EX-BLACKHAT HACKER REVEALS ALL

The UK has the largest amount of broadband users in Europe, so it’s no wonder that the UK is a massive target for hackers. If you aren’t scared, you should be: check out www.hellboundhackers.org to see a large community of hackers discussing the latest exploits and phishing scams. I grew up hacking into computers and now I work in computer security, so I know the dangers and the ways you can protect yourself.

 

USE DIFFERENT PASSWORDS

People who use the same password for everything fall victim to hackers every day; this is the most common way hackers break into your email / bank / website. If you’ve got user accounts online – be it a social networking site or forum – a dedicated hacker could get your password within minutes. If you’re smart and use different passwords for different accounts, the hacker will only have access to that account and can’t then jump straight into reading your emails.

 

USE ANTI-VIRUS

Viruses are getting more sophisticated in how they spread. They can now attach themselves to USB sticks and install onto your computer the moment you insert the stick. Make sure you have a virus scanner on your computer, and set it up to regularly scan.There are many virus scanners such as Norton or McAfee. AVG is a very popular free virus scanner.

 

FIREWALL

A firewall is vital to online security. It is a bit of software that monitors all connections in and out of your computer, and can block a hacker trying to access your computer. A firewall will also stop any malicious programs sending out your key strokes and bank details. Recommended firewalls are Norton, McAfee. AVG is a free alternative.

 

USE A SPYWARE SCANNER

Spyware is a type of program that hides on your computer and records every website you visit. It will then send this information off to marketing companies who use this to make adverts and pop-ups appear on your screen without your permission. Spyware can be installed secretly on your PC if you visit certain suspicious websites. Install a spyware scanner that can scan and remove unwanted spyware from your PC, such as Ad-Aware. To help combat spyware you could also not use Internet Explorer to browse the internet. Internet Explorer (IE) is notoriously bad at

security and is the most targeted internet browser by hackers and spyware, because of its wide use and poor security. I recommend installing a browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome; these browsers have far superior security to help combat spyware and hackers.

 

DON’T OPEN STRANGE ATTACHMENTS

Email attachments or files sent over AIM are a common way to infect your computer. As soon as you open these attachments, hackers have instant access to your computer and can then record every single key you type and website you visit. As tempting as is to click on a attachment called brad_pitt_naked.exe, chances are this is a virus or trojan waiting to infect your PC. Think before you open any attachment.

 

ALWAYS RUN UPDATES

Updates for your operating system usually auto-install, but sometimes you’ll need to tell them to run. These updates include bug fixes and security updates for your computer. Installing them makes you just that little bit safer.

 

LEAVE STRANGE EMAILS

The president of Uganda does not want to be your friend and does not want to give you millions of Ugandan dollars. Every month you can read about someone in the UK who has fallen for scams such as these and lost thousands of pounds as a result. If an email from a widowed billionaire seems too good to be true, it probably is. Leave it well alone.

 

STAY AWAY FROM WEBSITES THAT LOOK SUSPICIOUS

Never purchase from a suspicious website and be care on the websites you visit: a trip to the wrong website could result in your computer being infected with nasty hacker software. The Google search engine has a great system to check websites. If you visit a website through Google and they detect it’s a suspicious website, they will tell you before you visit it. The Firefox browser also has good detection for malicious websites.

 

ENCRYPT YOUR WI-FI NETWORK

Open access WiFi networks mean that if you’re connected, anyone in range could potentially be monitoring everything you do. All it takes is a hacker to download one of the many programs on the internet and then connect to the same network as you. They will then be able to monitor everything you do online, collect passwords, and read your emails. Encrypt your network by adding a WPA2 password. Remember: when you are on an open access public WiFi network, anything you do could be being monitored. Never do anything sensitive on a public network.

 

USE DIFFERENT PASSWORDS

Treat your password like your toothbrush: don’t let anyone else use it, and change it once every few months. Don’t hand it out to anyone, not even tech support. If they really need your password, then they will already have it.

DAN GOULDING
WRITER