Why do hackers hack?
Technology has enhanced our lives for the better and, without a doubt, paved the way for creatives and professionals around the globe. While it has helped us make important new discoveries, develop helpful software, and make it possible for us to access anything with the click of a button or a tap of a screen, it’s important to remember that there are people out there that are preying on internet users; these people are called hackers.
But what is a hacker’s purpose? Why are they so fixated on stealing your personal information and taking over websites and servers? Well, hackers all have different reasons as to why they hack, but cybersecurity companies know the main reasons. Here is a guide to help you delve into the mind of a hacker.
Monetary Gain
Many hackers infiltrate systems to gain monetary compensation. Whether they hold personal data for ransom or steal a user’s credit card information, cybersecurity companies see hundreds of thousands of attacks aimed at online banking systems. You should always be wary of what sites you purchase from as well as how liberally you use your credit cards on unsecured hardware or foreign systems.
Hackers Like to Make a point
There are hackers out there who don’t care about money, but are in the hacking business just to show the public what they’re capable of. In 2015, a hacker group by the name of "Impact" stole the details of around 32 million users from the Ashley Madison site. The site focused on providing individuals a place to meet people with whom they could have affairs, and the hacker group found this immoral. They threatened to leak the user’s information, which would leave Ashley Madison "liable for fraud and extreme harm to millions of users."
Just this year, in the Minneapolis school district, when the school refused to pay a ransomware group, 200,000 files were leaked online. These files included children’s names, birth dates, and home address, along with a laundry list of highly private information: their special needs, their psychological profiles and behavioral analyses, their medications, the results of intelligence tests, which kids' parents have divorced, among many other sensitive secrets. Some of the information ended up on social media, and the group provided instructions on how to download the data.
To Steal Personal Information
On the same level as monetary gain, hackers also hack in order to obtain someone else’s personal information. By stealing someone else’s identity, hackers can take out loans, transfer money from your bank account to theirs, apply for passports or other identification and even take out credit cards under your name.
System testing and vulnerability assessments are key for any IT environment. These help by identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities, before they are exploited. We can assist organizations by finding weaknesses in their systems, helping you improve security measures, and protecting against hackers. West Central Technology also offers tools and expertise to help secure your environment and help become a harder target.
Hackers are modern-day pirates, and if you don’t take the necessary precautions to protect yourself online, you and your clients could face dire consequences. We are here to support you with all your IT needs. Whether you are looking for an assessment or where to start on securing your business against everyday hackers, take the next step and let us evaluate your IT environment and protect your business with a customized plan for cybersecurity protection.