Cyber criminals are stalking you in ways that you may not even be aware of.<\/p>\n
On his personal laptop, Khaled Sabha demonstrates how easy it is for a hacker to get into a laptop that isn\u2019t their own \u2013 without knowing the password. That\u2019s the main problem with internet security, said Sabha, a senior lecturer in 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s School of Information Studies. Hackers know a lot more about technology than the average user.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to scare people, but you need to learn the things you can do that will make you more secure online, said Sabha. \u201cIt\u2019s more urgent today than it was even five years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sabha, who earned his bachelor\u2019s in electrical engineering and master\u2019s in computer engineering at 51ÁÔÆæ, specializes in IT security, networking and programming. Before transitioning to education, he was a software engineer for QuadTech Inc.<\/p>\n
While you can\u2019t protect yourself 100%, he said, if you know how hacking works, then you can find ways to counter it. He breaks it down for us here.<\/p>\n
What are some common ways people compromise their data security online?<\/strong><\/p>\n You wouldn\u2019t leave your front door open all night when you could lock it, right? But that\u2019s what you\u2019re doing if you don\u2019t pay attention to basic internet security. So, I\u2019ll mention the top three risks internet users take when interacting online.<\/p>\n Hackers try to convince online users to give them access to their accounts by sending emails that appear to come from a legitimate institution like their bank or employer. With one simple click, users divulge sensitive data like passwords, usernames and credit card numbers.<\/p>\n Viruses and malware are other common kinds of attacks. It\u2019s very appealing for people to download apps and content from the internet and sometimes, that\u2019s the point of entry for viruses and malware that can expose your computer.<\/p>\n Internet users also are taking a risk by surfing on unsecure websites and networks \u2013 like websites with a domain beginning with \u201chttp:\u201d rather than \u201chttps:\u201d, or the public Wi-Fi at a coffeehouse. Even if you obtain a password for a network in a public place, that network is still public because hackers can get the password too.<\/p>\n Through a \u201cman-in-the-middle\u201d attack, hackers can intercept and read transmitted data that you\u2019re sending by pretending to be the victim\u2019s desired receiver. They can even capture log-ins and passwords without you knowing that you\u2019ve been breached.<\/p>\n What are some protection strategies for users?<\/strong><\/p>\n First, you need to be suspicious of the word \u201cfree\u201d before downloading a file to your system.<\/p>\n Then, arm yourself by learning the clues of fake emails and URL addresses. A fake or suspicious email will have misspellings. As a simple example, instead of using uwm.edu, scammers may use uwn.edu<\/em>. Another sign to watch for is when scammers add an extra character like an underscore to the URL. For example, instead of facebook.com, scammers may use facebook_.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n When you need to do work on your laptop in a public place, like an airport or coffeehouse, do not transmit sensitive data. You should also avoid money transactions on a laptop or other wireless device too. Use a wired desktop instead.<\/p>\n How has social media increased the security risks? <\/strong><\/p>\n Did you know that Facebook can take your public information available elsewhere on the web and apply it to your account? Suddenly, you\u2019re not just a generic user \u2013 your data is linked to your identity.<\/p>\n Facebook\u2019s \u201csingle sign on\u201d service makes logging in and creating accounts for apps, games and services easy. But when you use Facebook to log in, Facebook collects all the information you have given to those apps. And it gives those apps access to your data on Facebook. Worse, Facebook can give those apps access to the data of your friends\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 even if those friends haven’t downloaded the app or consented in any way.<\/p>\n What can you do about those platforms?<\/strong><\/p>\n There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of data you share with Facebook \u2014\u00a0including providing fake information in your profile, changing profile settings so that certain information displays only to you, and blocking apps from collecting your data entirely.<\/p>\n But you should also go online and delete information on third-party platforms where you \u201csign in\u201d with your Facebook credentials. Better yet, don\u2019t sign in to other apps using your Facebook account, even though it\u2019s convenient.<\/p>\n Why is the job market so large for those with cybersecurity and privacy skills?<\/strong><\/p>\n As intelligent systems proliferate, more and more security threats will appear. More companies will need to invest in skilled workers \u2013 and in professions that previously haven\u2019t needed to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You wouldn\u2019t leave your front door open all night when you could lock it. But many people do the equivalent with their internet security, says cybersecurity expert Khaled Sabha.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":836,"featured_media":72014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[142,139],"display_categories":[115,116],"related-coverage":[317],"uwmnews-feed":[347,165],"class_list":["post-72013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-computer-science-technology","section-science-technology","display_categories-top-story-secondary","display_categories-top-story-section","related-coverage-tech","uwmnews-feed-community-engagement-professions","uwmnews-feed-information-studies"],"yoast_head":"\n