Personal data has great value on the Internet. That makes many cybercriminals set their sights on trying to steal information from users when using online services, visiting pages or using any application. Later they can profit from it. In this article we echo a report that shows how the theft of personal data and its online sale are growing and it is important to protect yourself.
The sale of stolen data on the Internet grows
The Dark Web is the hidden part of the Internet where cybercriminals sell tools to attack computers, malware, stolen data … In short, illegal products of all kinds that also include computer programs to carry out attacks.
Among the data to log in that we can find stolen on the Dark Web we can mention social networks, email, financial applications such as PayPal … But something that has increased a lot in recent times, as indicated by security researchers, is the data access to remote desktops .
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought important changes to the way we use technology and connect to the Internet. Many users have started working from home. This makes remote access to computer equipment very present. But of course, vulnerabilities and problems that put privacy at risk can also occur.
There has been a notable increase in exploits to steal RDP access data. This is something that affects both private users as well as companies and organizations. The price at which cybercriminals offer this type of information for sale varies, but the rise of certain services is increasing.
Hackers also purchase victims’ personal information to carry out ransomware attacks. They can use it to carry out such attacks or also to demand a ransom in exchange for not filtering them on the network. There are specific browsers to enter the Dark Web.
How to avoid the theft of personal data on the Internet
We have seen that the sale of stolen data on the network has increased considerably. Hackers look for a way to obtain that information and later profit. Now, users have the possibility to protect data on the Internet and prevent this from happening. We are going to give some tips.
Avoid making information public
Something very important and essential is to avoid making personal information public. For example, avoid putting our data when we write in an Internet forum or post a comment on a web page.
If we write on any site that third parties can access and we make public information such as email address or phone number, we would be compromising privacy and putting data at risk.
Have safety programs
Of course we must also have security programs. A good antivirus can prevent the entry of malware such as a keylogger with the aim of stealing passwords and access credentials to applications and services.
There are many tools that we have available, both free and paid, to protect ourselves. We simply have to choose the one that best suits our device and that can protect us correctly.
Keep systems up to date
But we must also mention the importance of keeping systems up to date . There are many occasions in which vulnerabilities arise that can be exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks. This makes it essential to have the latest updates to correct security flaws.
Common sense
Perhaps most important of all is common sense . Many of the threats that are used to steal information require user interaction. For example, email attachments that need to be downloaded or installed by some kind of malicious software.