Hackers are often depicted as loner types. However cybercrime is a tangled and collaborative more information system. Hackers have a variety of motives, from economic gain to political goals. Knowing what hackers are after can help you to anticipate attacks and create security measures to safeguard your small companies.

Some hackers use their expertise to help others. They discover security vulnerabilities and report them to ensure that they can be repaired. White hat hackers are compensated by their employers to conduct penetration tests. Other hackers have more grave motives, for instance, the theft of personal information for identity theft or using viruses to create illegal charges or trigger attacks on service (which will shut down devices).

A strong password is the first protection against hackers. The addition of two-factor authentication to websites like social media and banking can further increase your protection. Encrypting your hard drive is another easy way to stop hackers from accessing your private data even if they do manage to penetrate your device. Also, ensure that your operating system, browsers, and other essential apps up to date. Most devices will automatically update to fix vulnerabilities in software that could allow hackers to view and steal information.

We live in an interconnected world, where our phones or tablets, computers, and smartphones are always on. It’s tempting to relax and share a lot of information online, but that’s the type of information hackers want. Beware of shopping on public Wi-Fi and accessing personal accounts. Also be sure to keep a separate account open all the time.