The Internet, Hacking and Malware in 2020 | Total Security Software

The most dangerous and famous hackers of our generation

Regardless of their origin or belief, hackers are dangerous. Let's take a look at some of the more active.

Malware does not fall from the sky and does not emerge spontaneously from the unfathomable depths of the internet. Every stump that ever existed was created by someone, whether it was a lovingly handcrafted file or code quickly edited from existing code, in an effort to thwart the virus scans. Even though there are (literally) countless cyber criminals out there on the web, only a few are the elite and have earned the right to call themselves the world's most dangerous hackers. And today we set out to compile a list of some of these individuals, groups, and organizations. The people who always try to hurt you. The individuals to whom we owe our work.

The advantages of the Internet are unanimous. But its use is not without danger. Malware and acts of hacking can wreak havoc on individuals and small businesses, for example, causing loss of data or interruption of services. It is possible to guard against these risks by observing certain rules of behavior and by taking technical measures.

Hack

Computer hacking consists of unduly breaking into the system of a third party. The pirates (in English: hacker ) seek to gain access to the system without being noticed in order to be able to modify its content and organization as they wish. The motives of hackers can vary widely, as can the consequences of the attack on the target system.

Malware

Malicious software, also known as "malware" (in English: malware ), execute harmful operations on the computer system of a third party. Their site, email account, or computer must have been hacked beforehand. Another gateway for malware is harmful data sent by email or placed on a site.

Forms of acts of piracy

Hackers particularly attack websites. They access it improperly to seize sensitive data stored on the servers. Their motives can be commercial. It will then be a question of reselling the data which has value (information on credit cards for example).

But the objective may also be to reveal suspected abuses by making the stolen data public. This kind of hacking is sometimes referred to as “hacktivism” (a contraction of “hacker” and “activism”). The motivations of "hacktivists" are political or religious. They instrumentalize the hacked site for a protest action that aims to raise awareness of their concerns or their goals. Hackers whose motives are political or religious frequently rearrange the sites of companies or socially exposed persons as they wish, an operation called "disfigurement", "defacement" or even "defacing" of the site (in English: defacing). Actions of this kind damage the image of their victim and often produce considerable financial loss, especially when the attacked site is at the heart of the victim's economic activity.

How malware spreads

Malware is often spread through emails. These contain an invitation to the recipient to open an attachment or click on a link. If the recipient does, the malware automatically installs itself on their computer. It will copy, delete, block, or modify data there.

Malware can also infect the computer when visiting certain sites. This type of infection is called a “ drive-by download ” attack. It occurs from a site that has been hacked for the purpose of spreading malware. The sites used for this purpose can be quite serious and very busy sites.

What forms can malware take?

Malware is a generic category. They include different types of malicious programs such as viruses, worms, and Trojans. By definition, viruses and worms are harmful to the systems they infect by causing damage ranging from a minor inconvenience to material damage to data loss. In contrast, Trojans present themselves to the user as useful applications or files. It is in the background that they perform harmful operations such as blocking the computer, encrypting personal data, and taking control during sessions (on online banking platforms for example).

Ransomware, also called " ransomware " (in French: ransomware), permettent d’illustrer le mode opératoire des chevaux de Troie et leurs effets potentiels. Les rançongiciels sont une famille de logiciels malveillants qui cryptent les fichiers sur l’ordinateur de la victime et les autres terminaux du réseau partagé. Les personnes concernées ne peuvent alors plus utiliser leur ordinateur et l’accès à leur données personnelles est bloqué. Un écran verrouillé s’affiche. Il contient un message pressant la victime de payer une certaine somme aux pirates en utilisant une cybermonnaie (bitcoins par ex.) pour obtenir le rétablissement de l’accès à l’ordinateur et aux données bloquées. Le paiement avec une monnaie virtuelle complique le dépistage des auteurs de l’attaque. Il garantit l’anonymat de la transaction puisqu’il n’est pas nécessaire que son auteur et son bénéficiaire soient titulaires d’un compte bancaire. Céder au chantage ne garantit nullement que les pirates déverrouilleront les données après le paiement.

When the ransomware attacks an individual, the blocked data is personal data (eg vacation photos); in general, the consequences are much more serious when the target is a business. Critical business data such as contracts, customer information, or accounting data are then rendered inaccessible and unusable.

How to protect yourself?

1. Password

• Protect your computer and devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) against unauthorized access and lock the screen when you are no longer active.
• Use strong passwords (minimum 10 characters, including numbers, upper case, lower case, and special characters).
• Do not use the same password everywhere. On the contrary, you have
• to compose one for each account.
• If possible, activate a so-called strong authentication method, i.e. two-factor (2FA).
• Change your password at the latest when you suspect that a third party knows it.

2. Technical precautions

• Regularly update your operating systems and applications. Activate the automatic update function for the operating system and all of your programs and applications.
• Use antivirus software and turn on the automatic update function.
• Regularly check that your device has not been infected by performing a full system scan.
• Activate the Windows or Mac OS onboard firewall before connecting your device to the Internet or any other network.
• Regularly back up your data on an external hard drive, DVD, CD, or on an online storage platform (cloud).

3. Emails

• Beware of emails that come from an unknown address.
• Never click on attachments and links offered to you in a suspicious email ( Phishing ).
• Only open files and programs from trusted sources and after screening with up-to-date antivirus software like total security software.
• Do not respond to unsolicited e-mail (in English: spam ): You reveal it to the sender that your email address is valid, that the incentive to send you more spam.

4. On the Internet

• Always be careful when surfing the Internet and think carefully before disclosing your personal data.
• Financial institutes, telephone operators, or other service providers will never ask you (neither by email nor by telephone) to communicate your password to them, nor to modify it.
• When using your mobile devices, you must apply the same precautionary measures that you normally observe on your fixed computer at home.
• If you are uncertain or if you fear being a victim of an attack, do not hesitate to ask for help.