Stupid Ways People are Being Hacked!. Pasha Naserabadi

      

      Stupid Ways

      People are

      Being Hacked!

      Pasha Naserabadi

      Copyright 2017 © UAB Sestoji Planeta

      Antakalnio g. 17, Vilnius 10312

      Vilnius Techpark, Lithuania

      Special thanks to Hayley McKinney

      Published in eBook format by 6thplaneta

      Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com

      e-ISBN 978-609-95800-2-9

      DISCLAIMER

      All contents of this book are written for the purpose of users’ protection and any improper use is the reader’s responsibility.

      Attention

      Lack of Knowledge is Costly!

      To succeed in the field of business and industry, there is no choice left other than to take advantage of new information technology.

      Information technology disregards any borders in the International arena, and it is at the service of humankind all over the world.

      However, the same thing that can benefit humanity can also hurt it, unless users can get training that will make them aware of the dangers.

      In today’s world, a key part of progressing organizations is knowledge. Well-trained, knowledgeable employees can play an important role in the reduction of costs. In other words, a lack of knowledge will cost more than good training, especially in the arena of security.

      Statistics presented by police departments in many countries around the world show that computer crimes are increasing fast, and these crimes can affect you. 47% of the total cybercrimes in Iran were related to unauthorized withdrawals from people’s bank accounts.

      Cybercrimes in Germany rose to a record level in 2013 to 64,500 cases, but only one in four crimes are solved. In addition, police unions believe that as many as 90 percent of internet crimes go unreported.

      These statistics show that there is a necessity to remind users of the common practices of committing cyberspace crimes.

      This book presents some of the experiences in the area of cybercrime to reduce the number of victims.

      About the Author: The author has trained thousands of users in methods of protection against cyber dangers by having lectures in hundreds of corporations. He selected as Iran’s best young expert in IT for two years in a row during 2002 and 2003. Later in 2006, he won two world-class medals for presenting a plan for the “Modern Distance-Learning” in the field of innovations and inventions.

      Author’s Note

      I remember when I sat in front of a computer for the very first time.

      There was a mixture of curiosity and fear in me. I was curious because I was facing something that was unknown and supposed to be at our service, but I was fearful since I did not know much about this miracle of the century.

      It was my destiny to have a joyful but bumpy road after the initial curiosity and fear, which resulted in having so many fruitful experiences.

      During my professional activities, I have reached the conclusion that most computer users are not aware of cyber threats and the abilities of hackers. Therefore, smart employers decided to train their staff prior to any incidents happening.

      In fact, stored data is a valuable asset for computer users and any negligence on the part of management in regard to the security of computers is a shortcoming. The user’s ignorance of paying attention to some very simple rules of keeping safe their data will expose them to hackers.

      Even when they are protected by expensive hardware and software, they are still not safe enough. That is what prompted me to write this book. It is only the awareness of some of the points mentioned in this book that can prevent some of these breaches of cybersecurity.

      My priority in writing this book is to make sure that it is simple and easy to understand for all people, regardless of their age and academic backgrounds. I have also attempted to make sure that the information presented is short but comprehensive, allowing the reader to study it within a short time.

      Complete consideration of the points published in this book can very much protect the end-users against cyber threats. Therefore, we recommend that all the sections in this book are studied in the right order.

      Watching for new threats in cyberspace is necessary as are other recommendations.

      After reading this book, you will learn some simple points as to how to pay attention to cybersecurity, and realize that it is quite possible to prevent your personal information from being stolen.

      Pasha Naserabadi

      Introduction

      Imagine a life without computer and networks!

      In the world we live in, it is impossible to escape technology. Meanwhile, Information Technology (IT) is the foundation for today’s living.

      However, the same thing that can benefit us can also hurt us, unless we learn how to protect ourselves against cyber dangers.

      How dangerous can cyber threats be?

      Different aspects of using the internet and social networks have resulted in the replacement of traditional communication methods with electronic tools, which deliver mail, audio, images and documents in just a minute.

      Despite the many advantages of electronic services, they have also created new risks – including security threats against our information.

      Sometimes that information has priceless value and we never realize the value before losing them.

      Here, there is an opportunity to learn more about some of the security threats.

      Every day we read a lot of news about information having been stolen, including even top-secret political or financial information.

      According to the information revealed by Edward Snowden, a former employee of the CIA, a black budget of $52.6 billion was set aside for US spy operations just in 2013. Among the biggest priorities for the intelligence community, are “Offensive Cyber Operations” and research devoted to decoding encrypted communications.

      It shows the importance of cybersecurity indeed. In addition, a massive cyber war is going on in the world – aside from the spying tools surrounding us – which can be harmful in our lives and in business. Following are some incidents that can explain further.

      Some real incidents

      Snowden says Israel, U.S. Created Stuxnet Virus that Attacked Iran

      (Haaretz, 9 July 2013)

      Whistleblower Edward Snowden told a German magazine that Israel and the United States created the Stuxnet computer virus that destroyed nuclear centrifuges in Iran.

      Stuxnet in 2010 wrought havoc on equipment at Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant and complicated the manufacture of highly enriched uranium, which the West suspects is intended for making atomic weapons.

      The virus temporarily disabled 1,000 centrifuges being used by the Iranians to enrich uranium.