Over the past 12 months, it is highly likely that you have heard the term ‘hacking’ in the news or somewhere across social media. With 2014 seeing big celebrities like Emma Watson having their most intimate photographs and personal information being capitalised on by malicious hackers along with thousands of credit card details being extracted and used by these code cracking ghosts, now is the time to really up the security and to try keep data (and your dignity) protected.
what is hacking?
The term ‘hacking’ has been coined as a way to describe the act of searching for weaknesses in a computer system and finding ways to exploit them. It requires a good knowledge of code and some statistical analysis techniques in order to exploit scripts and general information stored on a computer server. Many online hackers treat it all as a game, a code breaking challenge that becomes addictive and with every break through gives them better precedence within the online hacking elite. From noobs (new hackers) right through to the very top of the hacking hierarchy, they are not only practicing for fun.
who can be hacked?
Most annoyingly, anyone can be hacked. From an individual online profile to a multi-national company website, so hacking simply is something we cannot ignore.
The internet is a wonderful thing offering a rich stream of knowledge, self expression and freedom of speech. However if maliciously targeted by hackers, this knowledge can become demonised, self-expression can be objectified and freedom of speech can be manipulated. Never assume that your online identity is simply a virtual reality.
who are these people?
There are many different types of hackers. Ethical hackers (or white hats) are friends of web developers. They are the good guys. Usually working for large businesses they assist in locating potential worm holes in the back end coding of websites and identify ways to seal all entry. An ethical hacker may try to break into systems to source important information. For example in Second World War England, the Bletchley Park code breakers led by Alan Turing, worked tirelessly to develop a machine that could break the Enigma Code. These guys were ethical hackers employed by the government to break into an unauthorised system in order to protect the country.
Then theres non-ethical hackers (or black hats). These make up the common stereotype, illegal hacking communities who crack into websites for malicious or negative reasons are becoming what cybercrime writer Robert Moore describes as “the epitome of all that the public fears in a computer criminal.”
Then there’s the ‘hacktivists’ (or grey hats – which suggests merging the parameters of ethical and non-ethical) who sometimes use hacking as a force for good, other-times for bad. Perhaps these guys are the hack of all trades.
3 most common reasons for hackers to exploit websites
1.To gain information:
Pro hackers may find ways to extract personal information from websites. For example an ecommerce site may have a ‘pay now’ button. A non-ethical hacker may find a way to inject script to the server sending the users bank account details to their own server, so they can splurge all your cash. They may just want to hijack your websites traffic by gaining access to your user email accounts, or to gain access to paid for items. On the flip side, ethical hackers have managed to gain information about illegal happenings and dodgy dealings through hacking the websites and servers of suspected criminals.
2.To make a statement:
‘Hacktivists’ have been known to target servers and websites to store illicit materials and create loopholes for activist organisations. They can log onto government servers, litter them with links to their own websites or change the web content in order to promote ideas of free speech, human rights, and information ethics. Hacktivists have worked on a large scale against states in order to support pro-religious and anti-political groups, by creating undetectable ways for information exchange. When the Egyptian government attempted to hack down the Internet in the 2011 uprising, programmers developed a platform called Speak2Tweet that would allow Egyptians to post their breaking news on Twitter via voicemail despite Internet cuts. Google stated that this was developed in order to “keep the Egyptian citizens connected in the time of crisis.”
3.To learn:
Some hackers have been known to hack access to library journals and scholarly documents in order to learn more information surrounding a topic. These journals can often be password protected or have an expensive price tag so often hackers use their skills to gain knowledge.
How to avoid having your website hacked
In our previous blog, we offer advice about what to do if your WordPress site is hacked. But how can you maximise the protection of your site and avoid being hacked in the first place?
- Change your passwords regularly. If any of the following look recognisable to you, you are labelling yourself an easy target.
-password (however memorable, more guessable)
-password123
-hello
-hello123
-qwerty
-qwertyuiop
-your name
-company name
- Change your user name from the standard one offered. You are not author or admin, you are [insert name here].
- Work with reputable web developers and web designers. They can help you create secure your sites, supported by up-to-date software. Most website owners think that if their website gets hacked, it’s because their web hosting provider isn’t doing their job properly. However as a website owner you must ensure necessary steps to help secure safety. Although most web hosting companies will try to protect their servers and your website from hackers (obviously) it’s important to realize that the content in your account belongs to you. Using virus scans, securing your passwords and being aware of general protection and security issues is the best way to prevent your website from being hacked.
- Ensure you do regular software updates for your operating system and web browser. But always make sure you create back-ups of your website in case the update doesn’t support all of the content.
- Delete comments emails and private message from questionable or unknown sources. These can be laced with hidden hacks. It’s just like your mum used to say – don’t talk to strangers.
So hacking can be pesky, annoying and completely out of your control and with a subculture of hackers, messing around with code like it is some precarious online mathematical game we really shouldn’t expect it to disappear from our newsfeeds. So for now, try and stay protected. Understand that anyone can be hacked and although is it the bane of the lives of many a web developer, the key is avoid hacking where possible by being aware and alert to any unusual activity.
Here at reactive graphics we can help you to develop a secure website with all the preventable protocols in place. If you would like more information regarding the web services reactive graphics provide then please click here.
