Beware of these 7 new hacker tricks -- and how to protect yourself

Following the huge wave of ransomware last year, there's now increasing reports of completely new tricks used by hackers and cybercriminals to gain access to computer systems, devices, and networks. Many of these tricks exploit existing vulnerabilities in applications and operating systems, but these perpetrators are also developing completely new approaches that combine technical procedures with social engineering to achieve their goals. To recap if you're unaware: social engineering is when a malicious person exploits you through helpfulness, trust, fear, or respect in an attempt to manipulate you into doing something. Examples of social engineering include: a work email purporting to come from your boss with a payment order for a large sum to a foreign account; a WhatsApp message from someone pretending to be your relative in need of money; or a phishing email that claims to be your bank asking you to click a link with scary consequences if you don't. Here are some of the latest scams and techniques used by criminals that you need to know about--and how you can protect yourself.