On the 6th of June, hackers broke into the computer systems of Electronic Art games and stole 780 GB of game data and source code belonging to their games. The data stolen included the source code to their game engine, Frostbite, and other software development tools that EA uses to develop their games.
The source code is likely to build hacks for the games and release cracked versions of the games once they are released. This is one of the major hacks that have happened in recent days and shows that any entity online can be the target of hackers. Hackers are not selective and will go for any target with something valuable to take for themselves.
The hackers that stole EA source code are also likely to dig deeper into the code to identify vulnerabilities and bugs that they can take advantage of. According to a report by an EA spokesperson, there was no player data stolen due to the hack, and the investigation is still ongoing.
However, the source code is likely to get used for malicious reasons, which is why a lot of investigation is taking place to ensure that the criminals are caught. Sadly, the game engine source code that was stolen is responsible for building many of the games that EA develops, and this is likely to be used to create hacks that will be sold to players and distributed on the dark web.
Today, we review some of the ways that you can keep yourself protected from hackers. Hackers use hazardous methods and techniques to get into information systems, databases, and past networks. When you stay protected from hackers, your online activity and data will be a lot safer and confidential. The hackers will not be able to access your data, and all your activity will be safe.
Whenever you use your devices, the tips that we discuss will be useful in helping you determine whether you are using the internet safely or not. Your internet use should also be protected by using some security measures to keep your connection private and encrypted. By following the proper security measures when using the internet, you will be safer from hackers, and your data will always be protected.
Enforce HTTPS for All Your Connections
HTTPS is a hypertext transmission protocol that has a secure layer included. As you use it, it keeps the connection between your device and the websites that you are connecting to safe and secure. Without HTTPS, your connection is not encrypted, and anyone that is monitoring your connection will be able to view the data in cleartext.
Ordinary connections that do not use the HTTPS protocol are less secure, and it is straightforward to see what is taking place between your browser and the website. Additionally, it is also much easier to intercept the connection and view the data without decrypting it. The use of cleartext is also risky for online security as hackers can see the data being passed between two communicating parties.
The connection will be set up and secured using HTTPS before any data can be passed through the connection. This means that the website will be contacted by your device and a secure connection set up. The two parties will decide on the encryption protocol they will use and their secret language of communication.
When the two have a secret code that cannot be understood by any other party that is currently communicating, then you can consider your connection to be safe and secure from all kinds of interceptions. The use of HTTPS ensures that you are on a secure connection before any communication can take place.
When using HTTPS, all the data has to be encrypted before it is transmitted. The encryption converts the data into a form that cannot be easily broken or deciphered by other parties. Only the sender and the receiver of the data will be able to understand what the data means. As such, the communication will be safe and secure, and you will not get your information stolen or leaked.
HTTPS is essential when entering usernames and passwords into the many web applications you interact with on the internet. Accessing your banking website, for instance, requires the use of HTTPS to ensure that all the information that is being shared with your bank does not get intercepted by hackers.
Whenever you are on a secured site, the lock icon on your browser’s address bar will stay locked, which means that you are on an encrypted connection. If you are not using HTTPS, the lock icon will be open, a sign of an encrypted connection. You can use this to ensure that you are on a safe connection whenever you visit a website.
When you touch or click on the icon, you will obtain more details about the state of the connection. You will also get to know who the signing authority is and the kind of encryption and safety protocols used for your current connection. This information is beneficial when you are not entirely sure about your safety while using the internet.
To make HTTPS a requirement for your browser, you can adjust your browser settings constantly to use HTTPS when communicating to websites and web applications. The use of encrypted connections is essential for protecting yourself from hackers, and you should always have HTTPS active whenever you are using the internet.
When you have enforced HTTPS to be consistently used for all the websites and connections you make on your browser, it becomes the default option. All the websites that you will visit will be forced to pass and receive data using HTTPS, which will ensure that you have a safer connection and a better usage of the internet.
Additionally, there are tools and applications that you can install on your device to enforce HTTPS connections to the internet. These applications are designed to encrypt all the data leaving your device and ensure that you have a safer use of the internet.
