Cybercrime: The Most High-Profile Targets

Hackers have become increasingly more dangerous as cybercrime has continued to grow in scale, and sophistication. The targets of cyberattacks are not just everyday people anymore. Within the last few years alone, cybercrime targets have included Sony Pictures, Target, and even the United States government! Here’s what you should know about each of these large-scale intrusions:

Sony Pictures

In November of 2014, film production studio Sony Pictures was the victim of one of the largest corporate data breaches in history. Hackers obtained access to employee email correspondences, employee salaries, personal employee information, and copies of yet-to-be-released movies. The hackers even demanded that Sony not release The Interview, a controversial comedy film, in which Seth Rogen and James Franco plot to assassinate a North Korean dictator.

The United States

In 2015, a hack of the U.S. government’s computers exposed over 21 million people to potential security breaches. Among the information stolen were Social Security numbers, fingerprints, home addresses, and the financial details of people who had undergone government background checks since 2000.

Read More: How to Avoid Malware and Browse the Web Safely

Target

One of history’s greatest business cyberattacks was carried out on Target during the holiday season in 2013. In this unprecedented breach, hackers injected malware into Target’s online security system, and gained access to all of the credit card scanners in Target’s 1,797 U.S. locations. Whenever customers swiped their cards, the installed malware would record the credit card number, and retain the information on a hijacked Target server. Every single credit card used in a Target store during the 2013 holiday season was subjected to this cybercrime.

This attack was particularly jarring as Target has always prided itself on its state-of-the-art security technology. In the year prior to the attack, Target had partnered with a security software company called FireEye, a company funded by the CIA, and used by intelligence agencies worldwide.

Get Advanced Protection with PSafe

If cybercriminals can hack into the strongest databases out there, ranging from Target to the U.S. government itself, hacking into our smartphones is surely child’s play. Don’t take it for granted that you’ll never be the victim of cybercrime! Download PSafe TOTAL, and keep your smartphone protected. PSafe TOTAL’s antivirus software has the highest score in AV-testing, and is currently rated one of the best antivirus softwares for Android in the world.

With additional features like Applock, and antitheft, DFNDR lets you browse the Internet, share files, and shop online with peace of mind. Your phone contains a lot of vital information, including your credit cards, passwords, and more. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable. Download DFNDR today.