When browsing the Internet we can have many security problems. Cybercriminals use multiple techniques to steal data, infect systems, and ultimately put our security and privacy at risk. In this article we are going to talk about how they can impersonate our identity on the network and what we must do to be protected. We will give some interesting tips.
What do they do to impersonate the identity
Impersonating a person’s identity on the Internet is something that we can say is relatively simple. Attackers can obtain certain data and create a profile on social networks such as Fabeook or Instagram, for example, as well as an e-mail pretending to be someone else. This can be used to attack other users, send false information, etc.
Search data
One of the most common methods is to sniff the net . They can search for personal data that we make public on the Internet. For example, if we register in a forum and post comments publicly and expose certain data there such as our telephone number or email address.
They can also track public data that may be on the Internet. A clear example is if we make an opposition and that public list appears on the network. There comes our data, at least part of it, and that can be used by an attacker to create a profile as if we were us.
Theft of information and passwords
Of course they can also directly steal an account. They could use a Phishing attack, keylogger or any strategy to break into email or social networks. In this way they can steal information that we have stored, see the list of contacts, private data, etc.
To prevent this from happening it is important to protect passwords. Always use strong passwords and, whenever possible, activate two-step authentication. The latter will create an extra layer of security that will allow your accounts to be more protected on the network.
View your public profile
A very simple option for anyone who wants to impersonate our identity is simply to enter the profile that we have public. For example social networks like Facebook . They can access and see where we study or work, who our contacts are, where we move… They can use all this to create a profile and impersonate identity.
If you want this not to happen, it is best to make your social network profiles private. In addition, you should be careful with possible bots that you add as contacts, since they could see personal information and use it for bad purposes. Always control your contacts.
How to avoid this problem
So, what should we do to prevent our identity from being stolen on the Internet? Without a doubt, the most important thing is to avoid exposing more information than is necessary . Avoid making your data public in open forums, comments on websites, public profiles on social networks… This will make it more difficult for an attacker to see your data.
Maintaining security is also essential. Prevent malware from entering your devices. For this you can use a good antivirus, for example Microsoft Defender. In this way, it will alert you in the event that any threat arrives in the form of malware that can steal passwords or personal information.
In addition, it is advisable to be alert and whenever you detect that they have been able to supplant your identity, report it on that social network. This way they can delete the profile and prevent them from using your name to contact other users or even launch attacks.
In short, as you can see, identity theft is a major problem. It is essential to always be protected and not have problems. Prevent your accounts from being publicly available on the network, use a good antivirus and reduce the risk of suffering attacks of all kinds when browsing the Internet. Avoiding browser attacks is very important for this.