The applications will also monitor your connections for any signs of interception and detect man-in-the-middle attacks. Thankfully, these applications are being developed with the hackers in mind, and the features that are getting embedded into them are designed to keep out the hackers.
Enforcing HTTPS is one of the leading security measures that you can take to keep your online activity protected from hackers. It will also ensure that all the data you share with online applications and websites is safe and secure while in transit to the servers.
Whenever you are logging into a website, check for the lock icon as this will indicate that you are currently using HTTPS on the page and no information is going to the server in an unencrypted form. With this enforced, you will be a lot safer, and all your private and confidential activity on the internet will not be intercepted or deciphered by hackers.
Use VPNs
Whenever you are using public networks, a virtual private network is an encrypted tunnel used to hide your location and identity. Your IP address is hidden, and all your data is passed through a dedicated encrypted tunnel where it will be safe from hackers. All the encryption takes place in real-time and makes it possible for you to use public networks more safely.
The use of a VPN is encouraged when you are unsure about the safety of the network that you are on. For example, if you are in a free Wi-Fi area but are uncertain about your safety, the use of a VPN will ensure that your activity is safe from hackers. All kinds of external attacks will not be possible when you are on the VPN as the tunnel is encrypted and secure for all types of attacks that the hackers might try on you.
Third parties cannot track your online activity, including the websites you visit when using the VPN. The VPN application tunnels your data through a remote server. The remote server acts as your safe proxy, and all the data from the websites you are accessing are rerouted through this server.
As a result, your IP address does not get revealed to the websites you visit, making it harder for hackers to get into your online activity. In addition, the hackers cannot track you when you have a VPN server to disguise your location.
Additionally, if the websites that you visit have location restrictions for their services, the remote server will hide your IP address to bypass this restriction. The use of a VPN will enable your data and online activity to be safe and anonymous. The servers you visit using the VPN will only interact with the remote server through which you are tunneling your encrypted data. As such, they will not be able to hack your connection or obtain any information about your online activity.
When you use a VPN, even your ISP cannot determine the kind of websites you are visiting or what data is being transmitted on your connection. The VPN encrypts your connection as well as hiding your actual location. If you are visiting a website with demographic and geographic restrictions, the use of a VPN will ensure that you are not detected.
You will pass off a different geographic location as your IP address, giving you access to all the services offered on the website. Additionally, the VPN service provider does not keep a record of the activity that you do online, and even those who do cannot pass it to any third party.
As a result, you are assured that all your online activity is safe from tracking, and hackers cannot decipher what you are doing online. The use of an encrypted connection means that all your data will be secured, and it would take a very long time for the hackers to decrypt the data you are sending on the VPN.
If you regularly use public wi-fi networks, you should always reroute your connections through a VPN as there might be hackers on the network. Public networks are not safe and are a favorite playground for hackers who regularly keep track of them to steal information such as passwords and payment information from the unsuspecting users of the networks.
The use of a VPN will make your use of any public network a lot safer, as well as preventing and reducing the chances of hackers breaking into your system. Furthermore, all your online activity will be private and confidential whenever you are on a VPN network, which means that you will be able to stay safe from all online attacks as an internet user.
A good VPN service should be able to encrypt your location and IP address. It should also use encrypted protocols throughout the session that you have on the VPN. All your internet usage information, such as cookies and history, will need to be in an encrypted form to prevent tracking.
Third parties such as your ISP will not be able to access this information which means that your use of the internet will be safer and more private. The service should also be sensitive to any attempts at intrusion.
The VPN should terminate the connection and programs using it to ensure that the data is not affected or modified in any way. A kill switch for your connection will prove to be very valuable whenever you need to stay safe on the internet.
Another advantage of using a VPN is that you no longer have to use two-factor authentication for your online activity. Whenever you are logging into services that will enforce this form of authentication when you are in a different geographic location, the VPN will bypass this on your behalf.
You will also be able to access content that has geographical restrictions when you are using a VPN. This will be quite useful when you need to access websites that are only available in selected countries.
