It’s February so you know what that means, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Not only do many of us enjoy this time of the year, hackers do too.
So what exactly do hackers love…?
Hackers Love: Default Credentials for Networks & IoT Devices
One of the easiest ways a hacker can gain access to your network, or devices is through weak password policies. Are you still using the same password that came with the router you bought? Or the Wi-Fi camera system you have set up? Nine times out of ten, these devices that you have purchased and connected to your network are using default usernames and passwords, that are also very easy for a hacker to guess. Whenever you purchase a new device to connect to your home network, always change the default username and password, and use strong passwords! If you need help creating one, use this website to generate a strong password.
Any sort of device that you can find on the market these days that is aimed at convenience and connects to your home network is referred to as IoT, or the Internet of Things.
https://eclature.com/10-most-popular-iot-devices-in-2020/
For more tips on securing your home network and IoT devices, check out our blog post on how to better secure your home network.
Hackers Love: Password Reuse & Weak Passwords
As mentioned above, hackers love default credentials, so it is imperative to always change those default usernames and passwords to something else that is harder for the hackers to break into. This does not mean you should create usernames or passwords that are easy to guess, or continuously reuse the same password over and over; whether it be for home networks and devices of the online services and apps you use everyday.
You should get in the habit of creating long, strong passwords that will be very difficult for a hacker to guess, and even in this case, do not reuse the same password for another service. There is nothing easier to do than guess someones password, lookup their email address(es) in https://haveibeenpwned.com/ ,use some OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) and a little bit of Social Engineering , or run a brute force attack to guess what their password(s) might be.
To become more efficient and aid in convenience, use a password manager like LastPass, or BitWarden. A password manager makes it easier for you to manage all of the passwords you use for your online accounts and even offline accounts. Better yet, many of these services are free. Here’s a list of some of the most highly rated password managers.
Hackers Love: People Who Click Stuff
One of the most common causes of data breaches or malware infections is from unwitting people who click stuff that they’re unsure of. More commonly referred to as phishing, and still remains at the top of the list for a hackers tool kit. The increase in frequency and sophistication only drives hackers to use phishing schemes more and more against their targets. As long as people are unknowingly clicking on malicious links, or attachments, or downloads, this trend will continue.
In order to better familiarize yourself with phishing and to increase your own cyber hygiene, check out our blog posts.
Simple Steps to Securing Yourself Online
SME is here to help increase security posture and get rid of those sleepless nights, for any IT/security related questions, please give us a call at 703-378-4110 or email info@smeinc.net.