June 10, 2025

How to Protect Yourself and Your Business From These New Threats

Our current digital age has gifted us with many conveniences to make our lives easier and more efficient. However, that convenience has also made us more vulnerable to becoming victim to cyberattacks that have far-reaching impacts in our lives, especially as hackers are getting more creative and effective with ever-evolving technology, such as AI. There are many ways a bad actor can hack into your accounts that go beyond simple passwords and phishing emails. So, what are some lesser known, yet common ways they can break in? 

 

  1. Cookie Hijacking: Cookies are a small file that are stored on your devices that save your login sessions for websites you use. Most of us enjoy this convenience so much, we rarely even think of how it could be hacked. Cyber criminals, or better known as Cookie Monsters, can steal your cookies through bad links or unsecured networks, where they then impersonal you in order to gain access to your accounts and bypassing your passwords altogether. 
  1. Sim Swapping: Most of us who use 2FA rely on our cell phones as the secondary authenticator. However, hackers can actually swap a SIM by contacting your mobile provider and transferring your number to a new SIM card that they control. With this access, they can intercept all your 2FA codes and reset the passwords for your accounts.  
  1. Deepfake Technology: This is an increasingly used method in social engineering attacks, where hackers use AI to create realistic audio or video impersonations of other people, like a family member or trusted colleague. These fake messages will often seem so real that they make you think it is safe to share sensitive information with them.  
  1. Third-Party App Attacks: Most of us link our accounts with other third-party applications because it is so convenient. However, hackers commonly take advantage of vulnerabilities in those apps to gain access to your linked accounts. 

 

  1. Port-Out Fraud: This is similar to SIM swapping, but instead transfers your phone number to another service provider without your permission. Once hackers have access to your number this way, they can intercept messages and calls that give recovery codes to sensitive accounts.  

 

  1. Keylogging Malware: There are malicious programs out there than can record every one of your keystrokes. These programs get installed when a bad link is downloaded unknowingly. This gives hackers the ability to capture all your sensitive information, including your login credentials, with you even knowing.  

 

  1. AI Phishing: This is the next generation of phishing. In the past, phishing emails were often easy to spot with poor grammar and suspicious links. Now, AI powered tools make highly convincing campaigns that can be difficult to spot the real from the fake, even for the technologically discerning.  

 

Considering all these invasive possibilities, there are things you can do to better protect yourself and your business from becoming a victim. 

  1. Be sure to strengthen your methods of authentication for all your accounts. Go beyond simple text message MFA by using app-based authenticators or hardware security keys.  
  1. Regularly monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity.  
  1. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks, which are breeding grounds for attacks such as cookie-hijacking. Use a VPN when you must be on a public network.  
  1. Be discerning about which third-party apps you use. Look into the developer’s credibility and review what permissions you are giving them as a result of using their platform. Revoke any apps that you no longer use.  
  1. Educate yourself and your business team about phishing and other methods of cyber-attacks. Human error is the most common cause of an attack, so having a well-trained team who works together and implements best practices can make a huge difference. 
  1. Make sure you are regularly updating your software. Updates almost always include security patches that remove vulnerable areas on your devices.  
  1. Have a robust backup system for your data. A good rule to remember is the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies of your days on two different storage media with one copy stores offsite.  
  1. Use encrypted technology tools when sending sensitive data to others within and outside of your organization. 
  1. Call Tech Eagles today so that you can spend less of your time protecting your business and more of your time building your business! 

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