What Could A Cyber Attack Cost You?

Money down the drain

Even with all of the news stories about the latest hacks, such as Adobe, Snapchat and Target, there are still some individuals who don’t fully grasp what’s at stake. Jose Pagliery of CNN Money explains how much becoming a victim of a cyber attack could cost you.

In the case of the attack on Target, debit and credit card information was stolen. It’s easy to understand why you would want to keep that information out of the hands of criminals. But, this type of attack and fraud usually isn’t as costly as others. That’s because most people pay close attention to bank accounts and credit card bills and will notice anything out of the ordinary. Then, it’s an easy process to report the fraud and cancel the card.

It’s actually much worse for users when their log-in information and passwords are stolen. It doesn’t even have to be an account that houses any valuable information. Because about half of internet users use the same password for multiple accounts, even stealing the log-ins for a message board could lead to a much bigger breach in security. With one password, criminals can find an email associated with that account. They then will try to break into that email and, if successful, can take a number of potentially valuable actions.

Think about all of the old messages still stored in your inbox. Many of those could contain information that a criminal could use to steal your identity or your money. Those old messages could also lead hackers to other accounts you have online, which could allow them access to your social security number, or bank accounts. Even gaining access to your phone account could allow them to order a new device and rack up big charges.

With access to your email, criminals also have access to your contacts. They can send emails with malware attached to try to infect other users. Worse still, they can contact friends and attempt to scam them out of money or information.

There is a seemingly endless list of malicious tactics a criminal can take if they’re able to gain access to just one of your many online accounts. Keeping those accounts and your computer safe is worth your time. You need to use strong, unique passwords for each account you create. If you have potentially valuable information stored in your email, back it up elsewhere and delete it. Keep close tabs on all of your accounts so that you’ll be able to quickly tell if one has been compromised and take the necessary action.

At Geek Rescue, we help improve security for your home or business. We also fix devices with malware infections, broken hardware or any other issues. Come by or call us at 918-369-4335.

January 6th, 2014