Don’t Feel Bad: Even The FBI Struggles With Cybersecurity

Dealing with cybersecurity issues is something that you ignore at your peril. The web is a more dangerous place than ever before because more hackers are realizing that they can easily capture personal information and use it for their own ends.

Getting hacked is never a good feeling, especially if you run a business. Once you lose your account details to a third party, it’s almost impossible to retrieve them. Often, it requires a mass reset of all your personal information across all accounts and domains.

But you should take solace in the fact that even the FBI struggles with cybersecurity – an agency tasked with enforcing a lot of security policies!

Back in 2011, the FBI was the subject of a massive hacking attempt by a group run by Hector Monsegur called LulzSec. The breach took the agency’s website offline, effectively removing its public face from the internet. It was an incredible breach of security and proved that nobody is safe from hackers once they decide to target you. The FBI soon hit back and arrested the perpetrators. But it took them several months. And in the meantime, they didn’t know whether their digital assets were safe or not.

The episode highlights the importance of having clear InfoSec policies. It’s not enough to simply install a firewall or even get an MSP to take over your network. You need something more concrete and comprehensive. A proper strategy includes additional methods, such as testing whether you currently face any threats, watching for developments in the dark web, and using anti-phishing tactics to prevent email scams.

These methods apply just as much to private users as they do to major corporations. While companies usually have more to lose, hackers know that most private computer users are essentially clueless about the threats that are out there or how to defend themselves against them.

Just think about the chaos that lookalike domains cause. Hackers send phishing emails to unsuspecting victims containing what looks like a legitimate link to a website. The URL is identical to the real site, with perhaps just a single letter or number changed. The user doesn’t notice and proceeds to treat the new site like the real one, handing over passwords and bank account details in the process.

Hackers are also getting good at tracking people’s keystrokes. They’re then using the information they collect from this to discover passwords and log into customer accounts themselves.

So what can you do to fight back against all this?

The first strategy is to outsource your security arrangements to a third party. You’re never going to be able to monitor all threats yourself. But you might be able to with the help of a specialist agency.

The second approach is to start using more two-factor authentication to access your accounts. Where possible, don’t rely on a password, regardless of how complicated it is.

Finally, stop trying to remember all your passwords. Instead, use trusted password keepers instead.

Remember, if hackers can bring down the FBI, they should have no trouble targeting you.