Privacy is essential for any person to have freedom. It allows anyone to control what information can be seen by the public. If big tech companies operated in there personal lives how they do with the privacy of other then they would be living in a glass house. This is a problem for many and is why so many people are getting their identity stolen and being impersonated online. A new day on the internet is a new day to get your passwords stolen and your accounts hacked. There are many ways to prevent your privacy being compromised. But how you do know when your passwords and emails are being sent around by known hackers. There are many ways this can be done.
What does it mean to have your privacy compromised?
When your privacy is compromised it means someone somewhere has access to information that you deem to be private. This information could be as little as your hair color. But each individual piece of information is a piece of a story that is your life and this how companies sell you things and how hackers are able to target your accounts. A hacker or a cybercriminal can use that personal information to open fraudulent credit cards accounts or make unauthorized purchases in your name. It can damage your credit score greatly leading to you not being able take any loans for a house or lease a car.
What does your compromised data contain?
- Personal identifying information (name, birthdate, Social Security number)
- Financial information (credit card numbers, bank account information)
- Login credentials (usernames, passwords)
- Social media account information (posts, messages, friends list)
- Health information (medical history, insurance information)
How Cybercriminals Use it Against You:
- Open fraudulent credit card accounts or make unauthorized purchases in your name
- Take out loans or apply for mortgages using your stolen identity
- Use your login credentials to access other accounts you have (such as email or bank accounts)
- Post fake messages or content on your social media accounts to embarrass or extort you
- Sell your personal information on the dark web to other cybercriminals for financial gain
- Conduct phishing attacks using your personal information to trick you into providing additional sensitive information
If you want to learn how to stay anonymous online heres an Article for you!
How do you know when your privacy has been compromised
The main way to find out if your data has been sent around the internet is by using the help of many private companies that scan the web for your details.
SurfShark
SurfShark uses web-scanning systems that looks for your credentials on any data bank that cybercriminal might have made public. Their main provided service is VPN’s which keep you anonymous online.
NordVPN
NordVPN is also a VPN service but provides constant and update to date web-scanning where they look for any emails that are paired with passwords and they notify you to change these passwords so your accounts don’t get compromised.
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