All you need to know about hacking
Hacking refers to activities that attempt to break into digital systems such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and even entire networks. And while hacking is not always done for malicious purposes, most references to hacking and hackers today describe it/them as unlawful cybercriminal activity—motivated by financial gain, protest, information gathering (spying), or even just "fun."
Many people believe that the word "hacker" refers to a self-taught "crazy kid" or a rogue programmer skilled at modifying computer hardware or software so that it can be used in ways beyond the original creators' intentions. But this is a rather narrow scope that does not cover the full range of reasons for hacking. (For detailed information on hackers, read Wendy Zamora's article, " Under the hoodie: why money, power, and ego drive hackers to cybercrime .")
Hacking is usually technical in nature (e.g. creating malware that injects malicious code without requiring user interaction). But hackers can also use psychological tricks to trick you into clicking on a malicious attachment or providing personal information. This tactic is called " social engineering ".
“Hacking has evolved from youthful mischief into a billion-dollar business.”
This is the proper term for hacking as an overarching umbrella term for the activity associated with most, if not all, harmful and malicious cyberattacks in the information society, businesses and governments. In addition to social engineering and malicious advertising, common hacking techniques include:
Hacking itself has evolved from a youthful mischief into a billion-dollar business. Its supporters have created a criminal infrastructure that develops and sells hacking tools for would-be fraudsters with less advanced technical skills (these tools are known as "script kiddies"). An example is ransomware-as-a-service .
In another example, Windows users are reportedly the target of widespread cybercriminal activity, offering remote access to IT systems for as little as $10 through a hacker store available in the so-called the dark web - potentially allowing attackers to steal information, disrupt systems, deploy ransomware, and more. The programs advertised on the forum range from Windows XP to Windows 10. Store owners even offer tips on how people using illegal logins can remain undetected.
History of hacking/hackers
In its current usage, the term dates back to the 1970s. In 1980, an article published in Psychology Today used the term "hacker" in the title: "The Hacker Papers." The article discussed the addictive nature of computer use.
In the 1982 American science fiction film Tron , the hero describes his intentions to break into the company's computer system. The plot of the film released the following year, WarGames , centered on a teenager's hacking into the systems of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). This is a fiction that introduced the specter of hacking as a threat to national security.
“A gang of teenage hackers broke into computer systems in the United States and Canada.”
It turned out that the film was prophetic, because that same year a gang of teenage hackers broke into computer systems in the United States and Canada, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Security Pacific Bank. Shortly thereafter, a Newsweek cover story featuring one of the young hackers first used the term "hacker" in a pejorative sense.
Subsequently, Congress passed a bill that enacted a number of rules regarding computer crimes. Then, throughout the rest of the 1980s, numerous hacker groups and publications sprang up in America and abroad, attracting hacking enthusiasts looking for a variety of missions - both good and bad. There have been spectacular attacks and hacks on government and corporate computers, more anti-hacking laws, and many notable arrests and convictions. Throughout time, popular culture has kept hackers and hacking in the public consciousness through films, books, and magazines devoted to this type of activity.
For a history of hackers, including terrorists and state-sponsored hackers, see here .
Types of hacking/hackers
In general, we can say that hackers try to break into computers and networks for one of four reasons:
Gaining financial gain, which means stealing credit card numbers or defrauding banking systems.
Gaining recognition and reputation in the hacker subculture. This motivates some to leave their mark on the websites they hack.
Corporate espionage , when hackers of one company attempt to steal information about a competitor's products and services to gain a market advantage.
Finally, a situation where entire nations engage in state-sponsored hacking for the purpose of economic theft and/or intelligence activities, destabilizing the infrastructure of their adversaries, or even to sow discord and confusion in the target country. (The consensus is that China and Russia have carried out such attacks, including one on Forbes.com .) Additionally, recent attacks on the Democratic National Committee [DNC] have gained media coverage - especially after Microsoft revealed that hackers accused of hacking the Democratic National Committee exploited previously undetected bugs in the Windows operating system and Adobe Flash software. There are also cases of hacking on behalf of the United States government).
In addition, we have one more category of cybercriminals: In addition, we have one more category of cybercriminals - hackers who act for political or social reasons. These activist hackers, or "hacktivists," seek to focus public attention on an issue by drawing unwavering attention to the target—usually by making sensitive information public. Notable hacktivist groups and some of their more famous ventures can be found at: Anonymous , WikiLeaks , and LulzSec .
“Today's cybersecurity frontier retains the feel of the old Wild West with white hats and black hats.”
There is also another way we view hackers. Do you remember classic westerns? Good Guys = White Hats Bad Guys = Black Hats Today's cybersecurity frontier retains the feel of the old Wild West, with white hats, black hats, and some category in between.
If a hacker is a person with in-depth knowledge of computer systems and software, using his knowledge to somehow subvert that technology, then the villain is doing it to steal goods or for other malicious reasons. Therefore, black hats are assigned one of these four motivations: theft, thieving reputation, corporate espionage and state hacking.
White hats, on the other hand, seek to improve the security of an organization's systems by detecting vulnerabilities so as to prevent identity theft or other cyber crimes before the black hats are noticed. Corporations even employ their own white hat hackers as part of their support staff, as described in a recent article online editions of the New York Times . Companies can even outsource white hat hacking to third-party hacking providers, such as HackerOne , which tests software for vulnerabilities and enabling bugs.
The third category is the gray hat crowd, hackers who use their skills to break into systems and networks without permission (just like black hats). But instead of wreaking havoc, they can report their findings to the software owner and offer to fix the vulnerability for a small fee.
