Security experts around the world agree: 2017 was a terrible year for cybercrimes. WannaCry was shutting down about 2 million computers every hour and many victims who paid the ransom didn’t even get access to their computers. These attacks are becoming more common and are targeting your money. It’s scary and unfortunately the New Year is likely going to be worse for cybercrime.
Here are 5 cybercrimes that you’ll hear a lot about in 2018.
Cryptojacking
Cybercurrency such as Bitcoin, has been in the news almost everyday for its soaring, plummeting, and soaring again value. Criminals have figured out how to use your smartphones and computers to cash in. There are websites that generate revenue using cryptocurrency, as much as they would with ad dollars and the more visitors, the more cryptocurrency. The problem is, hackers exploit those sites by either installing malware on your computer or using JavaScript to steal money. One way to keep cybercriminals from exploiting your computer, is if you use Google Chrome, you can add an extension to it like No Coin that’s designed to block cryptojacking criminals.
Health Care Attacks
Hospitals in several countries went dark when cybercriminals attacked them in 2017. They used stolen information from the United States National Security Agency to shut down life-saving equipment, so surgeries were stopped and people may have died. But how can you protect yourself when criminals are targeting hospitals? If you are using medical devices that are connected to the internet, make sure they are secured with passwords that criminals can’t easily exploit. Also, ask your doctor and hospital about their cybersecurity systems. This can be a life or death issue, so do not hesitate to ask them for details about keeping cybercriminals our of their systems.
Worms
Worms spread ransomware and other malware from one vulnerable computer to another, which is why these crimes spread so fast. Make sure your computer is up to date. These days, many operating systems automatically update, so you always have the highest level of protection. To make sure this is true, check your system. With Windows 10, for instance, click on the Windows icon (Start button) >>Settings>>Update & Security>>Check for Updates.
Cybercriminal Underground
Unlike in the days of the Mafia and gangs, cybercriminals are an invisible threat, that steal your money and put your life at risk by remotely taking over your computer. Technology is making it easier for people to become cybercriminals. Protect yourself with the simple step of ensuring all of your devices are protected with anti-malware and firewalls.
Anti-Virus Vulnerabilities
Criminals are clever, and unfortunately many of them are starting to attack the very security systems you have in place to protect yourself. Security experts say this trend will take off in 2018, so make sure that your operating system is up to date and your anti-malware softerware is turned on for real-time protection.
One important way to keep cybercriminals away, is by simply backing up all of your computer files, so if you get hit with ransomware, just restore your backed-up files.