It's scary to think you can be simply browsing the Internet when WHAM! a screen pops up out of nowhere claiming that you have been hijacked and will need to pay a bitcoin to free your computer. Unfortunately, ransomware like this is not uncommon. But now there's a new, more devastating virus that asks victims to pick other victims to replace them in order to get their computer information back safely.

The New Year is upon us, and with it comes a new batch of cyber threats. As advances are made in the world of technology, businesses anticipate changes that can make life more convenient. But, like snakes slithering into your home, cyber attackers also keep up with technological changes for their own nefarious ends.

As long as businesses host valuable data, cyber criminals will continue to bypass the security protocols meant to protect this data. The causes of security breaches range from device theft or loss, weak and stolen credentials, malware, and outdated systems that use ineffective security measures.

As long as there have been salesmen, there have been scammers trying to sell useless products. Traditionally the elderly have fallen prey to cold-call fraud, but now scam artists are getting tech-smart, and it's the younger generation of computer users who are falling for scams.

When it comes to protecting yourself and your business online, the type of authentication you use for logins, whether for business or for personal use, is vitally important. While many people understand that secure logins are crucial, the differences between the various security measures may be lost on many people.

The technology of crime is evolving, and criminals get smarter every day. But when technology proves too difficult to exploit, criminals resort to manipulating information from their targets via social engineering. This burgeoning field allows criminals to trick people into disclosing sensitive information such as passwords and bank information.

Everyone hates jargon. It’s ostracizing and off-putting, but somehow we just keep creating more and more of it. For those who have adopted an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” philosophy, we have just the list for you. Let’s take a look at some of the most relevant cybersecurity terms making the rounds today.

In 2012, cloud storage firm Dropbox was hacked with over two-thirds of its users’ details dumped all over the internet. While the company initially thought a collection of email addresses was the only thing stolen, it was wrong -- passwords had been compromised as well.

As the spectacle and competitive atmosphere of the Rio Olympic Games have drawn the world’s attention, hackers who use social engineering are inching closer to our private information. Although our systems may be prepared for the likes of malware and worms, social engineering is a different beast of its own.

A simple Google search of “ransomware” returns just over 9 million results. So, too, does a search for “Three Mile Island,” the location of the late-70’s Pennsylvania nuclear meltdown. And while we don’t mean to equate the near catastrophe of the latter to having your company’s data hijacked by computer hackers, ransomware can in many cases end in disaster for your business.