Not all hackers are bad
So just what is a hacker? There are so many movies about hackers, so many idea’s & definitions of that word that we couldn’t possibly begin to talk about them all. Everyone has a different take. The term "hacker" has come to mean "someone who can break into my computer" and it's fair to say that a lot of fear & mystery has been attached to it. But not all hackers are bad. Universities around the world are teaching hacking skills, and these skills are being used to help governments, businesses, and individuals protect themselves from the bad guys. That's where we get the Cyber Security Professionals from.
Many governments including the Australian Government run “hacking competitions” to find the best people to deal with the worlds emerging cyber threats that might be aimed at the technology that we use every day. They train to protect the technology that is used to run airports, shipping, water supplies and so on. A great example of these competitions can be found by Googling Cyber Challenge Australia.
These are the good guys, the ones who find the weak spots in our systems and tell us how to fix them. They’re often known as "white hat" or "ethical hackers" and they are not the ones that we need to worry about, so after this post, we won't really talk about them. But without them working against the Bad Guys, the world might just be a whole lot more dangerous. So, from here on in, we will be focusing on the Bad Guys, what they do, and how that can affect you and your business.
So what's up next? The Bad Guys and what they do
With such a comprehensive subject, knowing where to start can be difficult. Online security comes in many layers, and having many layers is important. Just having a “virus checker” isn't enough in this day and age, and as we travel on this journey, we will look at anti-virus software, because that’s an important level of protection.
Browsing the web is an awesome way to get work done, study, shop, stay in touch with friends or just have fun. But just how safe is it? In today’s blog, I don't want to discuss anyone’s browsing habits as everyone has differing opinions on what is right and wrong.
Links. They're such handy little items as you navigate your way around the internet. I’m sure that you will find them in your email too! But you should treat them with suspicion
Hackers are in the news again. Recently it was a major breach at an Australian University and now a medical practice. And while the accusations fly and the fears mount, there is something important that we need to consider before we move on to talking about the bad guys.
Password hygiene is all about keeping you safe. Creating strong passwords, changing them regularly and storing them safely. And that's what we will look at today. It's a long read, but if you want to be safe, it's well worth the effort.
In this episode about passwords, we look at ways to find out if you or your email address may have been involved in a data breach created by hackers.
If you fail to pay in a certain time, all of your files are deleted.That's how Ransomware gets its name - by holding you to ransom. It's how full-time hackers make their money