network of computers ("botnets") that are used for activities like spamming, spreading fake news, or 'mining' cybercurrency.
Who are the hackers?
It could be the guy sitting next to you in the airport lounge. It could be an organized crime or political gang in Eastern Europe. And pretty much anyone else with the same evil motive.
Security experts distinguish between "black hat" hackers, who are out to steal or cause political mayhem, and "white hat" or ethical hackers, who alert organizations to vulnerability in their networks.
How did I get hacked?
One of the most common ways, which you're almost powerless to prevent, is through data breaches in which your personal information, such as logins and passwords, is stolen.
Or you may be tricked into giving away your account information via phishing, fake websites, and social media. Frequently, online accounts are hacked when a victim responds to a fake warning that there's a problem with their financial, social media, or shopping account and are guided to a fake webpage that mimics the real thing, where they're asked for a username and password.
It's a deadly serious game, but it's not the same as having your devices and entire home network hacked. When that happens, all your data is open to theft and your equipment may be frozen, held for ransom, or used in one of the botnet spamming networks mentioned above. Hackers can even take control of network devices like security cameras and baby monitors.
But how did the crooks get inside in the first place?
To do this, they must know how to access your network, which is usually password protected. They can do this easily if the network name is visible on Wi-Fi scanners and you didn't change the default password on your network router. If you did change it, they might try what's called a "brute force attack," in which they use automated software to try as many different letter and number combinations as possible.
Another common trick is the well-known tech support scam, in which users are told by phone, email, or text that their device has a virus and that they need to give remote access to their computer to a supposed specialist. These crooks, often based on the Indian sub-continent, usually pose as technicians from the likes of Microsoft, Apple, or big computer makers like Dell.
Alternatively, hackers might sneak on board by:
- Tricking you into downloading malware via pirated or out-of-date software.
- Through text and email links and attachments.
- Hiding code on infected websites you visit.
- Plugging into an infected USB device.
- Connecting to a malicious mobile charging station.
- Getting ahold of your computer or mobile device for a minute while you're distracted.
- Lending it to someone you don't know or shouldn't trust.
- Your keystrokes being recorded on a hidden camera.
If you use an unprotected public network, such as in a restaurant or airport, hackers can gain access to your device in seconds. You can even get hacked when a crook intercepts a communication between two devices - known as a "man in the middle" attack.
All these tactics, and many more, are made easier through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cheap, off-the-shelf hacking software. In other words, it's easy for those who know what they're doing.
So, have you been hacked?
With all these risks, you might be wondering if you've already been hacked. You may not find out until you learn about a data breach that affects you or until you're locked out of one of your accounts or devices. Worse still, you could discover too late that someone is using your stolen ID to spend your money, open loan accounts, or get medical treatment on your dime.
But with a well-thought-out security strategy you can head off most of the dangers we've listed.
Next week we'll explain how to tell if you've been hacked, how to escape, and how to protect yourself from future attacks. In the meantime, we urge you to share this report with friends and family. As the saying goes, "forewarned is forearmed"!
This Week's Alert
Crypto swindle: Did you get an invoice for buying cybercurrency that you know for sure you didn't? Don't hit the panic button. It's a scam. A member of the Scambusters team recently got a bill for supposedly buying $500 worth of Bitcoin. He was one of hundreds targeted by the same email.
The message claimed he would be charged via "autopay," adding "If you did not authorized this recent transaction, please contact our support for cancel and get refund." The poor English usage is a giveaway for a scam. But anyone who called the 1-888 number in the message would be asked to provide their cryptocurrency account details, which would be promptly drained of its entire contents.
That's all for today -- we'll see you next week.