Internet, as we see it today a savior to many; it saves you from failing your exams, helps you do your research and connect your loved ones if going abroad. But is it a savior to all of us? No, not. With all the blessing it bestows upon us comes with dark secrets which we all fail to see. The Internet has killed our right to privacy and personal space. Internet privacy includes the freedom or personal privacy of a person’s provision, repurposing and storing information of oneself on the internet.
Privacy can be dissected into two categories naming; Personally Identifying Information (PII) or non-PII information. PII includes all that information that’s used to identify an individual. But do we know indirectly both of these are being violated on a daily basis under our nose?
What You Don’t Know About the Internet
Privacy is a commodity which is lost in today’s fast-evolving cyber world where every other person shared every detail of their lives. Tagging, sharing and updating photos, traveling details, phone numbers on places like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, killing the right to privacy. What most of us don’t know that this so-called interconnected world has become a trapped where our data can be misused easily.
The misuse of data and computers comes in many forms being a threat to the user.
Let’s Discuss them.
- Malware:
A severe application utilized to illegally damage and corrupt networks online and offline users through Trojans, viruses, and spyware. One of the most vulnerable malware these days is “pipechannels.com.” It creates pop-ups on the computer leading to unwanted websites which are corrupted by nature.
- Pharming:
In Pharming the end user is somehow directed from a legitimate website to a site which is filled with viruses ready to inject in your system as soon as you open the page through different IP Addresses. Its where a hacker injects a malicious code on your computer to route you towards a fake website.
- Phishing:
We all know our accounts could be hacked if robust Firewall has been compromised. Phishing tends to be a hacking dilemma used to steal data from user accounts. It could be personal details, pin numbers, bank passwords, etc.
- Spyware:
Just as the malware works, Spyware comes as an offline application that acquires data without a user’s consent. When the user is online, whether or not using the computer, the previously accessed data is sent to the Spyware through where it penetrates it.
How Your Data Can Be Used for Illegal Activities
What gets online has the potential to pose a threat to those who own the data. The way your data could be used for illegal activities is immense and needs some consideration. In 1999, many hackers were found working for the Russian intelligence were said to have broken into the system of the securest place on earth, “Pentagon.” Head of Counterterrorism efforts of the US National Security Council Richard Clarke urged nations to develop Cyber warfare potentials.
Moreover, in 1995, 12 citizens were killed in the Tokyo Subway due to the Sarin Gas Attack is known as the “Aum Shinrikyo Cult,” is supposed to be a 40 member organization running five software who are linked with the defense department, education, and telecommunications of the Japanese Government. The authorities dread the cult members may have installed backdoor protocols, bugs, and viruses.
Among the most mainstream types of fraud on the internet is designed to manipulate users different sites (banks and Buildings) into disclosing their credentials or other confidential information needed to access their accounts. The usual means of doing this is to send emails to customers requesting to check or confirm their password by clicking on a fake, almost real looking website and inputting credentials on it. Then the money could be easily switched from that account to someone else’s and be used to multiple illegal activities.
Among the lot, ‘Packet Reading’ is also being focused by the experienced pro hackers, which involves them to locate patterns of data of credit card digits and later penetrates them to copy the numbers. Online Pirates live on the opportunity to see a weak link and comprehend it. As people are moving more towards being on the digital media, hackers have gotten active regarding looking for preys to hack their accounts and use the information against them. This study is further explained by the team at ReviewsDir where they have covered every detail related to cybersecurity and Internet privacy.
Your personal computers may seem to be portable and handy as you can carry them anywhere you like making your business trips worthwhile. Many don’t know that the webcam in the laptop or tablet could be used by anyone by bypassing the encryption. Connection to a public Wi-Fi or a secure Wi-Fi, lead to your webcam being accessed and recording everything that the camera hole sees through. Imagine what would happen if some emailed you changing your clothes or leaking a secret conversation with someone against you. All that through the camera lens. In the modern technology world, it is important that we know about the risks and threats of the digital world. Using of privacy protection tools have become an absolute necessity to prevent any such risks. You will find various tools that can help you with it, among the recommended options are VPN and Antivirus softwares. However, it is important for you to look for authentic tech and product reviews online before you start using any software.
Conclusion
Internet instead of being ease, shelters unlimited hackers and cyber criminals which are working very hard to find new ways to make your life a living hell. People don’t realize that a single mistake or website opened while being online could lead to endless possibilities of how you’ll regret being online. We live in a bubble where we suppose hacking and online scams are a myth and if we are not doing anything wrong, there is nothing to worry.
It’s unimaginable how a single petty issue of your life could be mold and twisted just to make your life a living hell. For that reason, our blog will be a resource for you to understand what could go wrong on the internet.
