What is hacking?
Hacking is the act of gaining unauthorised access to a computer, network, or system. It is the manipulation of a system beyond its normal behaviour. Although not always malicious, hacking is mostly negative due to its association with cybercrime.
How does it work
Hacking works by exploiting weaknesses in systems, networks, or people to gain unauthorised access or control. Hackers gather information about the target (from social media posts, IP addresses, email addresses, employee names, open ports), and this intelligence helps identify vulnerabilities that the hackers can exploit to gain access to accounts or networks.
Once inside, the hackers can steal data, obtain passwords, escalate their privilege to gain higher access rights, install malware, or create a backdoor for future access.
How to protect yourself from hacking
- Use strong, unique passwords. Consider a password manager.
- Always enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). Adds a second security layer.
- Keep devices and software updated. Patches fix vulnerabilities.
- Be wary of links and attachments, especially in unsolicited emails or messages.
- Secure your Wi-Fi . Use WPA2/WPA3 encryption and change default router passwords.
- Always back up important data. Use offline or cloud backups to recover from ransomware.
- Install security tools like antivirus, anti-malware, and firewalls.