Introduction
In today’s world, an online hack happens every 39 seconds and 95% of them are due to human error. Hackers have been having a field day as more and more businesses and transactions have gone digital. With technology getting more advanced by the day, hacking has become commonplace and hackers have developed extremely sophisticated hacking mechanisms to do their job.
The best way you can protect yourself from hackers is to understand the hacker mindset and understand how they work. This practice is commonly used among ethical hackers to help scout threat opportunities and enforce greater security methods.
Understanding hackers and their goals helps us to cover all bases that most, ethical citizens might not think to cover. Here are three things that hackers thrive off of when choosing their next victim.
In this informative piece, we will explore ten hacker mindsets that you must be aware of. It will help you safeguard yourself from falling victim to online attacks.
1 – Minimal layers of security
As one of the most trusted IT companies, Point North Networks treats cybersecurity plans like an onion, they have many layers. Hackers may be persistent, but the more security layers they have to get through, the more likely they are to move on to a different project. Multiple security layers also ensure that if one fails, there are others to support.
2 – Security Vulnerabilities
Hackers have an eye for weaknesses in computer systems, software, and networks that they can exploit. These vulnerabilities can include unpatched software, weak passwords, outdated security protocols, or poorly configured systems.
One rising practice has been cloudjacking, which is the exploitation of cloud vulnerabilities to steal an account holder’s information and gain server access.
3 – Manipulation and holding ransom
The most common hacks come from duping users into believing something untrue. Deepfakes are an AI method that creates deceptive audio or visual content that will lead a user into taking actions that will give the hacker exactly what they want.
Ransomware is another manipulation tactic, which threatens to disclose sensitive data or blocks a user’s access to systems until the victim pays a ransom. The hacker will tell the victim that failure to pay on time can lead to data leads or permanent data loss.
It’s not a pretty reality, but the truth is that hackers are everywhere and threats just keep increasing. The best way we can protect ourselves is to know hacker motives and understand the hacker mindset.
4 – Innovation
The more advanced the technology you use, the more encouraged hackers feel to break through it. This gives them the ammo to get on their jobs and create a program that will break through the security of your system. Michael Demon Calce, a security expert, puts it perfectly saying, “There are more hackers breeding every day, and more brilliant minds are turning into hackers. Security has advanced, but so have hackers.”
The hacker mindset is filled with the attitude that forces them to conquer the security nets that are well-designed. The more robust a security net, the more encouraged they feel to go behind it. It is a good practice to be more vigilant against such possible attacks.
5 – Easily Misdirected Users
Hackers use several unsuspecting techniques and tools to misdirect users. Captchas, link clicking, password changes, unique identity identification, username change, etc. are some of the misdirecting features hackers use to exploit an organization or its employees. Users must be alert while using such features online to protect themselves from hacking.
6 – Emphasizing the Power of Co-Incidence
The hacker mindset exploits the vulnerabilities of users regarding emails and phishing links from known brands. One such example of phishing techniques is business emails or blog links from brands that are commonly used by users. Online shopping portals, official tools providers, marketing communications and other similar brands.
Always be sure that you are clicking on an authentic link or opening an authentic mail. Even the slightest hint of hacking should be treated seriously.
7 – Multi-tasking employees
Hackers love people who like to juggle multiple tasks as it makes them more vulnerable to clicking on a malicious link. Such easy targets top the hacker mindset and they love to target them.
A multi-tasking employee is highly likely to open a dodgy attachment or click on a URL that they are not supposed to. Employees that perform one task at a time will be more careful and aware of such hacking techniques.
Concentrate on one task at a time, especially when you are opening or surfing an unknown territory. This will ensure that you are paying more attention to what you are doing and safeguard you from hacks.
8- The Curious User Mindset
Yet another hacker favorite is a curious user mindset. Every day, almost 30,000 websites are hacked globally and this happens as a large section of online users loves to explore uncharted territory, making them an easy target for hacking. Be it a fun looking video, a blob link, attractive looking websites, social media websites like Twitter, etc. a curious person is a soft target.
Such users invariably find themselves clicking on suspicious links even when they know they could be malicious. Being curious is good, but not all links are click-worthy. Be mindful of what you open.
9 – The We Can’t Be The Target Mindset
No matter how many times users have been informed and warned of hackers and phishing links wreaking havoc in their digital lives, there are many who feel that they are in the safe zone and such hacking can’t touch their lives.
Hackers love such users, who mostly carry a careless attitude, making them very easy targets. Even the knowledge of hackers and online fraud cannot stop them from being the target of hacking.
Such is the internet world that anyone can become a target to hackers. It has been estimated the hacking will cost the world nearly $10.5 trillion every year. This is estimated because most hackers are extremely smart and they disguise their hacks in such a way that it is difficult to set them apart. However, if you are careful, you can avoid an untoward incident.
10 – Exploiting the Trust Cues
One of the most commonly used hacking techniques is piggyback riding on trust cues. This happens by slightly altering the website address of a popular website that a wide range of people uses.
Having the name of a brand like Microsoft on the website link with slight alteration makes users trust even the malicious link. They tend to ignore the rest of the link make up, which is where the hack lies.
Exploiting trust cues is a technique that is widely prevalent in the digital world and the hacker mindset loves this trusting nature of users of such trustworthy cues.
Choose Point North for Cyber Security Services
The team at Point North Networks, one of the leading IT support companies, has spent years understanding and monitoring these threats to best protect customers from drastic data breaches and hacking.
Our cyber defenders are talented, updated, smart and intelligent. They know the latest phishing trends and understand the hacker mindset that helps them fight the cyber threats posed by hackers in an efficient manner.
They remain alert at all times so that they can not only fight a hacker attack but sense any suspicious activity in advance, where ever possible.
Contact Point North Networks today to bring an experienced team of cyber defenders by your side.
