Library Home: Cyber Security: Cyber Crimes &Threats

Cyber Hygiene

Basic cyber hygiene prevents 99% of attacks (microsoft.com)
1.Enable multifactor authentication (MFA)
2. Apply Zero Trust principles
3. Implement software to detect and automatically block attacks
4. Keeping up to date (update operating system, drivers, browsers, etc.)
[And have multiple backups, in different formats, on and off site.]

FBI: Understand Common Crimes and Risks Online

Understand Common Crimes and Risks Online

Business email compromise (BEC) scams exploit the fact that so many of us rely on email to conduct business—both personal and professional—and it’s one of the most financially damaging online crimes.
Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information, like your Social Security number, and uses it to commit theft or fraud.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return.
Spoofing and phishing are schemes aimed at tricking you into providing sensitive information to scammers.
Online predators are a growing threat to young people.
More common crimes and scams

Cyber Threat Maps

EXAMPLE:

Cybercrime Scam Target: College Students

9 Scams for College Students to be Aware of as They Head Back to School (idwatchdog.com)

1) Scholarship and Financial Aid Scams

According to the National Credit Union Administration, scholarship and financial aid scams may involve:

Scammers calling to award a non-existent scholarship
Fraudulent scholarship websites that are set up to collect email addresses or other details for future scams
Financial aid services that charge well over $1,000 for actions that the student or his or her family can complete for free

2) Employment Scams
Some red flags for job scams are: offers that appear too good to be true, requests for upfront payment or personal information, a suspicious-looking email address or company website, or being asked to interview in an unusual location.

3) Imposter Scams/Identity Theft
Emotional or threatening calls should be disconnected. They try to scare you into doing something without thinking about it first. To make the scam seem even more realistic, the scammer may ‘spoof’ the incoming call, making it look like the call originated from a number the victim recognizes.

5) Nonexistent Apartments, Books, and Moving Services
Never agree to rent an apartment without seeing it both inside and outside and don’t make a deposit or pay rent over the phone.

6) Misleading Credit Card Offers
Protect Yourself By Doing your own research if you need a credit card, instead of responding to a solicitation.

7) Public Wi-Fi Scams
Avoid logging on to banking or other sensitive sites while on public Wi-Fi networks and, if possible, don’t visit any website on public Wi-Fi that requires you to enter your password.

8) Social Media Scams Protect Yourself By Only adding friends you actually know, limiting the amount of information you post online, and being cautious of invitations to “like” pages.

9) Blackmail
Don't do anything that family, friends or employers would find offensive, or you can expect it could have been documented.