Use Firewall Applications
Firewalls are necessary for keeping your connection to the outside world safe and secure. The use of a firewall ensures that your connection is safe and secure. It also controls and monitors the traffic passing over your network to ensure that hackers do not easily get into your network without getting detected.
The use of a firewall is essential when you are on your private network. When you have a firewall protecting the network, the hackers will not access your network. In addition, the firewall will restrict and block their IP addresses which is one of the best measures that can keep you protected from hackers.
Hackers are also known to spoof their traffic and IP addresses, but with an intelligent firewall, you will be able to keep your internet connection safe.
A firewall can be in hardware or software form. The hardware firewall is a device that protects your network by keeping track of the traffic that is passing through. With the monitoring, the device will block outsiders who do not have the authorization to use your network.
The firewall will also block any malicious software on the network and prevent it from infecting your computer. Your home network should have a firewall installed as this will act as the first line of defense against hackers.
When you have a firewall on your network, all the traffic will be safely monitored and controlled to ensure that the hackers do not establish a way of getting past your network. In addition, the hackers will not monitor your internal network as the firewall will keep them outside your network, and all your internet usage activity will be safe and secure.
When you have a firewall to keep your network safe, you will be in a better position to ensure that hackers are always kept where they belong, outside your network. The use of a firewall will also improve your network security by monitoring the IP addresses that attempt to connect with your network.
When hackers try to get into your network, they will not be able to get past the firewall as their IP addresses are already on the blocklist that is maintained by the firewall. The firewall will also determine the kind of traffic that is allowed on your network and what is not allowed. With the firewall, your network will be a lot safer, and you will prevent hackers from attempting your network.
Any attempts by malicious individuals to get on your network are monitored by the firewall, which ensures that unwanted traffic and traffic that originates from unknown sources is blocked at all times. With the firewall in place, you will be in a position to keep all your connections safe and the hackers outside your network.
The operating system on your computer usually comes with a firewall pre-installed, and you should ensure that you activate it to ensure that it serves its purpose. The use of a firewall on your computer will keep out all kinds of unwanted software and traffic that the hackers might be using to probe your system and try to infect your computer and devices whenever you have a firewall on your computer. You should also take steps to update it all the time.
Regular updates are required on your computer as they keep the software that you are using current and patched up with all fixes to vulnerabilities, bugs, and weaknesses that hackers might have used in the past to take advantage of your system. Hackers are very likely to use the same vulnerabilities and access points to get back into a network they had hacked in the past.
With an intelligent firewall and a network filtering solution, all these connections will be blocked. The updates will ensure that all the bugs have been fixed and your firewall does not behave erratically. Your firewall will function better when it is regularly updated, and this will ensure that all your data and online activity is kept safe.
Firewall applications should also be given unrestricted access to your networks and the operating system. To get the best out of the firewall, you should run it as an administrator. This will not only ensure that you are getting the best features from your firewall, but it will also make the firewall more effective.
Running the firewall in privilege mode will ensure that it has access to deeper network functions and better monitor its traffic. When you have the firewall regularly updated, you will also keep up with the new tricks that hackers are developing to take advantage of firewall features.
Additionally, ensure that you configure your firewall correctly to keep it monitoring your network. You can specify the restrictions that you need your firewall to have, such as the security level you want for your network. When you have made these settings, you will allow some websites that you use regularly and restrict the others.
With the firewalls, your internet use will be safe, and your network will not be accessible to hackers and other malicious individuals.
Change your Default Router Configuration
Your router in its default configuration is the most dangerous thing that you can have on your network. The default configurations are easily accessible to hackers, and they can use this information to access your router and install malware on it. For instance, the username and password on your router should be changed to ensure that hackers do not have an easy time guessing default information.
Additionally, it would be best if you also changed the default access point name on your router. This will ensure that as an owner of the network, you will take back charge of your network and secure it better.
When you are resetting the information on your router configuration, ensure that you upgrade the password to harder for the hackers to guess. When you do this, you will be able to keep your network safer in addition to securing your router.
Hackers are not always interested in the devices that you use to connect to the internet. In some cases, they will be looking for ways to take advantage of your network devices. When the hacker has access to a network device, they can easily monitor the data that is passing on your network.
