Information security on the Internet
Internet security is a very important issue today. It concerns everyone, from children to pensioners. It is becoming more and more urgent due to the massive number of users who are almost, if not quite, unprepared for the threats they face. Therefore, this article will focus on the issue of Internet security. After all, it is not just one user who suffers, but many others, united in one global structure.
Dangers that lie in wait for us online.
In short, there are two main ways your computer can become a victim. The first is that you yourself, by surfing various sites or installing software from unverified sources, and sometimes from verified sources, infect your computer. Secondly, there may also be a situation where attackers deliberately make your device a source of danger by using, for example, Trojans or viruses.
As a result of all this, the computer, sometimes even secretly from its owner, starts sending spam, participates in DDoS attacks on various sites, and steals passwords. It also happens that the provider is forced to forcibly disconnect such a device from the global network. It turns out that if a user is not aware of the basics of Internet security, he or she will have a hard time.
Why do attackers need access to a user’s computer?
It’s a mistake for an ordinary user to think that no one needs their computer. It used to be that hackers often wrote viruses just for fun, but now it is almost always done for commercial gain. About 20 years ago, an attacker enjoyed the fact that he could simply format a hard disk. Or make it so that when you turn on the computer, some cool pictures appear instead of the standard desktop. Now they are doing everything possible to keep the PC owner unaware that their device is infected and perform additional functions secretly from them.
How do attackers get into a computer?
Hackers use a number of methods to break through PC security, even if it is in place, and users think in vain that by simply installing an antivirus, they have got rid of the danger of, for example, picking up a malicious program. Therefore, before you look for information on how to stay safe on the Internet, you need to understand where viruses and trojans come from. Now we will list the main ways they penetrate and methods of stealing various information.
- The first method is called social engineering. Thanks to various psychological tricks, techniques and gullibility of users, hackers send you a completely harmless file or letter, and you run a Trojan in it. Or, at the request of the alleged service administration, you give out all your passwords and logins.
- The second method is to offer various free software, pirated disks, where many viruses, trojans and similar nasties are hidden.
- Security holes are constantly appearing in software, including from the most reliable trusted sources. This also applies to operating systems. Attackers are watching such moments closely, trying not to miss them, but to use them for their own purposes. You visit a page of a trusted website a hundred times and – once – your device is infected.
- The fourth method has become particularly widespread recently. This is phishing, when fake websites are created. And instead of your bank’s page, you end up on a fake copy of it. We won’t tell you what can happen next, you can guess for yourself.
Initial protection of the user’s computer. Ideally, after purchasing a PC, a user should perform a number of operations before rushing to plow through the endless expanses of the network.