The internet is a powerful tool that has helped people across the world achieve their dreams and connect in ways they never thought possible. Through the internet, people can make friends across oceans and communities can rise out of nothing. Yet, the internet can be dangerous, too.

Hackers are inventing new cyber security risks every day and it’s up to a dwindling number of experts to protect average users. By crafting malicious code, building complex networks, or simply lying about who they are — hackers can steal people’s information. With that information, they can do untold amounts of damage.

They may steal a person’s identity and use their financial information to go on an all-expense-paid shopping spree. They can pretend to be someone else on social media, smearing their reputation and alienating them from their friends. Without cybersecurity experts to protect users, the internet would be a terrifying weapon for people who want to do harm.

These experts can’t be everywhere at once, though! You need to put in your share and try to protect yourself from an ever-growing number of cybersecurity risks. And to learn how to do that, keep reading below!

Cyber Security Risks Don’t Need to Built With Complex Code

When people imagine what a hacker’s life is like, they usually imagine hundreds of computer screens with lines of code spewing from them. Average users tend to think that hackers are simply evil geniuses who take any opportunity they can to steal more and information. Yet, that couldn’t be farther from the case.

Most of the time, hackers are average people who may be slightly more technologically fluent than their neighbors. They may understand a little bit of code, or even the basics of networking! But they usually aren’t the geniuses that media makes them up to be.

Cybersecurity firms like Gray Tier Technologies understand this; hackers simply have access to dangerous hacking tools and the will to use them. When trying to stop hackers, you’re not up against supervillains using the internet for evil. You’re up against average people who want to steal something form you.

Sometimes, All it Takes is a Good Liar to Break Into an Account

Several hacking techniques come to the oldest and greatest kind of deception: lying. Most of the time, hackers get access to accounts and steal information simply by lying who they are. It’s the methods that they use to convince users to believe that can get complicated.

Hackers may pretend to be representatives from trusted companies like Google or Facebook to trick people into handing over passwords. They may spoof an email saying that you need to reset your password. They may even recreate an official website that looks exactly like Google or Facebook.

Yet, as long as you take steps to make sure things are copacetic and approach the internet with a healthy amount of doubt, you will be safe.

Phishing: Try Not to Get Reeled in By Hackers

The most common type of hacking attempt is also the most effective — phishing. The goal of a phishing attack is to get someone to hand over their personal information, such as passwords or even social security numbers. Hackers get people to do this by lying about who the victim is dealing with.

Hackers may give themselves an air of authority by spoofing email addresses from official sources, or by calling a person directly. They may pretend to be company representatives or even government officials. They may even create websites that look and feel official when in reality they’re designed to steal your information.

The best way to protect yourself from these kinds of attacks is to simply be careful of who you give information to. Don’t give someone your password just because they ask for, and if something feels off with a website, verify that it’s the right one!

Phishing Attacks Are Getting More and More Complex

Phishing attacks have led to high-profile controversies over the last few years. A phishing attack gave hackers access to sensitive political databases and allowed them to manipulate a national election. Banks have lost millions due to phishing attacks, and companies have accidentally leaked user data due to these attacks.

If you suspect that you may have fallen victim to a phishing attack, there’s no time to waste! Make sure to change all of your passwords and to alert your financial institution. That way, they can keep an eye out for strange behavior from your accounts and possibly find the hacker.

Disinformation is Spreading and Manipulating How People Act

One of the newest kinds of cyber security threats doesn’t involve code at all. It involves social media and the way people perceive the world around them. Hackers have discovered that they can manipulate social media algorithms to make personal agendas to seem legitimate online, and trick people into believing them.

To do this, they may start posting a simple tweet on Twitter. Then, they may hire a botnet to pour likes and retweets into it at high speeds, making the tweet seem agreeable. Then, it may appear on people’s feeds as Twitter’s algorithm recognizes it as something people enjoy, prompting actual people to elevate it even higher.

For a single tweet, this may not cause so much damage. Yet, a sustained disinformation campaign can make almost anything seem legitimate and believable. And when people believe in the absurd, the world around them can seem increasingly dangerous, causing them to panic out of fear.

The goal of a disinformation campaign isn’t to steal anything except people’s hearts and minds. With those, hackers can control the entire digital landscape and achieve any personal agenda they may have.

Hackers Are Smart, But You Can be Smarter

There are several cyber security risks to stay aware of; gone are the days of simple viruses and trojan horses. Now, to be safe on the internet, you need to develop a sense for when something may seem askew and trust yourself enough to act on it. Hackers no longer rely on complex code to do harm — they rely on people’s innate gullibility.

Just try not to be gullible, and it doesn’t matter how many new cyber security risks emerge. You will be safe. And that means staying informed!

Keep reading our website to stay informed, and to take the first steps towards online safety!