Cyber crime illustrated. [Photo/Courtesy]
Cyber-crime is the act of using computers and networks to carry out criminal activities. Due to the rising number of individuals having access to the net, the rapid growth of technology, and the globalization of the world, more of the world populace is becoming prone to involvement in a crime.
A hacker who has cracked your main email password has the keys to your [virtual] territory.
Passwords from the other sites you visit will be reset via your main email account. A criminal can rummage through your emails and realize a treasure trove of personal data: from banking to passport details, including your date of birth.
A separate account for your bank and other monetary accounts, another for shopping and one for social networks is a smart plan. If one account is hacked, you won't realize anything is compromised.
Cyber security embroils protection of sensitive personal and business information through avoidance, detection, and reaction to different online attacks. Below are some security tips that prevent the attacks.
Ignore pop-ups
Pop-ups will contain a malicious package that can trick a user into confirming one thing. "[But if and when you do], a download can be performed within the background, which can install malware. This is called a drive-by download. Always ignore pop-ups giving things like website surveys on e-commerce sites, as they are generally wherever the mail code is.
Privacy policy
Always check the privacy policy setting of every website before submitting your name, address or e-mail.
Disable remote connectivity
Some computers and phones are equipped with wireless technologies such as Bluetooth which can be used to connect to others devices or computers. You should disable these features when they are not in use.
Two-step verification
If your email or cloud service offers it - Gmail, Dropbox, Apple, and Facebook do - take the concern to set this up. In addition to entering your password, you are also requested to enter a verification code sent via SMS or a call to your phone. So a hacker would possibly crack your countersign, however, cannot be able to access your account. Keying in a password or code several times daily may appear sort of a problem, but it is your first line of defense.
Only shop online on secure sites
Before entering your card details, always confirm that the protected padlock or unbroken key sign is showing in your browser. Additionally, the beginning of the online retailer's net address will change from "http" to "https" to show the link is secure. Be careful of sites that change back to http once you've logged on.
Didn't expect, don't click
The golden rule: Hackers infect PCs with malware by enticing users to click on a link or open an attachment. Social media has helped criminals profile individuals. They can see what you're interested in or what you [post] about and send you crafted messages, inviting you to click on something. Don't.
Different site, different passwords
Having a common password for all on-line accounts is like having the similar key for all locks. The only distinction being that it is easier to get hold of the web key. Also never reuse your main email password on accounts over a dozen sites. So either try and use unique passwords or start doing some really heavy memory-enhancement exercise.
Maintain backup
A criminal could crash a computer's operating system or information may be corrupted or erased by a hardware problem. You should back up your private or crucial work data on a regular basis. This means copying your documents over to a safe system that you can access when those files are required.
Don't store your card details on websites
Beware once asked if you wish to store your master card details for future use. Mass data security breaches (where credit card details are stolen) aren't common, but why take the risk? The extra ninety seconds it takes to key in your details on very occasion could be a little value to pay.
All these will defend us from; critical attacks, hacks, and viruses, helps us to browse the web site comfortably, and process all the incoming and outcoming data on your computer.
Cyber-crime is indeed getting the recognition it deserves.However, it is not going to be restricted that easily. In fact, there is a high possibility that the cybercrime and its hackers will continue evolving and advancing to stay at par with the law. So, to make us safer we must need cyber security.