Nowadays, online frauds are becoming more and more common. We are surrounded by so much technology, that sometimes it overwhelms us. Moreover, people are too busy, so catching fraud every time isn’t easy.
That’s where this guide will help you, to keep your personal data like passwords and card details, personal.
There are numerous ways that hackers can use to obtain these details. But one can be a few steps ahead of them, and stay safe.
1. Phishing
Probably the most common way of online fraud, phishing has fooled even the smartest of us. The method used here is to trick us into thinking that the phishing email or website is authentic, and directs us to login or enter our details.
The emails usually say that your card has an issue, raising our concern. The phishing websites look eerily similar to the real websites, making it extremely difficult to differentiate between the two.
Recently, a new form of malware- BlackRock has emerged, which can steal password and card details from almost 337 Android apps.
The malware places a fake window on top of an app and asks you to fill your login credentials. All this is done before entering the actual app and thus is very had to detect.
Major relief comes in the form of its absence on the Google Play Store. But, it is distributed as a fake Google update package on third-party websites. Hence, one should take precautions while downloading anything from these websites.
How to stay safe from phishing?
It is relatively easy to stay away from “being phished“. After all, phishing is just a game of chance.
Never enter your card details on any site except the trusted ones. To check if a site is authentic, look for https:// in the address bar, and a lock at the start of the link.
Also, check an email id twice before believing the information in it.
2. Brute Force Attacks
With technological developments, hacking now has new limits. A hacker can guess your password using software, which allows them to get to your password by the old school elimination method.
That’s right, they will keep going at it until they find the right combination of words.
How to Prevent Brute Force Attacks?
In the case of these attacks, experts suggest that the longer and more complex the password, the better.
Keep your password a combination of letters of a sentence that is personal to you. For example:
“I like classic restaurants of South Bombay,” so the password becomes- IliClreofSoBO. Keep changing the case, and add a few special characters.
Also, enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.
Also Read: How Cyberbullying+Backlash From Fans Can Force A Production Studio To Reshoot Its Favourite Character In A 90 Million Dollar Movie
The task here is to delay the hacking process as much as possible, forcing them to give up and move on to other targets.
If any of your accounts are no longer in use, remove them as soon as possible. They provide a gateway for easy hacking and have all the same access permissions as the main account.
3. Using Password Managers
While we already know the basics of password creation, not everyone will keep a different password for different accounts. (Note- Never ever write your passwords down.)
Password managers are beneficial for such people, but anyone can use them. You only have to remember one master password, the rest is taken care of by the password manager.
Extra Tip- Use a VPN while using public Wi-Fi.
For people who want physical proof of security, USB security keys are perfect.
USB security keys require you to plug in the USB before inserting your passwords, ensuring the desired level of security.
Cyber fraud is the new age robbery. It’s smart, it’s agile and it strikes you when you least expect it. The best you can do is be prepared and alert, all the time.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Avast, Kaspersky, The Balance
Find the Blogger: @ShreyashDhumal3
This post is tagged under: Android, blackrock, brute force attack, card details, cyber security, how to make strong passwords, online fraud, passwords, phishing, strong passwords, usb security keys, use password managers
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