In recent years, we have experienced the rise of cybercrime, which, as we have commented on numerous occasions, aims to obtain both our personal information and our banking data and money.
It is clear that the motivation behind cyberattacks is economic, which is why they want to steal our banking passwords or scam us into handing over large amounts of money. But you may wonder why criminals want personal data such as our last names, phone numbers, or email addresses.
In the digital age we live in, every action we take online adds another piece to our digital identity. All these data that add up behind every click, like, or purchase to create our online profile are very valuable elements for cybercriminals who seek to take advantage of all this information.
That’s why the cybersecurity company ESET has compiled up to seven reasons why cybercriminals seek to steal personal information from users:
Financial Fraud
Our personal data is key to accessing our bank and other financial assets, so attackers try to store fragments of user information to impersonate that person and manipulate their accounts to empty them.
Identity Theft
Many times cybercriminals seek to use the identities of their victims to carry out fraudulent activities, not only against the person themselves, but also against others, damaging the victim’s reputation and potentially leading to legal problems.
Ransomware and Extortion
Information is power, and the more personal information they have about us, the more harm they can do especially when it comes to personal things or confidential information of our company.
Sale on the Dark Web
Many times cyber attackers do not steal from us to carry out frauds or extortions themselves, but their goal is to sell this information on the Dark Web, this way they expose themselves less and continue to make an economic profit.
Account Theft
In the same way they use this information to commit financial fraud or identity theft, this data can also be used to steal our accounts on online profiles, whether they are social networks or other platforms, with which they can subsequently carry out more impersonation attacks and the like.
Phishing Messages
Cybercriminals can use personal data to create convincing messages tailored to specific individuals or organizations to customize the messages to increase their credibility and success.
Corporate Espionage
This aspect is not only reserved for cybercriminals, but many companies and even states seek to obtain personal data to gain strategic advantages.
