Hacking has become such a big business that anyone knowing very little about it can buy a database of email addresses and download software that will do the hacking for them.
Some of these companies, said Chris Gondran, senior vice President and director of information security for Home Bank, even had human resources departments. Speaking with Jan Swift of the Discover Lafayette podcast as part of October being Cyber Security Month, Gondran noted how human error is the biggest cause of cybersecurity breaches and users must remain on high alert.
You can listen to their conversation here.
“It’s always a cat-and-mouse game between the security world and the criminals,” Gondran said. “Once they realize what we’re doing to bypass them, they figure out new ways to get around it.”
Criminals use various methods in scams, including vishing, which involves voice messages; smishing, which involves text messages; and phishing, which involves emails. Scammers will send out hundreds of thousands of messages knowing that a small amount will accept the bait.
Other scams are more detailed. Romance scams involve criminals gaining a victim’s trust via an illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and steal from them. Tech support scams involve criminals posing as legitimate tech support companies who notify you of an issue with your computer.
Grandparent scams include criminals posing as a relative claiming to be in immediate need of financial support. Government impersonation scams involve criminals posing as government employees and threatening to arrest or prosecute unless you provide funds.
Businesses and individuals should aware when scams occur. Stopthinkconnect.org is a great site with information for staying safe at home and with personal online matters, and cisa.gov is an official website of the U. S. government with free services and tools to help you prevent a cybersecurity breach.
Gloss