While average consumers have a few options available to them if they want to stop malicious third parties stealing their data or interfering with their ability to carry out safe shopping online, most would also remain relatively low on the priority list of any potential hacker. However, those who live their lives in the public eye have regularly been targeted by often successful attempts to bypass security by cybercriminals, and now it seems that plenty of famous faces are willing to pay significant sums to stop such events occurring.

The Financial Times reports that a growing number of influential individuals are splashing out plenty of cash in an effort to bolster the levels of protection that are afforded them in the digital realm. This latest spate of attention being focused on cyber security for the rich and famous comes about after claims that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had his iPhone compromised, exposing sensitive information to the attackers.

These preventative measures may be expensive, but they are seen as a price worth paying by those with the means to pay the money, since recovering from a leak is costly in its own right.

Bezos was apparently targeted through the use of messages sent via WhatsApp, although this is far from the only back door to portable devices that can be exploited. Phishing messages sent via email, infected app downloads and of course phoney websites are all legitimate tactics that are still widely used by the cybercriminal fraternity today.

It is worth noting that while celebrities may be more prone to direct attacks of this nature, people who are not in the public eye can still be subjected to similar attacks, which means that vigilance from every individual with a presence on the web is essential.