In the United States, the scale of damage caused by cyber crime is reportedly increasing every year. According to the annual report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) under the FBI, the losses from cyber crime in the U.S. for the year 2023 amounted to approximately $12.5 billion (about 165 trillion won), which is a 22% increase compared to the previous year.

Major Types of Cyber Crime and Their Damages:

• Investment Fraud: In 2023, losses of approximately $4.57 billion were reported, making it the type of crime that caused the most significant damage.

• Business Email Compromise (BEC): Losses of about $2.9 billion were reported, with significant damage occurring through phishing emails targeting businesses.

• Tech Support Scam: Particularly, half of the victims were over the age of 60, and the overall scale of losses showed an increasing trend.

• Ransomware Attacks: In 2023, damages from ransomware increased by 74% compared to the previous year, with losses of approximately $59.6 million reported.

These statistics indicate that cyber criminals are continuously evolving their tactics, and both individuals and businesses are at risk of significant damage.

However, by adhering to basic security guidelines, substantial losses can be prevented. Here are some simple methods to follow.

Manage Your Passwords Carefully.
Avoid using easily guessable passwords (e.g., "123456" or "password"). Set complex and long passwords by combining uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Additionally, using the same password across multiple sites is risky. Set different passwords for each account, and if management is difficult, consider using a password management app.

Avoid Suspicious Emails and Links.
Emails like "Congratulations! You have won!" should be deleted immediately. Do not click on links from senders you are not sure about. If you have any doubts, it is safer to verify directly with the official website or customer service of the site.

Do Not Neglect Program Updates.
Do not ignore notifications to "update" and regularly update your programs. Updates include patches to defend against security vulnerabilities. Also, keeping your antivirus program up to date can block most malware in advance.

Be Cautious When Using Public Wi-Fi.
Do not enter sensitive information when using free Wi-Fi in cafes or airports. If you must use it, encrypt your data through a VPN. Public Wi-Fi is an environment that hackers easily target, so caution is necessary.

Regularly Back Up Important Data.
To prepare for attacks like ransomware, regularly back up your data to an external hard drive or cloud. Keeping backup files in a separate storage that is not connected to the internet is even safer.

Do Not Over-Share Personal Information.
Excessively sharing information such as birthdays, family photos, and current locations on social media can be exploited by criminals. Only post necessary information and limit the visibility to friends.

Act Immediately if You Fall Victim to Cyber Crime.
If you have been victimized, do not panic and report it immediately. Seek help from the police or relevant agencies (e.g., FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center). If financial damage has occurred, contact your bank or card company right away.