Hacking viruses are computer programs that can take personal information and remotely control a system. They typically spread via email and peer-to-peer networks as well as websites with downloadable content. You can prevent an attack from hackers by updating your software, avoiding downloading unreliable sources, and staying away unsecured networks.
Cybercriminals are able to hack viruses for all kinds of reasons. They might seek to infect computers with keystroke loggers, which record every word that a device user type, giving the perpetrator all the information they need to obtain their identity and gain access to bank accounts, credit card numbers and other important information. They could also use a compromised computer as part of a network called a botnet. It can be used to send out spam emails or launch attacks on other devices.
A virus can also be written in order to overtake a device’s functionality by changing the homepage, redirecting searches to a shady website or even replacing results of search engines. This kind of hacking can be termed a backdoor.
Hackers who were interested in finding low-tech ways to bypass secure telecommunications systems as well as expensive long distance calls were called phreaks. Phreak is a combination of the words phone and freak. The majority of people who are victims to viruses that hack computers today have nothing to do either with communications or in tinkering with technology. They are the unfortunate victims of hackers who exploit vulnerabilities in security systems built into them to steal sensitive personal data as well as disrupt others’ normal computer usage and cause financial damage to those they are targeting.