Hacking Android phones
While most hackers associate themselves with Windows computers, the Android operating system is also a target for hackers.
A bit of history Early hackers, who obsessively researched methods of breaking into secure telecommunications networks (and stealing expensive telephone calls in their day), were originally called "phreaks" - a combination of the words "phone" and "freak". These were specific subcultures in the 1970s, and their activities were called phreaking .
Today, phreakers have emerged from the analog era to become hackers in a digital world of over two billion mobile devices. Cell phone hackers use a variety of methods to access phones and intercept voicemails, phone calls, text messages, and even the microphone and camera - all without the user's consent or even knowledge.
“Cybercriminals can view data stored on your phone, including identity and financial information.”
Compared to iPhones, Android phones are much more vulnerable to attack, and their open nature and inconsistencies in software development standards put them at greater risk of data corruption and theft. A lot of bad things can happen as a result of Android hacking .
Cybercriminals can view user data stored on your phone, including identity and financial information. Hackers can also track your location, force your phone to send text messages to premium websites, and even infect (via a built-in malicious link) the phones of your contacts who click the link, thinking it comes from you.
Of course, authorized law enforcement agencies can, with such a warrant, view copies of texts and e-mails on phones, transcribe private conversations or track the suspect's movements. However, black hat hackers can certainly cause damage by accessing your bank account credentials, deleting data, or introducing malicious programs.
Phone hackers use many computer hacking techniques that can be easily adapted to Android hacks. Phishing, a crime in which selected individuals or members of entire organizations are induced to reveal confidential information using social engineering. This is a proven and effective method used by criminals. In fact, because you see a much smaller address bar on a phone compared to a PC, phishing on a mobile web browser is easier because it's probably easier to spoof a seemingly trusted website without revealing the subtle signs of spoofing (such as intentional spelling mistakes) that can be spotted on a large computer screen. For example, you may receive a note from your bank asking you to log in to solve an urgent problem, click on a link provided, enter your credentials in a form - if you do this, you are the victim of a crime.
Trojan applications downloaded from unsecured sites are another threat to Android devices. The major Android app stores (Google and Amazon) keep a close eye on third-party apps, but embedded malware can sometimes sneak in from trusted sites, or more often, from dubious sites. This is how your phone ends up as a host device for adware , spyware , ransomware , or other nasty software.
“Bluehacking allows your phone to be hacked when it appears on an unsecured Bluetooth network.”
Other methods are even more sophisticated and do not involve manipulating the user into clicking a fraudulent link. Bluehacking allows your phone to be hacked when it appears on an unsecured Bluetooth network. It is even possible to mimic a trusted network or cell tower to redirect text messages or login sessions. And if you leave your unlocked phone unattended in a public space, instead of simply stealing it, a hacker can clone it by copying the SIM card, which is the equivalent of handing over the keys to a lock.
Hacking Mac devices
If you think that hacking is only a Windows problem, as users of Mac devices, be aware that they are not immune to attacks.
For example, in 2017, Mac users became victims of a phishing campaign , most of them in Europe. Attacked by a Trojan that was signed with a valid Apple certificate, they entered their credentials in response to a full-screen alert about downloading a necessary OS X update waiting to be installed. After a successful breach, the attackers gained full access to all of the victim's communications and the history of all websites they viewed, even if it was an HTTPS connection with a lock icon.
In addition to social engineering attacks on Mac users, a random hardware glitch can also make them vulnerable to attack, as was the case with the so-called Meltdown and Specter glitches, as the Guardian wrote about in early 2018 . Apple responded by developing safeguards against the flaw, but advised customers to only download software from trusted sources such as iOS and Mac App Stores to prevent hackers from exploiting processor vulnerabilities.
Users were then faced with the insidious Calisto , a strain of Proton Mac malware that ran in the environment for two years before being discovered in July 2018. It was hidden in a fake Mac cybersecurity installer to collect usernames and passwords.
So, from viruses to malware to security vulnerabilities, hackers have created an extensive set of tools to wreak havoc on Mac computers. The Malwarebytes Labs team documented the latest ones here .
Hacking protection
If your computer, tablet or phone is targeted by a hacker, surround your device with security rings .
First of all, download a reliable antivirus product (or phone app) that can both detect and neutralize malware and block connections to malicious phishing sites. Of course, whether you're using Windows, Android, Mac, iPhone, or a business network, we recommend layering protection with Malwarebytes for Windows , Malwarebytes for Android , Malwarebytes for Mac , Malwarebytes for iOS , and Malwarebytes for Business products .
“Please remember that no bank or online payment system will ever ask you for your login information, Social Security number or credit card number via email.”
Second, only download phone apps from legitimate sites that take care to keep malware-bearing apps out of circulation, such as Google Play and Amazon Appstore. (Please note that Apple's policy limits iPhone users to downloading files only from the App Store.) So whenever you want to download an app, check the ratings and reviews first. If it has a low rating and low number of downloads, it is best to steer clear of it.
Remember that no bank or online payment system will ever ask you for your login details, social security number or credit card number via email.
Whether you use a phone or a computer, make sure your operating system is constantly updated. And also keep your other software updated.
Avoid visiting unsafe websites and never download unverified attachments or click on links in unknown emails.
All the above rules are basic hygiene and good habits. But bad people will forever look for a new way into your system. If a hacker discovers one of your passwords that you use across multiple services, they have tools to help them break into your other accounts. So, make your passwords long and complicated, avoid using the same password for different accounts, and use a password manager to make password management easier. Because even one email account hack can cause a major disaster.
Comments
Post a Comment