It’s the age of self-driven cars and smart homes. Tech sure makes our lives comfortable, but may also make us vulnerable to online crimes. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, 294 million people had their data compromised in 2021.
Cybersecurity was designed to protect us from these ever-increasing cybercrimes. It shields you from unauthorized access and other cyberattacks. Here are some of the reasons that make cybersecurity important.
1. Cyberattacks
Hackers mainly use a few basic attacks; the one most commonly used is malware. Malware is malicious software that encrypts all your data once it gets installed on your device. It blocks you out of your own device, takes over control, transmits data, and disrupts the components of your system rendering it inoperable.
The trojan malware attacks are popular among hackers. Scammers could also install spyware into your device to monitor your activities and steal information. Ransomware is another type of malware where you are asked to pay a ransom.
Other cyberattacks include:
- Man in the middle
- SQL injection
- Denial service
- Zero-day exploit attack
Every attack is a different way to steal all your personal and financial data, take control over your device and destruct the system.
2. Identity Theft
After securing your information by fraudulent means, scammers steal your identity to apply for credit, loans, file taxes, get medical services, make unauthorized transactions, or trick people into transferring money into their account.
These frauds damage the victim’s credit status severely and they are left behind with massive debt. There are multiple ways a cybercriminal can steal your identity.
They include:
- Financial
- Medical
- Tax
- Insurance
- Social Security
- Child identity
- Criminal
- Synthetic
To protect yourself against identity theft, it’s imperative you invest in a protection plan from a company like LifeLock. You might have asked, “is LifeLock worth the money,” since all the benefits, like round-the-clock monitoring, might seem expensive.
The answer is yes. LifeLock has partnered with Norton to bring you overall device protection with strong encryption, passwords, and anti-malware, the ability to use VPN, and to schedule alerts on suspicious activity with all your bank, credit card, and investment accounts.
3. Data Storage Security
It is extremely easy for hackers to access data stored on devices or on the cloud if the system isn’t protected.
Most data storage on devices has poor management and encryption, so hackers easily find an entry point into the system. This can be avoided by implementing strong encryption and multi-factor authentication.
4. Internet of Things Security
Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of objects (smart devices) that are embedded with sensors or software for the purpose of exchanging data via Wi-Fi. These networks are easy to penetrate.
Hackers gain access to the internet and can obtain sensitive information and bank credentials saved on connected devices.
One such example of IoT is a smart home where all the smart appliances — TVs, voice assistants, refrigerators, security locks — are connected to the home Wi-Fi.
5. Increase in Cybercrimes
Recent technological developments like faster internet, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning innovations and cloud computing have led to an increase in online activity and transactions giving cybercriminals multiple opportunities to commit fraud.
Along with major tech improvements and the advancement of the dark web, crimes will accelerate. Online criminals have started using AI and other technology to morph images, videos, audio and use human behavior mimicking techniques to scam and frame people for crimes they have not committed.
Another way to protect yourself is to never trust an unauthorized source, never share sensitive information online unless necessary, and freeze your accounts right away if you see signs of fraud. This will make sure the criminal won’t be able to take out any loans in your name.
Gain Peace of Mind With These Cybersecurity Tips
It seems like cybercriminals will only get sneakier with time. All of the above reasons prove an urgency for cybersecurity.
But as the criminals advance so will cybersecurity. There isn’t a better time than now to invest in cyber security and safeguard your family and yourself.
