Security Confidential S6 E0 Why Do People Get Hacked?

Dark Rhiino Security: We see it and hear it all the time and on all platforms: “We’ve been hacked. We’re doomed.” Well, most people don’t have that reaction. You see, being hacked is an easy fix—just a password reset if you’re quick to catch it. But how did we get here in the first place? There are two types of behaviors to blame: human behavior and software behavior.

Starting off with human behavior, the top three most common reasons humans get hacked. Number one: scam emails. We’ve all questioned them at one point. Sorry, but you won’t be getting that Target gift card by clicking on that link. Those links that hackers send out are meant to trick us into clicking and getting our devices hacked immediately. If you’re ever in doubt, check the company’s website. Most companies will post that they do not contact people by email.

Second, passwords are too easy. One of the biggest reasons people get hacked is because their passwords are easy to guess. In fact, Donald Trump was hacked by a Dutch hacker in 2020 after the hacker guessed “maga2020” as his Twitter password. A lot of people use the names of pets or family members as passwords. The information we share online—especially birthdays, pet names, and family details—can easily be used against us by attackers.

Lastly, public places. We’ve all been to a library or coffee shop at some point. Maybe after a long day you forgot to log out of a public computer and your account was compromised. Another major issue is public Wi-Fi, which is a hacker’s favorite place to be. We rely on our phones for almost everything, and public Wi-Fi networks can expose your data and conversations if attackers gain access to the network.

Moving on to software behavior, starting with apps. Downloading apps that look sketchy can become a major problem, especially with games. Maybe you downloaded an interesting-looking game, but it wasn’t what it advertised. Instead of deleting it, you kept it installed. The developers of that app could now potentially have access to your phone and the information you put into it. Another issue is unwanted software installations. You may think you installed an antivirus program, but it could actually be malware installing additional software on your computer without your knowledge.

Lastly, and probably the most important issue: operating system updates. Hackers can exploit devices that haven’t installed the latest updates. In September 2021, Apple issued emergency software updates after researchers uncovered a critical flaw that allowed spyware from Israel’s NSO Group to infect iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Mac computers without any user interaction. This spyware allowed governments, mercenaries, and criminals to secretly access someone’s device without the victim even knowing. How scary is that?

We’ve talked about human and software behavior when it comes to getting hacked. Now, how can you prevent yourself from getting hacked? First, enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication. This sends a text or email to verify account activity before changes can be made. Second, make your passwords stronger. Avoid using pets’, friends’, or family members’ names. You can also use a password manager to securely store passwords. Third, install antivirus software like AVG, McAfee, or Norton. Fourth, delete unused apps and read the fine print before downloading third-party applications. Fifth, always update your systems whenever a new update is released.

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