https://www.wired.com/story/zuorat-trojan-malware-hacking-routers/ AN UNUSUALLY ADVANCED hacking group has spent almost two years infecting a wide range of routers in North America and Europe with malware that takes full control of connected devices running Windows, macOS, and Linux, researchers reported on June 28.
Dang! It must be those guys, always redirecting my browser to the Hamster and the Hub! I'd better get a new router and throw out this one. ...On second thought... maybe keep it for a bit. See how everything goes...
Jokes aside, The hackers most likely are in to ransom and hijack systems. Many people our day do their banking on line etc It's devastating when a person finds out that their bank account was compromised, emptied. Or being blackmailed etc. Confidential data compromised etc.
My credit union would like me to bank on line. I told them I would, when I could click on "Withdraw $100" and five $20 bills would roll off my printer. i.e. never. For the very reasons you state. I have one credit card, with a fairly low limit, and I only use it for (infrequent) purchases on line. I pay it off every 30 days, through my Credit Union. They remit the payment electronically, immediately to the card company. The deal is - if the credit card is used fraudulently, the company eats the loss, as long as I've met certain obligations (not much) at my end. It's in my contract. And if thieves hack the Credit Union itself, (and there's no Credit Union info on my computer) my account balance is fully protected, to the last nickel. I sleep pretty well. And you can too, if you want to.
Also - I will never, never have another Windows-equipped computer in my house. I do have a 17-year-old Windows computer, for special uses and it is a lovely thing - but it has NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO THE INTERNET in its life. And it never will. That is why it and I have lasted so long.
