We often think of hackers as loners, but the reality is that cybercrime has become a sophisticated and collaborative ecosystem. Hackers have a variety of motivations, from the financial aspect to political motives. Knowing what hackers are after can help you to anticipate attacks and put in place security measures to protect your businesses.

Some hackers employ their skills secure deal-making to do good. They look for security holes and report them so that they can be repaired. White hat hackers are paid by their employers to carry out penetration tests. There are hackers who are more sinister such as those who use personal information to commit credit card fraud, identity theft or use viruses to make illegal payments or shut down devices.

A secure password is the first line of defense in the fight against hackers. Adding two-factor authentication to sites like banking and social media can further increase your protection. Encrypting your hard drive is another easy way to stop hackers from gaining access to your private data, even if they successfully get into your device. Update your operating system, browsers and important applications regularly. Most devices automatically download updates, which could eliminate software vulnerabilities that could otherwise allow hackers to access or steal data.

We live in an interconnected world which means that our smartphones, computers and tablets are always online. It’s tempting to let your guard down and divulge too much information online, but that’s exactly what hackers are looking for. Beware of shopping on public Wi-Fi and login to personal accounts. Also do not keep any account open for all time.