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Computer hacking and protection. A lot of people use computers for work, schoolwork, and creating and storing important data. For this reason, the data on the computer must be appropriately maintained and stored.

 Computer hacking and protection

Computer hacking and protection

Users of computers must safeguard their devices against abuse, misuse, and data loss.  For instance, companies need to protect the data they possess so that hackers cannot access it. When engaging in online transactions, home users should also take precautions to ensure the security of their credit card information.

 

A computer security risk

Any action that could result in the loss of data, software, information, processing incompatibilities, or damage to computer hardware—many of these are intentionally harmful—is considered a risk to computer security. A deliberate violation of computer security is referred to as a computer crime, which is a subtype of cybercrime. Cybercrime, or illegal acts based on the internet, is a major focus area for the FBI.  Cybercriminals fall into several different categories; these individuals are known as corporate spies, script kiddies, hackers, crackers, cyberterrorists, and cyber extortionists.

 

The hacker

Although the word "hacker" used to be highly positive, its connotations have since changed. Someone who gains unauthorized access to a computer or computer network is called a hacker.  They frequently assert that they carry out this work to identify gaps in a network's security. The word "cracker," which describes someone who purposefully logs onto a computer or computer network for malicious purposes, has never been positively associated. It's essentially a malevolent hacker.  Their intention when accessing it is to either steal or destroy data. Hackers and crackers both possess extremely sophisticated network skills.

 

Cyberterrorist

A cyberterrorist is a person who, for political purposes, uses the internet or a computer network to destroy computers.  Because it takes years of planning, highly skilled personnel, and millions of dollars to execute, it is exactly like any other terrorist attack.

 

Cyperextortionist

A cyber extortionist is a person who uses emails to attack others. Typically, they would send a business an extremely threatening email threatening to breach security, release some private information, or launch an attack on the company's network. They will demand payment to stop, which is akin to blackmail.

 

The unethical employee

An employee who gains unauthorized access to their company's network for any number of reasons is considered unethical. One reason could be the financial gain from selling top-secret knowledge, or others might be resentful and seek retribution.

 

A script kiddie

A script kiddie is someone similar to a cracker in that they typically lack the necessary technical skills, even though they may intend to cause harm. Usually, they are prankish teenagers using pre-made cracking and hacking programs.

 

A corporate spy

A corporate spy is hired to hack into a particular computer or computer network to steal or remove data and information. They have exceptionally high computer and network skills. These individuals are employed by unscrupulous businesses as part of a tactic known as corporate espionage. They engage in this unlawful activity to obtain an advantage over their rivals.

 

Check your computer

Compared to information transferred in a business network, information transferred over a network carries a higher security risk because network administrators typically take precautionary steps to help guard against security risks. Since there is no strong administrator over the internet, the risk is much higher. You can always use an online security service, which is a website that scans your computer for email and Internet vulnerabilities if you're not sure if your computer is susceptible to a computer risk. After that, the business will provide guidance on how to fix these vulnerabilities.  One location that can accomplish this is the Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center.

 

Computer viruses

Computers are typically vulnerable to network attacks from Trojan horses, worms, viruses, spoofing, and denial of service attacks.  A computer virus is a potentially dangerous computer program that can infect an unprotected computer, changing its functionality without the user's knowledge or permission. Once on the computer, the virus can propagate and infect additional files, possibly even causing harm to the operating system. Because it enters the body through tiny openings and can spread to other parts of the body and cause harm, it is comparable to a bacterial virus that infects humans. The similarity is that readiness is the best defense against this.

 

A computer worm

Similar to a computer virus, a computer worm is a program that replicates itself repeatedly. The distinction is that a virus cannot exist in isolation; instead, it must affix itself to an executable file and integrate into it. A computer worm appears to copy to itself and other networks without needing to do that, consuming a lot of bandwidth in the process.

 

A Trojan Horse

The term "Trojan Horse," which refers to software that masquerades as a genuine program while concealing its true nature, is derived from the well-known Greek myth.  The Trojan horse typically acts in response to a specific action, and unlike viruses and worms, it is not self-replicating. Trojan horses, worms, and computer viruses are all categorized as malicious-logic programs, or simply programs that injure computers on purpose.  It would be nearly impossible to list all the variations, even though these are the most common three.

 

Signs of a computer infection

If any of these behaviors occur on a computer, you can be certain that a virus, worm, or Trojan horse is present: 

• ·        Strange text or images show up on the screen.
• ·        Memory capacity is lower than anticipated.
• ·        Random sounds or music are played.
• ·        Programs are files that don't function correctly. Files can become corrupted.
• ·        Unknown programs or files can appear at random, and system properties can change.

 

How to infect a computer?

There are four common ways that computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses spread their instructions or payload:

• ·     Downloading programs and running them without first scanning the files
• ·         Using a program that is compromised.
• ·        Operating a computer with a corrupted drive, which is why it's crucial to remove any media files from your computer before shutting it down.
• ·        Joining a network with an unsecured computer.

 

Evolution of computer infection methods

Today, opening an infected file via an email attachment is one of the most common ways that people get a computer virus, worm, or Trojan horse. It's critical to stay current with new computer malicious logic programs that are released daily because there are literally thousands of them and they multiply exponentially. Numerous websites monitor this.

 

Precautions required

Though there is currently no known way to totally shield a computer or computer network from Trojan horses, worms, and viruses, users can greatly lower their risk of becoming infected by one of these dangerous programs by taking a few preventative measures.  There should be no removable media in the drives when a computer first boots up. This holds true for floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs. Upon booting up, the computer attempts to run a boot sector on the drives. Even if this fails, any given variation in the bot sector has the potential to infect the hard disk of the computer. If there is a specific reason to check the disk before starting the computer—for example, if the hard drive needs to be reformatted—make sure it is in good condition.