As much as the PC security industry tries to stop it, there are still hacking attacks going on every day. In November of 2011, PC security firm Symantec claims there were nearly 100 targeted “cyberattacks” occurring per day. Unfortunately, based on data released so far in 2012, this trend is expected to continue throughout 2012.
What is a targeted cyberattack? Well, when a hacker wants to gain access to information, they often focus in on one weak leak in the chain. For example, even organizations with the most airtight PC security may have a few uneducated computer users. By emailing these users, or targeting them in other ways, hackers may be able to get their foot in the door of some of the world’s most protected computer servers.
Hackers are increasingly targeting human resource departments of major corporations. With access to nearly every employee in the system – as well as their sensitive personal information and other documents – the human resource department poses an attractive target to somebody with malicious intent. When the people working in human resources aren’t educated in PC safety, it can pose a serious risk to a corporation’s security.
In 2011, one of the most popular forms of attack was to email a worker in a major corporation. Attached to this email would be a virus (often in the form of a .rar file to mask its malicious nature). Even experienced PC users may have accidentally opened a malicious .rar file at some point, and once the computer is infected, it can bring down an entire network. Since many corporate emails are freely available online, hackers can target thousands of workers in just one sitting, increasing their chances of somebody taking the bait.
Every day on the news, there seems to be another story about how a major government organization or corporation was hacked, exposing hundreds of thousands of sensitive user documents. This tarnishes the reputation of any organization, and many people have been fired because of their inability to stop computer viruses from entering a protected server.
With individual attacks on the rise, PC users can no longer afford to rely on their company’s tech support to bail them out. Instead, you need to educate yourself on how to protect your computer. Whether they’re going after your company’s assets or your own personal identity, individual attacks are set to increase throughout 2012, and you need to do everything you can to prepare yourself for the onslaught.
Attacks against Mac users will increase in 2012 and beyond
Some of the biggest computer security news of the year has come from an unexpected source: Macs. Tech giant Apple has faced criticism from tech industry experts for the way it handled various security crises throughout the year, including the notorious Flashback virus that infected nearly one million Mac users before Apple was able to patch the security flaw (something that Windows and Linux had already done several months earlier).
Conclusion
Whether you own a Mac or a PC, there has never been a better time to download good antimalware software. PC optimization programs like PC Cleaner Pro can contribute heavily to your PC’s security, and most computer experts agree that a clean computer is a healthy one.
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