The pandemic has essentially created a new normal for an entire species: working remotely. This honor of being able to work from home was one held by a select few before 2020, those "internet nomads" who post ads for their courses online. Yeah, you know those guys. But skip ahead just a few months, and practically every employed individual on the planet earth is working remotely to abide by lockdown regulations. This may be great for the everyday worker, but it is even better for those cybercriminals who have harmful intentions. Let me explain.
The Statistics
A recent article by ZDNet showcases the stats of hacks/invasions - and it's honestly insane. In just the first 6 months of 2020, we have had more hacks than in the entire year 2019. Let that sink in. Having a cybercrime rate that is practically double does not bode well for us in the crypto space, whose assets are an obvious target for those seeking to compromise our systems. Still think your "surname | date" password is safe? Think again.
"Keep in mind that the report is essentially the first half of the year and in half a year we've already significantly exceeded the volume of what we observed in 2019 and 2018. It's really a testament to how troubled the landscape truly is." - Jennifer Ayers, VP at Crowdstrike
Many of the attacks seem to be based around ransomware, a malware that encrypts files and then requires a private key that only the hackers can give - for a ransom, obviously. It's thus clearer than ever that our online security knowledge and behavior should be monitored well, so that we can judge how effective our barriers against attack are. If you still use the same password for practically every account you have, then I'd strongly suggest creating new passwords that are at least 8-10 characters long.
Cyber security is an essential form of knowledge in today's digital era
The Solution...?
So ultimately, what can be done? In my opinion, the first step to solving such an intensely dangerous problem is education. If individuals understand how and why these attacks happen, prevention can follow. It's because our mindset regarding cybercrime is still stuck in the 2000's that we take half-assed precautions against invasions. As those within the cryptocurrency community, I believe that if we are not well versed, then the odds of others even being interested is very slim. I see it as our duty to inform and assist our friends and family on how to prevent invasions of privacy and breaches to their hardware. If individuals are more motivated to stay safe, proper precautions will prevent the vast majority of these attacks.
I hope this article opened your eyes to the value of knowing your online security status, and to take action if that status is lacking in any way. Using strong passwords and checking download links thoroughly can help you avoid 99% of attacks. Understand encryption. Change passwords regularly. Monitor your downloads. All these are relatively easy, and I'm certain you'll thank me for later when your precious crypto is kept safe!
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Some of my other articles:
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