Don't Be a Victim: How to Protect Yourself Online

Hey Steemian’s! 

Today I’ll be sharing some popular ways hackers can harm you and how to make yourselves less vulnerable. Some of this may be old news to a lot of you, but I’ll be the first to say that I was oblivious to most of this information before I got into computer science.  

Hacking Techniques:

Sidejacking: I feel like news outlets are just now starting to inform the public on how dangerous free Wi-Fi networks can be. We all love seeing the words “free” in front of anything, especially if it concerns the internet. While free Wi-Fi can be great, it leaves you pretty vulnerable against malicious attackers looking to steal your information. Sidejacking is when someone gets ahold of your unencrypted cookies using a packet sniffer. This can allow someone to obtain your log in information from any site you’re using on the network.  

Phishing: We’ve all most likely seen and received a phishing email before. This is when hackers send emails that are meant to trick you into revealing log-in information to them. It used to be pretty easy to detect these attacks, but these people have refined their techniques. They have been able to successfully duplicated official emails that look as though your own school or company has sent it to you. Double check every email you receive, and most emails you are getting shouldn’t be asking you for your sensitive information anyway.

  Peeping: Be fearful of lingerers. When in a public space, never log into anything. You don’t know who is looking over your shoulder. Not all hacking techniques are high tech, they can be as simple as just digging in your trash or listening in on your conversations. Make sure to have your fingers covering your credit card numbers and sit with a wall behind you when logging into anything on a computer or phone. 

 Good ‘Ol Trojan Horse: Never download anti-virus software from the internet! Always do your research, find a credible anti-virus software, and read reviews. I’m not sure if people even still get those anti-virus pop ups on their computers like I used to in the early 2000s, but I feel like we should all know by now those are a scam. Alert your parents and grandparents, because I know for sure mine would click on those. Also, just never click on a .exe file from the internet….  

Prevention: 

Alright so the first thing I have to say is if you have a hotspot, use your hotspot! Make sure it’s password protected and avoid free Wi-Fi. If you really have to use a free network, make sure you are not logging into any important sites. Encryption, encryption, encryption! Encrypt your sensitive information. Use PGP, TrueCrypt, FileVault, do your research and find which way is best for you. Whether it be encrypting a few files or your whole drive, just make sure you’re protecting yourself. The biggest thing is just to be cautious. Many people are unaware of the dangers of the internet because nothing bad has happened to them yet. Take preventative measures now, and you’ll save yourself so much grief in the future. Read everything carefully, don’t click on unknown links, and be careful about who’s watching you in public.  

Thanks for reading! If you have anything to add or any critiques please leave them below, all are welcome.  

~Xainba 

 Useful Links:

http://lifehacker.com/a-beginners-guide-to-encryption-what-it-is-and-how-to-1508196946 https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000507.htm