How Hackers Disrupt Data and Possible Ways to Curb Them

Hackers or cybercriminals are a type of online fraudster who seeks new opportunities to ruin the data systems, make off with sensitive details and breach the infrastructure that society is becoming more reliant on as time passes. Their strategies may be numerous and are constantly changing, but the consequences they have on organizations and people can be extremely bad. Destruction of assets through financial crime, the devastation of key facilities, and attack of data are some of the dangers that businesses, countries, and people must always be ready to cope with.  

One attack technique that is frequently abused by hackers while trying to defeat and manipulate data is ransomware. A ransomware attack focuses on malware infection that prevents users from using their systems or accessing files which are then encrypted. A good case of this is the WannaCry ransomware assault which took place in 2017. It was able to spread to almost 300,000 computers in a number of countries worldwide and most of its damage was recorded in the UK where the NHS underwent a cyber-attack. Overwhelmed by the NHS cyber-attack, the hospitals and the clinics could not retrieve patients’ records and therefore, there were missed appointments and drastic waiting times that could have put lives in jeopardy. The creators of the WannaCry virus were demanding money from those who had suffered since their information was encrypted. Nevertheless, many institutions faced significant losses even those that did not comply with the ransom.

The attackers also utilize another disruptive approach ; data theft where hackers gain access to systems and acquire vital information such as credit cards, medical histories and other personal information. Hackers breached the retailer Target in 2013 infamously, accessing 40 million credit and debit card accounts in Target’s database. Many people whose records were taken perpetrated various large scale frauds and the firm suffered tremendous reputational damages. Sometimes even people’s records are compromised and these records do not get used until it is too late and millions of customers get compromised from breaches such as these.

To minimize these disruptions, organizations and individuals are required to put in place measures that aim at preventing such occurrences. Effective measures that can be deployed against ransomware and data breaches include regular software updates and patch installations. Cybercriminals take advantage of elements of weaknesses from outdated software so keeping systems updated ensures readily available security holes are sealed before hackers exploit them.

Also, data encryption should be embraced since it would help deter unauthorized access. Even if a hacker breaks into a system, data that is encrypted is useless without the decryption key, so stolen data becomes worthless.

And additionally, one Of the other basic principles is encryption of information which minimizes the chances of data exposure. In the event that a system fails, as long as portions of the system can be recovered, lost data will be of no use to the attackers, as they managed to not get a decryption key to the encrypted data.

Also, cybercriminals can be combated through strong authentication measures, namely, multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires the user to respond with requested codes sent to his/her cellphone, guns biometrical data, which reduces chances of being hacked.

More importantly, everything comes down to training employees about how to identify phishing attacks and social engineering attacks. Indeed, criminal cyber activities tend to commence from sending phishing emails, which makes the users to enter their login details or press a link. In doing so, they maintain similar operations which increases chances of a successful attack.

Hackers pose threats by disrupting data, but using best cybersecurity practices—such as regular upgrades, encryption, employee education, and vigilance—empowers organizations and the public to stay ahead of cybercriminals.