How Advanced Are Online Threats Becoming

A key of my blog is Technology. With our world becoming increasingly more digital, there are also an increasing number of online threats. With so much business being conducted online, having solid cybersecurity is a must. The following contributed post is entitled, How Advanced Are Online Threats Becoming.

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Being hacked when you’re online is something we all worry about, in the back of our minds. We don’t like leaving our credit details on retail websites, if we can help it, and we all regularly check to make sure our firewalls are turned on. It’s a habit we become accustomed to, the more and more we use our computers to connect to the world wide web, and it’s something we should all clue ourselves up on.

And that’s because cyber threats are becoming more and more common, and there’s a lot of scammers out there who know just how to disguise themselves to earn your trust. They can even use the numbers in your phone to pose as someone you know nowadays.

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There’s Gaps in the Connection

A lot of websites use third party companies these days, to make sure they keep costs down in their own businesses by not running their own IT support desks or their own retail portal. They use another company’s previously established support network or paywall, and that can lead to a hink in your secure browsing. After all, the more people involved in any searches you tap in, or any purchases you make, the more chances there are of your information getting out.

Websites who have to redirect you to reach certain pages, or websites who don’t allow you to use secure payment methods such as Paypal or Worldpay, are very likely data sink targets. Hackers will keep an eye out for websites that need further connections to enable their profits, and exploit these connections to get to you. They can change them out to make sure you connect to them instead, or it might just be a flimsy line that could allow a few worms in. You never know who’s on the other side of the screen, after all.

AI Could Be a Way In

The Siris and Alexas of the world have a lot to answer for. They can be one of the most helpful appliances you own, but they can also be targets for people looking to access your secrets. And it’s not just malicious outside threats that can access you and your family’s most private data: it could be the companies themselves as well.

So if you do have an artificial intelligence system in your home, they need to be connected to the wifi to work. And there’s a good chance you have quite a few recordings on them you would never want anyone outside of your own four walls to hear. And it’s these stored recordings, which have to be removed manually, that both hackers and shady executives alike could be after. It’s a misuse of the trust the consumer places in the company – you bring this kind of tech into your home to make life more convenient, and these are the results we’re seeing.

That was a quick look into the world of online threats, so make sure you’re always up to date on what could be out there.

Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

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