Get to Know the Cybercriminal Hacking Your Website

The holiday season has begun and consumers are ready to shop. Retailers are stocking up on inventory, staffing for long hours and preparing for a busy quarter. As you go through your checklist to make sure your company is ready for the holidays, it’s crucial to double check your website’s security to ensure your business remains safe from cybercriminals.

Risk is High During this Time of Year

Last year, major retailers like Neiman Marcus, Sally Beauty, Michaels, Home Depot, Kmart and Staples all experienced data breaches. If you don’t think your eCommerce site is at risk, think again. There are several types of cybercriminals out there. Each type has a different motive and a different skill level. We’ve rounded up three types of hackers to keep an eye on during the holiday season…

Script Kiddies

Script Kiddies, also known as Skiddies, Skids or Script Bunnies, are considered to be entry-level attackers. They attempt to hack sites for fun without a particular motive. Typically, they use scripts or programs developed by others to attack computer systems and deface websites. The general consensus is that script kiddies lack the knowledge and expertise to write their own sophisticated programs or exploits. While Skiddies can range in age, more often than not the Script Kiddie hacking your site is a teenager.

Hacktivists

Hacktivists (“hacker” and “activist” combined) are hackers motivated by religious, political or social issues. These hackers attempt to break into your website with the intent of publicizing a specific act or cause. For example, a Hacktivist might deface your homepage to voice their opinion about a certain political issue. Often times, they’ll launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on websites of their choice to disrupt traffic. Hacktivists value free speech, and they’ll try to use your website as a form of expression.

Black Hat Professionals

Black Hat Professionals (also known as crackers or dark-side hackers) are hackers with extensive knowledge in computers. Their goal is to breach or bypass any form of website security. Black Hat hackers are constantly seeking ways to attack their targets. They are motivated by money and can cause major damage to your company by stealing financial information, compromising security systems and shutting down your website.

The general term “hacker” is typically used to describe a cybercriminal. Knowing and understanding the different types of hackers and their motives can be valuable when assessing your website’s risk. The more you know, the better prepared you can be. Steer clear of cybercriminals this holiday season. Give SiteLock a call at 855.378.6200 for a free website security consulting. We are available 24/7/365 to help.