Cybercrime has been one of the most damaging and deceptive crimes of the 21st century, with business email compromises, identity thefts and ransomware attacks unfortunately becoming commonplace. So, as we kick off National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, here are five startling facts about the crimewave taking place right behind your computer screen.
In 2020, More Than 465,000 Cyber Crimes Occurred
As reported in the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2020 report, this amounts to one successful cyberattack every 1.12 seconds. Most of these crimes (roughly 52%) were phishing scams, while extortion, personal data breaches and identity theft were the next most common cybercrimes.
600,000 Facebook Accounts are Compromised Daily
On Facebook, account compromises are usually caused by two processes. The first is ‘like-jacking’, which is where fake Facebook ‘like’ buttons on websites don’t have anything to do with Facebook and instead download malware. The other is ‘link-jacking’, when seemingly safe website links shared on Facebook redirect to malware-infected sites.
The FBI’s Most Wanted List Includes Cyber Criminals
In 2021, 90 individuals are currently listed as ‘Most Wanted’ due to cybercrime. Several of those listed are involved with foreign governments, including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Nigeria. Some of these crimes include Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States, Wire Fraud, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Identity Theft Has Multiple Variants
While identity thieves normally target personal finances and bank accounts, several new forms of fraud have begun to take form. Medical identity theft has recently emerged, with stolen healthcare information allowing thieves to charge medical care to your account and even change your medical records. Tax fraud has likewise been committed through identity theft, thieves using a victim’s identity to file and claim fraudulent tax returns.
Cybercrime Continues to Grow
Unfortunately, current trends indicate that cybercrime shows no sign of slowing. 2020 saw an exponential 41% increase of overall cybercrime from the previous year alone. The increasing popularity of remote work and remote learning has created an environment perfect for cybercrime scams.
Now more than ever do internet users need to be aware of the risks created by cybercriminals. Malware, viruses and computer worms could result in significant financial damage. Worried that your computer might already be infected with harmful software? Let the experts at Simplified Computers perform a thorough analysis and scrubbing of potential security threats.
And remember, no matter what, #BeCyberSmart!