The worst has happened: You have been hacked. Maybe you downloaded an application from a third-party website and infected your device with malware; maybe you gave your login credentials to the wrong person on social media; or maybe someone pilfered your device and got into your accounts that way. Regardless, you can be almost certain that any data you have stored on your device and in your compromised web accounts has been seen and stolen by bad actors.

But — what is the hacker doing with all your data? Why should they care about your pictures of your last vacation or what your mom emails you about every week?

In the Information Age, data is extremely valuable. Cybercriminals have diverse motivations for attacking different targets, but once they have your data, here is what they are likely to do with it:

They Will Look for the Most Useful Information

Most of the data on your computer isn’t terribly useful to cybercriminals. Though you might cherish your adolescent poetry or the first chapters of your future novel, attackers don’t care much for the sentimental stuff. Instead, they will comb through your data looking for sensitive information they can use or sell. In particular, attackers will likely look for:

Names. Your name and the names of your closest loved ones (to include pets) are incredibly important. Not only are they critical for identifying who you are, but they are also typically components of security measures for your accounts, like passwords and security questions.

Birthdays. Your birthday helps to identify you, and as with names, birthdays of loved ones can function as security codes for various accounts or devices.

Banking info. Cybercriminals want to know what financial institutions you use, so they can try to gain access to your checking and savings accounts.

Social security numbers. Your social security number is as important to your identity as your name — if not more so. Some people save social security numbers on their devices to make them easier to find, but this also makes it easier for them to be stolen by cyber thieves.

Contact info. Cybercriminals might harass you through the mail or over the phone if they can access your home address and phone numbers.

They Will Steal Your Identity

Through cyberattack, criminals have enough information about you to steal your identity. Identity theft isn’t just a temporary dip in your credit score; it could be a lifelong battle to authenticate all sorts of information about yourself. You might struggle to find housing or employment due to illegal acts perpetrated by your identity thieves, or you might be subject to extra taxes due to the thieves’ financial activity. The cyberattackers themselves might become identity thieves, or, more likely, they will sell your data to criminals well-versed in this type of crime.

They Will Ransom Your Data Back to You

An increasing number of cyberattacks involve malware called ransomware, which hides or encrypts your data with a threat to delete it unless a ransom is paid. As enticing as it might be to pay whatever sum is requested by your hackers, you should resist the temptation and instead try to get back your data back in other ways. Paying the ransom probably won’t return your data, and it certainly incentivizes the criminals to continue attacking you and users like you.

They Will Do It Again and Again

Once a cybercriminal has access to your device, they won’t abandon that access easily. Just because you pay a ransom doesn’t mean the ransomware has disappeared from your device; often, malicious programs open up backdoors into your device and network, so criminals can attack you again and again over the course of years. You will need to install a trustworthy antivirus tool to eradicate any dangerous files and close the security gaps left on your device. You should also invest in internet security software, which will keep you away from corrupt websites and downloads into the future.

Your data isn’t just a jumble of incomprehensible zeros and ones — it is filled with all sorts of useful and valuable information. Now that you have a sense for what cyberattackers want, you can work harder to protect your data going forward.