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Scammers Post Ads For Hacking Services On Government Websites
A new wave of scammers is posting ads for hacking services on government websites. Representatives for three of the victims — Johns Creek, Georgia, the University of Washington and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — told TechCrunch that the ads were uploaded through a flaw in online forms or their content management systems.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is a crime when someone takes your personal information, such as your name or financial account number, and uses it illegally. This may include opening credit cards, bank accounts and loan applications in your name and using your information to file tax returns or steal government benefits.
Criminals often scour the internet or “dumpster dive” to find identifying information. They may also use social engineering tactics to obtain your personal information, such as posing as a trusted email service provider or retailer to obtain your password and access your accounts.
Some signs of identity theft or fraud include unexpected credit or debt collection calls, unfamiliar charges on your bank statements and medical bills for services you did not receive. It’s important to check your financial statements, credit reports and mail regularly and set up alerts on your accounts so you can quickly spot changes and act. Also, only enter sensitive information on Web sites that display a secure URL and encrypt the data you send.
Fraud
Fraud is any illegal trick used to obtain something that cannot be legally obtained by legitimate means. It includes robbery and other types of theft of money or property. It also includes a wide variety of other types of deception.
For example, fraudsters may try to obtain personal information such as your name or National Insurance number by pretending to be a government agency. Be wary of any site that asks you to provide this type of information and check to make sure they are legitimate.
Fraud is often committed by people who feel pressured to steal in order to meet their financial obligations. To be found guilty of fraud, prosecutors must prove the crime “beyond a reasonable doubt.” The punishment for this type of criminal offense often includes jail time, an order to pay restitution to the victim and monetary fines. Fraud can be a very serious crime and ACFE has dedicated much of its research to detecting and preventing it.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting devices, networks and services connected to the internet from hackers, malware and other malicious attacks. It also includes ensuring that those devices, networks and services can operate securely and reliably. Cybersecurity includes defense against phishing scams, ransomware attacks, identity theft and financial loss.
Gone are the days when hacking was depicted as an image of a hoodie-clad individual working alone in a blackout-shaded room. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry that uses advanced tools and technologies to attack organizations with greater sophistication and speed.
Hackers often target government websites because they have a high public profile. In addition, their websites may contain holes in the security systems that can be exploited. For example, the websites of the states of Colorado, Mississippi and Kentucky went down this week after a cyber attack by Russian-linked hacktivists. The websites have since been restored. The same hacktivist group claimed credit for a similar attack on Montenegro government sites.
Hackers
Hackers are a diverse group of people who use their skills to breach the security of digital devices and networks. They are generally categorized into two groups: black hat hackers and white hackers.
Black hat hackers hack with malicious intent: to steal information, damage systems, violate privacy, block network communication, and more. They typically employ social engineering and other manipulation techniques.
White hat hackers, on the other hand, hack to test or improve system security. They also work for companies through “bug bounty” programs, in which they report vulnerabilities and bugs in exchange for monetary compensation.
There are also gray hat hackers, who operate somewhere between black and white hats. These hackers can exploit a vulnerability without the owner’s permission, but they do so publicly to draw attention to the issue and possibly help prevent others from being hacked in the same way. They are often motivated by curiosity, money or ego. They are commonly called script kiddies and can be found online.
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