Get Smarter

We tend to think of hackers as loners but the reality is that cybercrime has become a sophisticated and collaborative ecosystem. Hackers have a range of motives, from financial gain to political objectives. Knowing what they’re looking for can help you anticipate attacks and put systems in place to safeguard your small business.

Some hackers use their skills to do good. They find security vulnerabilities and report them to ensure that they can be fixed. These are known as white hat hackers, and they’re usually paid by the companies they work for to perform penetration tests. Other hackers have more grave motives, for instance, the theft of personal information for identity theft, or using viruses to create unauthorised charges or to cause denial of service attacks (which shut down devices).

A strong password is the first defense against hacking. Adding two-factor authentication to sites such as social media and banking can further increase your protection. Encrypting your hard drive is a different way to stop hackers from gaining access your private information even if you manage to hack into your device. Update your operating system, browsers and secure deal-making important applications regularly. Most devices will automatically update to fix vulnerabilities in software that could permit hackers to access and steal information.

We live in a time where we’re always connected to our smartphones, computers and tablets. Hackers are looking for information that you give out online. It’s tempting to loose your guard and share too much. Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi and logging into personal accounts. Also make sure you don’t keep your accounts open all the time.