When you think about it, hackers are a lot like con artists. They use subtle techniques and confidence games to fool their mark into sharing more than they wanted to. Fortunately, cyber coverage from CyberPolicy protects you against the financial damages brought on by these cyber crooks.
Below are a few of the common scams cybercriminals love to employ and what you can do to stymie their efforts.
Hook, Line & Sinker
Phishing emails are just about the oldest trick in the book. Basically, a scammer sends out a bunch of bogus emails with \"URGENT\" subject lines in hopes of coaxing web users into opening malware-infected attachments or website redirect links to store password information which is then used to hack your accounts.
But just because it's old doesn't mean it's ineffective. CIO Dive reports that phishing emails pretending to be office communication are very effective, with an average click-through rate of 22 percent!
Spear phishing attacks are a little more sophisticated. Instead of 'spray-n-pray' spamming, spear phishing specifically targets a single user (such as a CEO) in hopes of stealing classified data. To thwart these attacks, you should avoid fishy emails, attachments, downloads and links whenever possible. Double check the authenticity of the request with the person or organization reaching out to you.
Digital Con Artists
It should go without saying: Hackers are crafty. One way cyber crooks get their hands on your personal or financial information is through social engineering scams in which a hacker poses as someone else in hopes of earning and exploiting your trust.
Social spoofing can come in many forms. Perhaps it's an email from a coworker, a phone call from the IRS or a social media message from an old friend. The scammer asks you to confirm some basic personal information to get you comfortable before pumping you for financial and personal information or private business data. In a matter of minutes, the hacker can have access to everything you own; the damage can last for years.
Want to stay safe? Never share your password, Social Security number or financial information with anyone.
Falling for Phony Wi-Fi
Everybody loves free Wi-Fi. It's convenient, easy and available in all your favorite coffee shops. But is it private? Hardly!
While more than 60 percent of U.S. consumers think public internet is safe, the truth of the matter is that hackers can easily spy on employee devices on these open networks. Some insidious cyber eavesdroppers will even create their own phony Wi-Fi networks to snare unsuspecting users and pilfer their data in transit.
To prevent this, remote employees should employ a virtual private network or VPN when working from public Wi-Fi.
A Better Way
Now that you know a few of the most common cons, you can avoid cyber catastrophe. However, some especially merciless hackers will stop at nothing until your network is breached. In these cases, it is best to invest in a cyber coverage insurance policy.
Interested in learning all that CyberPolicy has to offer? Visit our site for more information!
