We often think of hackers as loners but the reality is that cybercrime is an advanced and collaborative ecosystem. Hackers can have many motives, from financial gain to political objectives. Knowing what hackers are avast paid worth it looking for can help you avoid attacks and establish security measures to safeguard your small companies.

Some hackers use their expertise to help others. They look for security holes and report them so that they can be fixed. These are known as white hat hackers and they’re typically paid by businesses they work for to carry out penetration tests. Some hackers are more sinister like those who use personal information to commit credit card fraud identity theft, for instance, or use viruses to make illegal payments or to shut down devices.

A strong password is the first line of defense against hacking. By adding two-factor verification to websites such as social media and banking will increase your protection. Encrypting your hard disk is another simple method to prevent hackers from getting access to your private information even if you hack into your device. Also, ensure that your operating system, browsers, and other critical apps regularly updated. Most devices automatically download updates, which can eliminate software vulnerabilities that could otherwise allow hackers to access or steal data.

We live in a time in which we’re constantly connected with our computers, phones, and tablets. It’s tempting to relax and give away too much information online, but that’s the kind of information hackers are after. Avoid using public Wi-Fi for shopping and connecting to personal accounts. Also make sure you don’t keep your accounts open all the time.