Hackers are everywhere. You’ll never really know when they’ll strike. When they do, they will take away vital data from your computer.
No one wants to get hacked. Unfortunately, it happens. Hackers are heartless people. That’s why it’s important to understand what they do and how they do it.
A recent public forum explained what hacking is all about.
What is hacking and how can it be avoided?
These two questions were among many addressed on Tuesday at a public forum titled “You Have Been Hacked!” featuring Charles J. Lesko Jr., director of graduate studies in the ECU College of Engineering and Technology.
“Hacking” refers to the act of someone gaining unauthorized access into a computer or network, Lesko said.
“Anything that’s got digital capability nowadays has the ability for someone to — in some way, shape or form — alter,” he said. “That’s the age that we’re living in now.”
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
Why do hackers do what they do? Here’s what Lesko has to say about that:
There are many nefarious reasons for hacking, but the primary one is to get your money, Lasko said.
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
Lesko also offers some safety tips to keep the hackers away.
Never respond to a request from any organization or a business that sends an email asking you for your user ID and password, Lesko said.
“That’s an immediate delete,” he said. “Unless you trust (something) explicitly, don’t (click on it).”
Know the difference between “http” and “https,” letters that appear in the address of a website, Lesko said. The “s” indicates that the website connection is secure.
Regarding passwords, it is best to have ones that are complex and secure, Lesko said. People tend to use simple passwords, even as simple as “password” and “pa$$word,” because they are easy to remember. But they are also easy for hackers to break into.
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
The key is, never trust emails that ask you to share or update your personal information on the attached link. To start with, organizations or businesses, like banks, will never ask you to update personal information online.
So, if you get an email that seems to look like it’s from your bank, verify it first. Do not trust it and do exactly what Lesko says. Delete it.
Knowing the difference between “http’ and “https” is critical especially if you do a lot of research online. It’s really just a matter of looking out for the letter “s” when you choose a website.
When it comes to password management, Lesko adds;
Lesko recommended using a “password manager” tool that allows computer users to have a range of secure and complex passwords without their having to remember a thing. He also recommended installing antivirus programs, not only on computers but on mobile phones which are also susceptible to hacking.
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
According to Lesko, using a virtual private network or VPN can also keep the hackers away.
Another way to keep data safe is to use the services of a virtual private network (VPN), Lesko said.
“(It’s) a way to secure your online activity by routing your traffic through their servers,” he said.
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
Lesko also adds that sensitive information should never be stored in a computer.
People should not keep their financial and other personal information, such as bank accounts, utility accounts, credit cards, taxes, loans, leases, insurance, securities and medical accounts, on their computers, Lesko said.
“(That’s) like leaving all your precious belongings on your front lawn,” he said.
Lesko recommended that people periodically copy personal data onto a terabyte external hard drive and store it in a safety deposit box at the bank.
(Via: http://www.reflector.com/News/2019/04/10/You-ve-Been-Hacked.html)
Obviously, external hard drives store the kind of information any hacker would love to get hold of. That’s the reason why you should always take care of your external drives. If any of your hard drives fail, you would really have to rely on experts whom you can trust. These experts shouldn’t just get your data back but they should protect them as well.
The bottom line is that experts should be able to provide https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/hard-drive-failure-solutions/ and at the same time, protect your data so that hackers can’t access them.