We've all got our own ideas of what hackers look like or how they behave. These opinions are influenced by the TV shows and films we watch, the news stories we read or even the people we follow on social media.

Maybe, to you, hackers are like something from The Matrix. Maybe they’re justice seekers in the same way that Anonymous portray themselves. But I'm no Neo - I'm like you. I'm a regular lad who goes to the pub, likes football and things like that. However, I'm one of thousands; a bedroom hacker who can steal your identity in an instant.

Bet you’re wondering how I do it? Well, I’m not going to tell you the exact details, but it’s certainly nothing like Mr Robot – it’s just me and my Macbook. Sounds a bit scary, right? Maybe you should be worried, I’m not sure. But what I do know is that it’s easier than you might think to beat people like me.

I remember when I first got into it all – I was going on forums and doing some modding. Some users on there were messing about with malware – malicious software. These guys were bragging, showing off about how they were making money from hacks. Five grand a week, some of them were saying – which sounded like crap. But it was an eye-opener and quickly got me interested.

It didn’t take long for me to find the sort of area to target, the online space where people are often most vulnerable: illegal torrent and streaming sites. Those ones you find on Google when you’re desperately looking for that thing you want to watch. These sites are teeming with all sorts of pop-ups or buttons that appear genuine. ‘Press play’, ‘open this to watch’ – you know, things that make you click.

You get home after work, want to watch a film that’s not on Netflix, or maybe have the lads around for the football although you don’t have Sky. You’d click on anything that gets you to that content, right? It might be a special browser plug-in to see the content.

‘Click’ – there’s your show or match. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened. But what you didn’t know is that the site you used allows users to submit links. And the link you just clicked was mine - so you just let me in. As soon as you went on that site and downloaded that plug-in, you opened the door and I was there waiting. Thanks for the invite.

Once the link was clicked, you didn’t realise it, but you downloaded my malware in the background. As soon it’s on your laptop your stuff becomes my stuff. I can do what I want: record your screen, turn on your webcam, capture your email address, bank details. And suddenly every website you go to has malicious links and advertising embedded in it.

I have access to all your photos (you’d best hope you don’t have any nudes!). Your darkest Facebook messages. I can steal your identity. I can become you. I’ll set up fake social media pages. Bank accounts. I’ll pretend to be you and make you say and do things you’d never do. You just got owned.

Should you stop going on illegal torrent and streaming sites? That’s not for me to say. You probably think you can spot what’s legit and what’s dodgy – but perhaps I’ve changed your opinion.

But there’s good news in all of this – you can get the better of me. Block me out, close that door. How? Well, proper anti-virus and security settings wouldn’t do any harm to begin with. Although what you might not know is that keeping your software and apps up to date will make a huge difference on closing any backdoors.

Your software and apps ask you to update them all the time, usually to fix bugs. It’s meant to fix weaknesses– the sort of weaknesses which mean people like me can attack your device and access all your private data. If you don’t update your software and apps, the weaknesses don’t get fixed.

Update, update and update again. If you don’t then I’ll be there ready to take advantage - you’re in a race to update before the hackers get you.

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If you have been affected by any of these issues, more information and support can be found here.