THE CYBERCRIMINAL MIND
To the cybercriminal mind, 2 factors are key to their success – identity theft and making money. They will do almost anything to access your precious data and personal information. And the same applies to your business data and that of your employees. Typically, companies get scammed by fake ads, phishing emails, malicious downloads, and much more. Very often, it is human error that enables a hacker to achieve their MO. Remember, the cybercriminal mind is not kind.
FOR SALE ON THE DARK WEB
The actual net worth of data on the Dark Web fluctuates, depending on what a cybercriminal can do with it and how much of it there is. As a traded commodity, personal information is considered to be particularly valuable if one set of data can be linked to another account, enabling a hacker to truly have a field day moving from one account to another, stealing even more information.
THE MOST WANTED?
Some say that your credit card ranks as the ‘most wanted’ of all your data assets. With it, a cybercrook can easily go on a massive online shopping spree and you have to foot the bill. The thing is that genuine and secure e-commerce platforms are becoming much more resilient to cybercrime, using two-factor authentication and using text message OTP (One Time Password) checks. To get hold of your identity, trade it, and cash in, hackers are finding other accounts to steal.
DARK WEB PRICE INDEX
Stolen personal data is a major currency on the Dark Web. Cybercriminals access visit numerous message boards or forums on the Dark Web to barter or sell private information. Like any commodity, the more data they have, and the greater its value, the more money they stand to make. As determined by the Dark Web Price Index, here are 10 of the most valuable online accounts for cybercriminal activity:
| Account | Value |
| A hacked Facebook account | $65 |
| An Instagram account | $45 |
| A hacked Twitter account | $35 |
| A hacked Gmail account | $80 |
| A PayPal account with a $1,000 balance | $120 |
| Verified LocalBitcoins account | $350 |
| Blockchain.com verified account | $310 |
| 1 year Netflix subscription account | $44 |
| Adobe Creative Cloud annual account | $160 |
| eBay account with 1,000+ positive reviews | $1,000 |
While $65 for hacking a single Facebook account may seem like peanuts, cybercriminals don’t hack one account at the time, but 100s or 1,000s. How much are 1,000 Facebook accounts worth on the Dark Web? You do the math.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Here are some basic tips to keep cybercriminals at bay:
- Use strong passwords and change them frequently
- Use a password manager like LastPass to make your life easy
- Never sign into your social media profiles on a public computer or public Wi-Fi – hackers use keylogging and once your account is hacked, it’s hacked forever
- Use two-factor authentication (2FA) as often as possible
- Don’t click suspicious links on emails
- Don’t download suspicious content
Remember that your bank, or a genuine online retailer or supplier will never ever ask for your personal details or login credentials. Hackers do so don’t fall for the con.
LET ME HELP YOU BEAT THE CYBERCRIMINAL MIND
I have over 20 years experience in numerous IT functions from an operational perspective with a strong focus on risk mitigation and cybersecurity. Recently, I co-authored 2 books, Cybersecurity NOW and Adapt and Overcome, both focusing on the need for appropriate cybersecurity strategies in our increasingly digital world. If you need advice on the best cybersecurity practices for individuals or businesses, then I’m your man. Contact me here.