Types of Hacking

The word "hacking" is now frequently used to describe any kind of malicious online behavior. It's critical to realize that there are several hacking strategies, each with a specific goal. We'll talk about some of the most typical hacking techniques in this post.

• Social engineering: It is a type of hacking that use psychological deception to obtain access to private data or computer systems. It frequently entails tricking or influencing someone into disclosing private information or allowing access to systems. Social engineering attacks can take many forms. The goal of the attackers is to manipulate their victims into divulging confidential information or granting access to systems. A common social engineering tactic is phishing, which involves sending an email or a text message that appears to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or an online retailer [1]. The email or message will include a link that leads to a malicious website or download. Vishing is another form of social engineering attack. This involves calling a victim and claiming to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or an online retailer. The attacker will then try to deceive the victim into providing confidential information or granting access to systems. Social engineering attacks can also involve malicious links sent through social media or instant messaging. These links lead to malicious websites or downloads that contain malware, which can steal data or take control of the system [1].

• Brute Force: In a brute force attack, passwords or other authentication credentials are guessed by trial and error. The attacker can finally enter the system by persistently attempting various character combinations [1].

• DDoS Attack: A form of attack known as a distributed denial of service (DDoS) assault employs several computers to flood a targeted system with traffic. The intention is to send too many requests to the targeted system, resulting in a crash or unavailability [1].

• SQL Injection: SQL injection is a type of attack that targets vulnerable web applications. It involves inserting malicious code into a website's database, which can then be used to gain access to sensitive information or modify data [1]. 

• XSS: XSS stands for Cross-Site Scripting and is a type of security vulnerability in web applications [1]. It is a malicious code injection attack that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications, which can be used to steal sensitive information from users. XSS attacks are most commonly used to inject malicious JavaScript code into a vulnerable web page. It can be used to steal private information like passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal data. It can also be used to redirect users to malicious websites, launch denial of service attacks, or execute malicious code that compromises the security of the website.

These are just a few of the many types of hacking techniques used by attackers. It is important to be aware of the different types of threats and to take steps to protect yourself and your data from malicious cyber activity.

Publish date: 23 December 2022

References:

1. https://beta.openai.com/playground