Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — Many websites are promoting the hacking of bank accounts by offering special software that teach users how to break into them, Al-Hayat daily reported.
Some hackers on YouTube have volunteered to explain some of the hacking software, which many experts considered an invasion of privacy. They called upon the authorities to block such sites.
Dr. Fahad Al-Muhayya, information security specialist, said instances of bank accounts being hacked are continuing. He said there are two types of hackers, including those who upload videos on hacking methods.
The second type are hackers who encourage viewers to download software that they use to break into their targets’ computers. Hackers can utilize downloaded software to hack into bank accounts and obtain any other information they desire.
He noted that there is a great lack of awareness of such methods and said government and private bodies should educate their employees of the dangers of such practices.
Al-Muhayya said society should not learn how to hack so they themselves do not become victims.
He advised Internet users to periodically change their passwords and ensure they include numbers, letters, and special signs to make it much harder for hackers to crack.
He also advised users not to log into suspicious sites, click on unknown links, or download software from unknown sources.
He stressed that smart phones are also at risk at being hacked as they are in essence mini computers.
"There is special software hackers use to hack into smart phones," he said. Abdullah Al-Ahmadi, information security specialist, said spreading hacking software on the Internet is a crime.
He pointed out that promoters of such software in the Kingdom are few and they obtain such software from other sites.
Caspersky Labs, a Russian information security company, has published a report stating that hackers are devising new ways to hack into security systems.
Such software can collect financial data, and can actually perform financial transactions on behalf of the account holder.
In 2012, the company monitored more than 3.5 million attempts to hack into 896,000 computers in different parts of the world.
In addition, around 16 million electronic mail accounts were subjected to hacking in Germany last week, while Yahoo has announced that it monitored an organized hacking attack to steal the user names and passwords of its email users.
Yahoo pointed out that there was no evidence that such emails were compromised and asked its users to immediately change their passwords. In addition, Yahoo added that it is adding a second step in verifying its users that should increase protection of their accounts.
