How Cybercriminals Steal Data in 2023: Here’s what you need to know

The steal of data is a persistent and growing threat. Hackers use increasingly sophisticated techniques to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

In this article, we’ll explore the most advanced tactics currently used by hackers in 2023. The, we will bediscussing how individuals and businesses can better protect themselves against these evolving threats.

What is a black hat hacker?

Black hat hackers often start out as “script kiddies”. The term comes from English slang and applies to novices who are dedicated to exploiting security holes using tools they buy from others. Some of these novices have a boss who trains them in the hope that they will make him money.

More advanced black hat hackers are highly educated individuals. Many works in complex criminal organizations that in some ways resemble legitimate businesses. Some of these organizations provide collaboration tools for their employees and have contractual relationships with their customers.

Black Hat malware kits sold on the dark web sometimes include warranty and customer support numbers. Many black hat hackers have some specialty, such as phishing tools or remote access. These hackers often get their jobs and tasks through offers they find on forums or contacts on the dark web.

Some black hat hackers create and sell malicious tools themselves; others prefer to work under franchise or fixed-term contracts. There are few points of contact with “everyday” work life.

Although hacking has become an important espionage tool for governments, most of these hackers prefer to work alone or with criminal organizations that allow them to make easy money.

What is Fortra zero-day?

A zero-day vulnerability is a security vulnerability in a computer system or software that has not yet been discovered or fixed by the developers or manufacturers. This means that cybercriminals can exploit this vulnerability before a fix has been found. By allowing them to access data and systems that would normally be protected.

Companies that offer information security services, such as Oxeye, specialize in identifying and preventing zero-day vulnerabilities in their clients’ systems. They use vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and threat monitoring techniques to discover and mitigate these vulnerabilities. Hopefully before cybercriminals can exploit them.

It is important that companies take the possibility of zero-day vulnerabilities in their systems seriously and work with trusted security companies to protect their critical data and systems. Zero-day vulnerabilities can be very dangerous, as they can be exploited without users or companies realizing they are under attack.

How do attackers find these vulnerabilities and steal data?

Image of a laptop with a virus Cybercriminals spend a lot of time finding new ways to carry out attacks. For example by spending hours identifying possible bugs in the code of software, service, or website.

However, the internal structure of a website or application is very complex, and finding weaknesses in its code is an incredibly difficult task for a human.

 Let’s look at a step-by-step example of how a vulnerability is discovered from the moment a patch is created to fix it:

• A software manufacturer has just released an application for mobile devices that is quickly becoming a fad. Unbeknownst to them, the code behind the program contains a bug that leads to a null vulnerability.
• A group of cybercriminals, aware of the program’s recent popularity, launch a series of attacks against it to identify potential security flaws. Eventually, they find a vulnerability that allows access to the application code.
• Attackers write and execute code or a script to exploit the vulnerability and use it until it becomes available, i.e. until the developer installs a patch to fix it. As a result of the above, users start noticing bugs in the application and report their flaws to the manufacturer.
• The developers investigate and discover a vulnerability. They are quickly preparing an update to fix the vulnerability.

Once a vulnerability is discovered and fixed, it is no longer a zero-day vulnerability. Unfortunately, these types of security holes are not discovered immediately, and the consequences of cyber attacks can take days, weeks, or even years to become apparent.