Ensure that your network devices are regularly updated to ensure that you are using the latest version of the device driver. Installing new driver software on your network devices will get you the latest patches from the device manufacture. These patches contain the latest ways of protecting your network from hackers and keeping your device working correctly.
Security updates included with the patches are especially useful as they prevent your network from being broken into by hackers. Updated device drivers will also improve the performance of your network device, enabling you to use the internet better while keeping your connection protected.
For example, the hackers will have a more challenging time breaking into a router with the latest driver software. Additionally, the use of the newest software enables you to have an easier run of the network.
Getting to change your router configuration also puts you in control over your network. You get to decide what your Wi-Fi will be known as by changing the SSID of the network. In addition, you will also get to change the password to one that only you know. With a new password, your local wireless network will only be accessible to your control devices.
External devices will not be able to connect to your wireless network. The hackers driving around sniffing for networks that they can hack into will also have a difficult time breaking into your network when you have a stronger Wi-Fi password. Wardriving is a technique used by hackers to identify as many networks as possible by driving around with a laptop.
In your neighborhood, the hacker will locate as many wireless networks as possible and attempt to hack into some of them. When you have a strong password for your wireless network, the hackers will skip your network and move on to networks that still have the default authentication information.
Upgrade your Security Standards
Hackers are known to take advantage of people that do not pay attention to their security measures. If you do not have any of the above security measures for your network, the hackers will likely break into your network and wreak havoc on your devices. However, when you improve your networks, you will be creating a barrier that the hackers cannot break.
For instance, installing a firewall on your network will ensure that the hackers do not have a way of getting into your network. The use of default measures can also be eliminated and stepped up by changing all the default settings on your wireless networks and other network devices.
Your applications should be set to update automatically. Whenever the software vendor releases some new updates and patches, your applications should automatically update themselves. The regular updating of the applications that you use on your device will also enable you to protect yourself from hackers better.
The hackers are known to use unfixed bugs to get into your networks and take over your applications. Whenever you have more robust security mechanisms in place on your network and your devices, the hackers will no longer consider you a target of interest. Furthermore, they will not make you a victim of their attacks as you will already have put up a good defense against their attacks.
Your security standards should also include the kind of passwords you set for your computer, networks, and online accounts. When you have strong passwords keeping your digital assets safe, you will keep the hackers away from you. The use of strong passwords also makes it possible for you to keep your information protected.
Whenever you resort to using complex passwords for your online accounts, the hackers will not be able to brute-force their way inside. Remember, you are the one that can be placed in charge of your security, and anything that you do can determine whether the hackers will be able to hack your systems.
Give the hackers a more challenging time by improving the security defenses that you put up for them. The hackers will give up easily when you have several layers of security such as a firewall, a VPN, and antivirus software to prevent them from downloading infected files. When you have several protection mechanisms, the hackers will not be able to infect your devices, and they will also not be able to detect what kind of data is passing between your devices and the websites you visit.
The use of more robust security mechanisms will also be a way of keeping the hackers away from your network. The upgrade will also make you more aware of your security, and you will be able to develop habits that will result in better security.
Delete Spam and Suspicious Emails
Emails are one of the ways that hackers can use to send you links to click on. Phishing attacks are made through an email campaign that sends suspicious emails to the target victims. Whenever the user of the email clicks on the link that has been provided in their email, they will be led to a website that will be used to steal their information.
The website will appear like the website described in the email message, which will be used to trick the reader into entering their personal information. For instance, the phishing email might appear to be a critical email from the bank asking the user to confirm their security details in light of a recent intrusion into the banking systems.
The reader, concerned about the security of their online banking account, will immediately click on the link and enter their security and verification details in the website that they are led to. The hacker will patiently wait for this information and use it to enter the genuine websites that the users visit when they need to do their online banking.
With this information, the hackers will access the bank accounts of their unsuspecting victims and make online purchases or transfer the money without them being aware. Email in phishing means that you have to be more careful when reading your email messages. The moment you open your email and find emails claiming to be very urgent, be sure to look at the sender’s address.
