The 21st century has been dubbed the Information Era. And for good reason. Information technology is the driving force behind our scientific and cultural development. Smartphones, better computers, smart TVs, androids, etc. All of these gadgets would not be possible without advancements in information technology.
However, often times, the numerous benefits of the Information Age pull a wool over our eyes to the dangers. For example, many are not aware of the spike in cybercrime in the past couple of years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime unit (FBI IC3) reports that there has been a 400% rise in cybercrime reports.
Understandably, as hacking is still relatively new to many people, many believe certain myths about hackers and other cybercriminals. In this article, we would like to go over a few of these myths and debunk them, in hopes of providing you a safer experience.
Hackers Just Want to Destroy Your PC
The first myth likely comes from pop culture’s depiction of hackers as just a bunch of misfits looking to have fun. Often, you will find hackers in film or TV, whose goal it is to “hack into the system and shut it down.”
Sadly, it is not that simple. Hackers are not interested in shutting down your system. Rather, they are after your information. Often, their goal is to use your IP address in order to send information under the radar. Sometimes, their goal is to ransom money from you, by holding your information hostage.
Certainly, some hackers are doing it just for the fun and thrill. However, the psychology of cybercriminals is often not that simple. People who do it just for a lark are very few and far between.
Big Businesses are the Only Target
Another myth that likely comes from pop culture. Most people watch films where the hackers are presented in a positive light, either as punks or activists. So, their target is usually the big businesses. However, according to statistics from 2022, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
In fact, 46% of all attacks target businesses with less than 1000 employees. On top of that, over 60% target small or medium businesses. So, don’t make the mistake of believing you, or your business, are immune from cyberattacks. In fact, you are a very likely target.
Wi-Fi Passwords Are Enough
The final myth we are looking at is one that most people believe. Securing your Wi-Fi connection with a password, in the mind of many is enough to prevent attacks. However, this is not the case at all. Of course, a strong password helps. However, the main goal of a Wi-Fi password is to protect your network from unwanted users, not protect your device from getting hacked.
Conclusion
In reality, no matter how strong your password, it won’t protect you from hackers. Especially considering data brokers now share your data with companies all over the world. In 2022, 50 trillion pieces of our data was shared by companies we’ve never even heard of. So, in order to prevent this, we need to focus on removing our information from databases, where it is kept without our consent. In doing so, we lower, but not eliminate the risk of falling victim to a cybercrime.