Six seconds. This is the minimum time it takes to crack a bank card, according to researchers at Newcastle University. And an analysis made by NordVPN supports all this by teaching us that cracking a bank card is not that difficult.
The world-famous VPN explains through its study how the details of 4 million bank cards were cracked. These are available for sale on the dark web.
Brute Force Attack
For starters, if you think your bank details are safe on your card, you’re dead wrong. Now, it is no longer necessary to steal the cards themselves in order to use them on the Internet. It is possible to go and buy the details of a stolen card for around 10 euros on the dark web. And today, millions of hacked cards are available for sale.
How do they do ? Hackers who are after our bank cards mostly use brute force attacks. This consists of trying a myriad of combinations of numbers from automated software whose format is determined by the model of credit card that the hacker is trying to crack. The software can offer several thousand different combinations in one second. Since it is not looking for a specific person’s card, the chances of finding an existing card are high.
How to protect yourself?
After analyzing the method of credit card hackers, NordVPN has gathered statistics on the theft of bank data. VISA cards are most often hacked, and debit cards are more at risk because they are less well protected. Some countries are more exposed than others. Thus, Turkey and Australia have a high risk of thefts, while Russia and China have a lower risk.
NordVPN has also provided advice on how to avoid such attacks. First, it’s about staying vigilant: watch your spending. Use two-factor authentication, so that you receive an SMS or an e-mail for each transaction carried out online from your bank card. Finally, insure yourself against this type of fraud.
Source : NordVPN
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