Hackers have been known to use familiar domain names to create emails that they send to their victims. However, you must be sure that you are getting the email from the correct party by looking at the signature on the email.
Additionally, you can scan the email using your firewall application or your antivirus application to ensure that you are getting an original email message from the right sender. If the email does not find anything wrong with the email and the links or attachments included, you can proceed to open the email message.
Otherwise, you should delete the email message if it has been flagged as suspicious. Additionally, regularly check your spam folder in your email application to ensure that all the spam messages are deleted. Deletion of spam is essential for keeping the unwanted files and attachments that hackers are sending.
Whenever you have spam messages accumulating in your email inbox, ensure that you take the time to clear them out. This will prevent the email from attracting more spam messages and keep your online activity more secure and safe.
All suspicious-looking email messages should be deleted immediately, and whenever your email scanner detects any unwanted files in the email attachments, you should ensure that you delete these messages. Leaving the email to lie around will cause you to open the message or download and open the attachment.
The attachment will, in turn, install unwanted software on your device and infect you with malware that can be used to control your device or do other harm. Your firewall and antivirus program will be responsible for keeping your email clean as well as alerting you when you have received suspicious emails.
Enabling email checking in these applications will be necessary to take advantage of the email checking and scanning features provided with the antivirus and firewall programs.
Only you Can Protect yourself from Hackers Best
When you are aware and conscious of your protection against hackers, you will take steps and necessary precautions to keep the hackers away. Protecting yourself from hackers starts with a change and upgrades your security habits, such as passwords and regular software updates. You should also scan your emails and change default details in the devices that you use on your network.
Installing a firewall will ensure that your network is safe from all kinds of harmful traffic, and whenever you use the internet regularly, you should use a VPN to encrypt all your traffic. There are a lot of benefits that you can enjoy in addition to a protected network.
For instance, VPN applications will get rid of geographical restrictions when you are accessing some websites. The use of a firewall will also act as your spam filter, and this will ensure that all spam messages are detected and deleted before they can even get into your email application.
By taking charge of your online security, you will be better equipped and aware of the state of your safety. You will be able to detect hackers much easier when you are aware of the security measures you have put in place for the hackers.
When you are fully mindful of the threat of the hackers and the potential loss that they can bring to your information systems, you will also be able to curb the efforts of the hackers and stop them before they can get more reckless with your information and applications.
Making an effort to protect yourself from hackers will also make you more aware of the available protection mechanisms. You will be able to identify better firewall applications and antivirus applications that you can use to safeguard your devices.
You will also discover better VPN applications that will offer you more features and better encryption whenever you are using the internet. Your cybersecurity knowledge will also be increased when you are personally responsible for your internet safety and keeping the hackers away from your information.
Conclusion
Hackers are malicious individuals that can cause a lot of harm to your information systems. Whenever you take measures to protect yourself from them, you will be able to secure your systems. Hackers are always interested in what you do when connected to the internet and are constantly hacking into networks.
They also monitor your internet usage activity to determine what they can steal from you. When the hacker knows the websites that you visit regularly, they will form a plan to steal the information from these websites. Hackers have also been known to install malware on your device to monitor your internet usage more efficiently.
VPN software, firewalls, stronger passwords, and regular updates are some of the security upgrades that can be done on your networks to ensure that the hackers do not have an idea of what you are doing. Whenever you take the necessary measures to protect yourself from hackers, you will also be restricting their access to your personal information.
With this in mind, you will get to stay safer on the internet. You will also avoid getting tracked and phished in email campaigns when you have firewall programs and antivirus software scanning and protecting your network.
The tips that have been discussed in this post will be pretty helpful in defending yourself against hackers. The hackers are always looking for victims that are not responsible for their safety, and when you have made the necessary upgrades, you will no longer be a person of interest to the hackers. You will also have set up more fathomable protection for your information and networks, which means that all your online activity will be undetected and untraceable.
Malware protection through firewalls will ensure that your devices do not get infected by the efforts of hackers, and you will also be able to keep your data clean and safe from infections. Please stay safe and protect yourself from hackers to avoid getting your data stolen, as it recently happened to Electronic Arts.
