When people think about cybercrime, they imagine the usual suspects: phishing emails ransomware or stolen credit cards. However, the cyberworld is much more imaginative and, sometimes downright absurd. Beyond the news, cybercriminals are operating sophisticated schemes that you’ve not heard of, but they are affecting both businesses and individuals daily.
These are 10 cybercrimes that aren’t well-known which show just how creative (and risky) the black market of cybercrime has grown.
1. SIM Swapping
SIM swapping occurs when thieves get your mobile provider to switch your phone number to an SIM card that they control. Once they’ve got the SIM card, they are able to intercept messages and calls, bypassing two factor authentication (2FA) for access to your crypto wallet, bank account or your email. Most victims don’t know that something is happening until it’s late.
2. Juice Jacking
Have you ever charged your smartphone in a cafe or airport by using an open USB charging stations? This is what criminals rely on. A damaged charging port could be used to install malware in secret or steal information while your phone is charging, a crime referred to as juice Jacking.
3. Cryptojacking
Instead of taking your money hackers can steal the processing power of your device. Through the use of hidden mining applications, they make use of your smartphone or computer for mining cryptocurrency reducing the speed of your system while increasing your electric bill.
4. Formjacking
It’s not always safe to shop online. When you use formjacking attacks, hackers insert malicious code on checkout pages in order to capture credit card information while you enter them. In most cases, neither the company or the consumer realizes it until fraud appears on the statement.
5. Typosquatting
A small error in a web address can result in a costly. Typosquatting is the practice of registering domains to are akin to legitimate websites (e.g., g00gle.com instead of google.com). These fake websites often deceive users into entering login credentials, or downloading malware.
6. Business Email Compromise (BEC)
The crime is committed by impersonating the executives or vendors in order to trick employees into wire transfers or sending sensitive data. The emails can be extremely convincing, using real names as well as ongoing business conversations. The losses from BEC can be as high as billions of dollars each year.
7. Sextortion
Hackers make use of stolen personal information or fake photos to frighten victims by threatening them with exposure until they pay. Sometimes the evidence is created by using deepfakes, but the fear that it causes is real.
8. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)
Yes, cybercrime has become corporate. Criminal groups are now able to offer ransomware kits for sale or lease to other groups, along with customer service. This makes ransomware readily available to criminals who are less skilled, which is causing it’s rapid expansion.
9. Click Fraud
Digital advertising is a huge industry, but criminals make a profit off it with fraud by clicking. Bots that are automated or poorly paid frequently click on advertisements taking away advertising budgets, and also skewing marketing metrics. Companies could lose millions of dollars without realizing they’re assisting fraudsters.
10. Swatting
The cyber-enabled crime is akin to creating a fake emergency signal to send SWAT police teams to an uninvolved victim’s residence. Although it could appear to be an unforgiving prank, it has resulted in trauma, injuries, and even death.
Why These Crimes Fly Under the Radar
Contrary to the large-scale data breaches that get attention, a lot instances of crimes that are less obvious personal and difficult to spot. They are aimed at weaknesses in our daily practices like connecting to public Wi-Fi, typing web addresses or charging phones in public. Lack in awareness of these risks makes them risky.
How to Protect Yourself
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Use unique, strong passwords and set MFA whenever it is.
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Do not use charging stations in public–use an energy bank or USB blocking device.
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Double-check the URLs of websites prior to entering sensitive information.
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Learn to educate your children and yourself on the newest frauds.
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Keep your software up to date to patch any vulnerabilities attackrs are able to exploit.
Final Thoughts
Cybercrime is always changing, sometimes with a way that the typical user has not even thought of. If we can highlight these less well-known risks and exposing them to the public, we can be more aware of how to safeguard ourselves from cyber-attacks.
Since when it concerns security, the things you do not realize can be detrimental to your security.
