What is digital identity theft, how it happens and how to protect yourself

The virtual identity theft it is an increasingly widespread threat, that It affects millions of victims every year. This crime, as indicated by the Department of Justice of the United Statesoccurs when an attacker “It gets and uses the personal data of another person illegally in a way that implies fraud or deception, generally for economic profit». The stolen data may include names, addresses, credit card numbers, access credentials and even official documents. The methods used by criminals are manifold: phishing, malware and also the so -called social engineering techniques. Once in possession of the information of a certain person, criminals can empty bank accounts, make illegal purchases or sell the data obtained in the Dark Web. The good news is that many of these threats can be prevented by adopting simple measures, such as use of robust passwords, the activation of two -factor authentication and prudence in sharing personal data online. Let’s see more in detail how the theft of identity online takes place and how to prevent it.

What is and how digital identity theft takes place

The digital identity is made up of all that information that allows you to identify a person uniquely. Among these data we mention name, surname, e-mail address, access credentials, credit card numbers and digitized documents. The theft of this information may have not indifferent economic, legal and psychological and psychological consequences on the victims.

Cybercriminals use different stratagems to obtain sensitive data: the phishingfor example, is based on sending e-mails or deceptive messages that imitate official communications (for example on behalf of banks and social security institutions) to convince you to provide your credentials, perhaps with the excuse of making the account safer or to prevent it from being deactivated for some reason.

Also the use of malicious softwarelike Keylogger and viruses, often used to capture account passwords, represents an effective criminal method to perpetrate online identity theft. Not to mention, then, of theinterception of data on the netespecially those who “travel” up Unprotected public wi-fi connectionswhich represents constant danger. Another technique is that ofsocial engineeringwho uses the personal information published on social networks to deceive the victims and convince you to reveal sensitive data (or sometimes pay money to the scammer), perhaps cultivating a sentimental relationship with the aim of scoring with his own criminal strategy.

In addition to the increasingly refined techniques used by cybercriminals, the situation of users’ bad habits worse. Among these we mention the use of weak password (like the notorious “123456”, which always at the top of the rankings of the worst more used passwords), the Navigation on unsafe sites and the Download of Pirate software.

How to protect yourself from online identity theft

For protect yourself from digital identity theftit is essential to take some security measures. These are mostly common sense behaviors that, however trivial may seem, are usually “snubbed” by seriously endangering their own safety online. Here, then, ours “Checklist” of advice so as not to be stolen the identity online.

  • First of all, Use complex and unique passwords for each accountpreferably managed through a password manager.
  • Always enable thetwo -factor authentication. This measure adds an additional level of security by requesting a temporary code in addition to the password. And while you are there, you prefer (where possible) the reception of the codes in the authentication apps, rather than via SMS, which are less sure.
  • If possible, Avoid sharing personal information on social networks: everything you put online can be potentially intercepted and used without your knowledge.
  • When you browse online, make sure the sites use the HTTPS protocolwhich guarantees a safe connection.
  • Regularly updated applications, operating systems and antivirussince updates contain security patches that correct vulnerability exploitable by hackers.
  • If possible, Avoid the use of public wi-fi networks: if you really have to resort to a connection of this type, use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to encrypt your data and prevent interceptions.
  • Do attention to e-mails or suspicious messages And never open attachments or links from unknown senders, especially if they are numbers with a foreign prefix.
  • If a website or service asks you for personal information, always check the authenticity of the request before providing your data and remember that institutions, banks, etc. They never ask for this type of information by phone.
  • Monitor your finances is essential to quickly identify any suspicious activities on your banking cones. For this reason, get used to regularly check the movements of your bank account and credit cards and, even more important, Activate notifications to receive notices on unauthorized transactions. If you notice suspicious operations, contact your bank immediately to report the incident.

Since being the victim of an online identity theft is, unfortunately, relatively simple, in the event that you are the victim of this computer crime, report immediately the incident to the competent authoritieslike the Postal Police, which will provide you with the instructions necessary to mitigate the damages as far as possible.