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top-level-3" data-column-size='0'><a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/security-tips">Security Tips</a> </li> <li id='menu-item-1591' class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page top-level-4" data-column-size='0'><a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/reporting">Reporting Cybercrime</a> </li> </ul>   <div class="search-bar"> <form action="https://cybercrime.org.za//" method="get" class="showtextback" id="menu_search"> <fieldset> <input type="text" class="search_text showtextback" name="s" id="menu_search_field" value="Search" /> <div class="icon-search-1"></div> </fieldset> </form> </div>  </nav> </div></div>  </header>  <div class="content_holder"> <section class="top_content clearfix"><section class="info_bar clearfix "><section class="heading"><h2>Data Theft Definition</h2></section> </section></section> <div class="content_second_background"> <div class="content_area clearfix"> <section class="content_block_background"> <section id="row-128" class="content_block clearfix"> <section id="post-128" class="content right post-128 page type-page status-publish hentry" > <div class="row"> <p>The unauthorized taking or interception of computer-based information</p> <p>Data theft is the act of stealing computer-based information from an unknowing victim with the intent of compromising privacy or obtaining confidential information. Data theft is increasingly a problem for individual computer users, as well as big corporate firms.</p> <p>There is more than one way to steal data. Some popular methods are listed below:</p> <ul> <li>E-commerce: You should make sure that your data is safe from prying eyes when you sell or buy things on the Web. Carelessness can lead to leaking your private account information.</li> <li>Password cracking: Intruders can access your machine and get valuable data if it is not password-protected or its password can be easily decoded (weak password).</li> <li>Eavesdropping: Data sent on insecure lines can be wiretapped and recorded. If no encryption mechanism is used, there is a good chance of losing your password and other private information to the eavesdropper.</li> <li>Laptop theft: Increasingly incidents of laptop theft from corporate firms occur with the valuable information stored in the laptop being sold to competitors. Carelessness and lack of laptop data encryption can lead to major losses for the firm.</li> </ul> <p>View the list of <a href="https://kge.nfa.temporary.site/website_ecc8e9fd/local-resources/">Local Resources</a> that can assist Internet users in South Africa.</p> </div> </section>  <section class="sidebar left sticky "> <div class="widget_text box box_layout clearfix column_class widget widget_custom_html"><div class="caption"><h3 class="featured_article_title">Glossary of Terms</h3></div><div class="space margin-b20"></div><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget"><a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/adware/" id="link-60" class="track_this_link " title="Adware">Adware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/botnet/" id="link-61" class="track_this_link " title="Botnet">Botnet</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/cracking/" id="link-62" class="track_this_link " title="Cracking">Cracking</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/crimeware/" id="link-63" class="track_this_link " title="Crimeware">Crimeware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/cyberbullying/" id="link-64" class="track_this_link " title="Cyberbullying">Cyberbullying</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/definition" id="link-216" class="track_this_link " title="Cybercrime">Cybercrime</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/cyberstalking/" id="link-65" class="track_this_link " title="Cyberstalking">Cyberstalking</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/cyberterrorism/" id="link-66" class="track_this_link " title="Cyberterrorism">Cyberterrorism</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/data-theft/" id="link-67" class="track_this_link " title="Data-Theft">Data-Theft</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/dos-attack/" id="link-68" class="track_this_link " title="DoS-Attack">DoS-Attack</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/hacking/" id="link-69" class="track_this_link " title="Hacking">Hacking</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/hoax-email/" id="link-70" class="track_this_link " title="Hoax-Email">Hoax-Email</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/identity-theft/" id="link-71" class="track_this_link " title="Identity-Theft">Identity-Theft</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/keylogging/" id="link-72" class="track_this_link " title="Keylogging">Keylogging</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/madware" id="link-201" class="track_this_link " title="Madware">Madware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/malware/" id="link-73" class="track_this_link " title="Malware">Malware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/pharming/" id="link-74" class="track_this_link " title="Pharming">Pharming</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/phishing/" id="link-75" class="track_this_link " title="Phishing">Phishing</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/ransomware" id="link-200" class="track_this_link " title="Ransomware">Ransomware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/scareware/" id="link-166" class="track_this_link " title="Scareware">Scareware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/smishing" id="link-202" class="track_this_link " title="Smishing">Smishing</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/social-engineering/" id="link-76" class="track_this_link " title="Social-Engineering">Social-Engineering</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/spam/" id="link-77" class="track_this_link " title="Spam">Spam</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/spyware/" id="link-78" class="track_this_link " title="Spyware">Spyware</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/trojan/" id="link-79" class="track_this_link " title="Trojan">Trojan</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/virus/" id="link-80" class="track_this_link " title="Virus">Virus</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/vishing/" id="link-81" class="track_this_link " title="Vishing">Vishing</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/website-defacement/" id="link-159" class="track_this_link " title="Website-Defacement">Website-Defacement</a> <a href="https://cybercrime.org.za/worm/" id="link-82" class="track_this_link " title="Worm">Worm</a></div></div> </section> </section> </section> </div> <div class="content_footer footer_widgets_holder"><section class="footer_widgets clearfix"><div class="row clearfix footer_widgets_row"><div id="footer-column-1" class="box two"><div class="box one footer clearfix widget widget_text"> <div class="textwidget"><a href="http://iscafrica.net" target="_blank"><img src="https://cybercrime.org.za/images/isc-logo.png"></a></div> </div></div><div id="footer-column-2" class="box two"><div class="box one footer clearfix widget widget_text"> <div class="textwidget"><strong>Cybercrime.org.za</strong> is an awareness portal intended for informational purposes. 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