Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting a computer system or network from malicious attacks. It involves a wide range of practices and technologies like creating strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links, and backing up data.
Follow these cybersecurity tips to keep yourself safe online! A cyber attack occurs every 39 seconds, so it’s important to stay vigilant.
Create Strong Passwords
Weak passwords are a major factor that can lead to data breaches and cyberattacks. A cybercriminal only needs your password to gain access to your account and access your personal information, including financial information that can result in fraudulent charges or identity theft. Creating strong passwords is an easy way to reduce your risk and protect yourself against cyberattacks.
It’s common for people to reuse the same password across multiple accounts, or to use simple passwords like “1234” or “qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvb8rr,” which are easy for hackers to guess or hack. In addition, people often fail to change passwords after a data breach or cyberattack, leaving their account vulnerable for years to come.
Passwords are the key to protecting your sensitive information online, so it’s important to create ones that are both strong and memorable. Strong passwords are long and complex, include a mix of letters (both upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols, and don’t include personal information or common words. You can also try using special characters, like those used in “leet speak” by diehard gamers, to make your passwords even more secure.
A password manager can help you create, store, and remember your strong passwords. It’s a good idea to use one for your personal and business accounts, as it can prevent you from having to remember all of the different passwords that you need to stay safe online.
Don’t Click on Unsolicited Links or Attachments
As much as we try to avoid it, our careless clicks can lead to malware infections, ransomware and even phishing scams. These malicious attacks can put your personal and financial data at risk. If you’re shopping online, it’s best to avoid clicking on unsolicited links or attachments unless you know the sender and can verify that the contents are safe.
Many viruses, worms and spyware infect computers and devices via email attachments or web search links. Attackers will sometimes use shortened URLs or slight variations of real web addresses to make their malicious links look more legitimate. It’s always safer to retype the full address or, on iOS and Android phones, hover over the link to examine the destination before clicking.
In addition, it’s a good idea to keep your devices and apps up to date with the latest security patches. Also, consider using a VPN when shopping or browsing the internet to protect your connection and prevent cybercriminals from spying on your activities. A VPN encrypts your data, making it more difficult for hackers and data brokers to access your information. Lastly, try to limit the number of accounts you create and use. By reducing your digital footprint, you can reduce your chances of being targeted by hackers and other bad actors. It’s also a good idea to sign up for services with alternate email addresses, and only use your primary account for essential communications.
Don’t Share Sensitive Information
Cyber Security is the practice of implementing methods that protect data systems from attacks and unauthorized access. It involves ensuring that confidential information is kept private, data is stored safely and that sensitive data is not accessible to those without the appropriate credentials.
Whether you are shopping online or using a public Wi-Fi network, it is important not to share sensitive information with anyone. This includes passwords, bank account access and credit card details. You should only provide these types of information to sites that are secured by a trusted certificate, which will be indicated by an icon such as a padlock. If you’re unsure, contact the company directly to confirm their security practices.
Additionally, think twice before sharing personal information on social media. This could lead to identity theft or give hackers clues about your passwords or security questions. Also, always read and understand a website’s privacy policy before submitting any information.
The cybersecurity industry is growing rapidly, and hackers are constantly looking for ways to break into systems and steal information. Practicing basic Internet safety can help prevent these attacks from occurring and can save you money, time and stress in the future. We hope this guide will give you the tools you need to form cyber-safe habits and keep your personal and financial information safe.
Keep Your Devices Up-to-Date
Modern smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop PCs run a lot of software — from operating systems to programs for word processing and photo retouching. Many of these programs offer security patches, fixes and updates to close security holes that can be exploited by hackers. Keeping these programs up to date is one of the most important cyber safety tips you can follow, along with creating strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication wherever possible.
Besides closing security holes, software updates also improve the stability and functionality of devices and programs. They can include new features, fix bugs, increase program performance and more. They may also be necessary to ensure that older software works properly with new technology.
However, the most important reason to keep software and devices up to date is because they improve your overall security. Hackers and malware often target known vulnerabilities in outdated software. A simple patch could prevent attackers from stealing your private information or even infecting your device with a malicious virus.
For example, the recent Equifax data breach exposed the Social Security numbers, birth dates and home addresses of 143 million Americans. These details were accessed through a vulnerability in the credit reporting agency’s web application, which was not updated with the latest patch. Installing a comprehensive cybersecurity suite with parental controls is an excellent way to help kids stay safe online and protect your family’s digital privacy. The best cyber safety software programs also provide 24×7 customer support to assist with any issues you may have.
Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
The advent of public Wi-Fi has been a boon for working professionals. Whether you’re at a coffee shop, mall food court, or hotel room, it is now easy to connect and get to work. However, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these public networks are unsecure and can be susceptible to hackers.
Hackers can use tools like man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept communications between your device and the websites you visit. This can allow them to eavesdrop on your activity and steal information such as passwords and credit card numbers. They can even access your cookies, bite-sized packets of data that store things like login information.
Public networks are also vulnerable to malware, or malicious software. This can take the form of a virus, worm, or spyware, and is designed to harm devices and gather data.
It’s a good idea to avoid using these unsecured networks when shopping online, especially for anything that requires you to log in to a private account or enter personal information. Instead, consider using a VPN or your phone’s data connection, which is much more secure. Also, when you do go to a website on a public network, only fill out webforms that don’t require sensitive information. Check that the website is secured by looking for “HTTPS” in the address. And if you’re not sure, ask the site owner or check your browser’s security settings.
Use a VPN
Using a VPN for internet privacy is another essential step in keeping yourself safe from cybercriminals. In addition to taking other precautions such as installing up-to-date antivirus programs and avoiding public Wi-Fi networks, using a VPN can protect you from identity theft and other security breaches.
A VPN routes your internet connection through a server, which hides your IP address and scrambles any data that leaves your computer so it can’t be read by hackers. This makes it harder for anyone to spy on your browsing habits or steal your information, including your passwords and credit card details. A VPN will also help keep your connection secure by blocking malicious websites that use outdated encryption and preventing “man-in-the-middle” attacks from accessing your sensitive data.
Have you ever logged into your online bank account or paid your credit card bill in a hotel lobby or at a coffee shop on unsecure Wi-Fi? If so, then you’ve potentially exposed your personal and financial information to cybercriminals who can easily eavesdrop on these connections. Using a VPN on public Wi-Fi will ensure that your connection is encrypted and secure, which helps protect against cybercriminals who can eavesdrop on your browsing and steal your information. For this reason, it’s important to always use a VPN when shopping online. This can prevent you from becoming the next victim of a high-profile data breach and the resulting harm to your reputation.
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