The Types of Cybercrimes You Need To Know About

Cybercrime has become increasingly more diverse and pervasive. Every year, the potential target landscape grows, and hackers create new ways to attack unsuspecting users. As a result, everyone needs to learn about the kinds of cybercrimes out there and how to spot them.

The Most Common Social Engineering Platform Used by Hackers

Phishing is the most common cyberattack employed by hackers. Cybercriminals use various methods to trick users into giving them access to their personal information. Usually, hackers impersonate well-known, trusted websites or fake social media profiles to attract their prey. By mimicking the appearance of the “real” website, unsuspecting victims are more likely to trust the fake one’s security. Often, a special offer will lure the user into filling out forms or updating personal information. On the low end, the successful cybercriminals gain the user’s name and address. At their worst, phishing websites can have malware scripts that grab personal info, including banking information, without the user filling out anything.

Small businesses’ cyberattacks are generally made by hackers pretending to be the businesses’ vendors. Unfortunately, some of them are so difficult to spot that even someone who is tech-savvy might miss the signs of a scam. Here are some simple ways to protect against phishing attacks:

• Check Domain Names and Social Networking Profiles – Hackers might change one letter of the trusted domain’s URL to fool potential targets. For example, not everyone would see the “q” has replaced the second “g” in “gooqle.com.”
• Secure Websites Have a Padlock at the Beginning of Their URLs – Expand your awareness of things added to or missing from a URL.
• Do Not Open Attachments From Unknown Senders – When in doubt, delete email attachments. One wrong click could open the door to cybercrime.

The best advice to guard against phishing is to pay close attention and always think before you click.

Internet Fraud is another form of cyberattack. Almost everyone has heard of the “Nigerian Scam.” This type of scam is generally a request for money or banking information, pre-dates emails and was originally executed via phone calls and faxes. But the advent of the Internet allowed for massive, widespread distribution with just a couple of clicks. If a stranger contacts you about a financial scheme, you can be confident they are attempting to scam you. Delete the communication without reply.

Intellectual Property Theft, another common cybercrime, comes in many forms. For example, the hacker might pirate content (data, music and other media), create and sell counterfeit goods or infringe upon a registered patent. This type of scam is not readily visible and can take a long time to discover.

Identity Theft is one of the most dangerous cyberattacks. There are two main types of Identity Theft: Impersonation and Monetary Fraud. Impersonation usually involves the user’s basic contact information, such as name and address. Monetary fraud occurs when the hacker has gained access to passwords, banking and credit card information. The best way to avoid identity theft is to avoid sharing private data and personal information as much as possible.

Cyberstalking and Online Cyber Bullying are on the rise. These cyberattacks are launched through social media posts, comments, direct messages and emails. The statements contained therein are usually threatening or damaging to the target’s reputation. The attacks can be directed at businesses and individuals and then distributed publicly or directed at friends and colleagues, who get drawn into the fray. The attacker generally will try to slander a victim to ruin their reputation or blackmail them for money or some other asset. Also, political activists sometimes use cyberstalking to attack their enemies and advance their agendas. Unfortunately, some cyberstalkers and bullies just do it for fun.

Ransomware is increasingly popular with cybercriminals. It is a type of malware that encrypts a victim's files, making it impossible to access them. The hacker then demands a ransom. Generally, when the ransom payment has been transmitted to the attackers, they will provide a decryption key to allow the victims to restore access to their data.

Malware protection is not a simple matter. As our use of online technology now encompasses so many areas of our personal and business lives, cybercriminals stay in step and continue to find new ways to attack your private or business data. Unfortunately, smaller businesses have neither the time nor the budget for a full-time IT department. However, it is essential to employ IT experts to assess your cyber vulnerability and help you design the best layers of protection for your hard-earned data.

DIGIGUARD Cyber Security Knows How to Protect You From Small Businesses’ Cyberattacks

DIGIGUARD, specializing in preventing cyber threats, has a wide array of solutions to protect against cybercrimes and ensure you have the best possible protection. It works with small and midsized businesses to establish cyber security best practices to ensure your confidential data is secure and all your devices have the specific protections they require, especially those used for remote-access work. For any business, cyberattacks can have devastating consequences. DIGIGUARD can assess your cyber risks and work with you to design the best protection solutions for your business.

Call DIGIGUARD CYBER SECURITY at 833-33-CYBER (833-332-9237) and visit www.DIGIGUARDsecurity.com to discuss how you can increase your company’s level of cyber security and avoid a deadly cyberattack.