How Are Cyber Crimes Committed? You Don’t Need The Dark Web

how-are-cyber-crimes-committed

Have you ever wondered how exactly a threat actor or cyber criminal gets access to your information? The truth is, it’s not as difficult as you think. Most of the data they need to target you for identity theft and other scams is already public information. We’ll think like a bad actor and walk you step by step through their process.

It starts with a news article. Let’s say Business Insider posts a list of the top jobs in tech, along with their annual salary. One of the jobs listed is VP of Public Policy for Facebook. You can find the name of the employee, Brian Rice, who holds that position on LinkedIn. So already you have a name, occupation, workplace and salary. 

Next, Whitepages.com lists two phone numbers and a home address for Brian Rice, along with the names and ages of several family members. Searching the address on Redfin reveals the estimated property value, the square footage, and photos of the home. And not just the street view, but photos of the interior and floor plans may be available if the realtor has forgotten to remove them once the house is sold. 

On to social media. If Brian Rice’s profile is public, you can learn all about his passions and interests, frequent location, and travel activities. There are photos of his children, and information about where they attend school. It’s easy to find the profiles of his wife, his mother, and other relatives, exposing even more personal data.

The exposure of your information to the public can lead to dire consequences. Bad actors can use this information for stalking, extortion and blackmail, home robbery, identity theft, credit card fraud, and other scams or criminal activity. It puts you, your children, your family, and your business at risk. 

Hush searches the web for your full digital footprint. All of the random data points that you would never think to look for–including audio, video, and photos–we find and eliminate them, reducing your digital footprint. Take control of your privacy, and take control of your life with Hush.

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