The Heartbleed bug was revealed in April, sending shockwaves across the internet and further bringing hacking into the public spotlight. This week, it was announced that Chinese hackers have exploited the bug and used it to steal the personal medical information of more than 4.5 million Americans.
Hacking began in the 1960s, largely as a way to create shortcuts and improve the operation of computer systems. Since then, it has evolved beyond all recognition. Some 378 million people fall victim to hacking each year, and criminals have used hack tactics to steal billions of dollars from banks and companies.
Hackers can use their skills to manipulate the real world. As demonstrated at this year’s Def Con, traffic lights and cars can be hacked. Medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps are also vulnerable to external attacks.
Worryingly, many people leave their devices open to hacking. A quarter of all users don’t use antivirus protection on their computers, and only 56% of people delete suspicious emails from their mobile devices.
Featured Download: “How Hackers Are Using RATs To Infect Users With Ease”
The team at SSLs.com are dedicated to internet security. They have put together an infographic detailing the history of hacking, from early attempts at MIT to the wide-scale exploits of LulzSec and Anonymous.
By John Philips, SSLs.com
About SSLs.com
SLLs.com are a reseller of SSL certificates from the likes of GeoTrust, Comodo, and Symantec. Its teams pick and choose only the best and most trusted providers and bring them to customers at the lowest prices in the industry. SSLs.com also provides their customers with a fast and easy process from selection to checkout.
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