Are you worried about the safety of your house? Of course, everyone does.
After all, your home contains your money, belongings and other valuables.
In the same, you should be worried about your cyber security.
The ever increasing online services have not only made our life easier but also expose us to new kinds of threats. Online baking lets us do funds transfers or transactions at the comfort of our homes. But what if a malicious actor gets access to your online bank account?
Similarly, you can get a mail from someone posing as your bank or boss to ask for money. Or you might have heard that how viruses and other malware can harm your digital infrastructure.
Don’t worry! Here we have rounded up some key computer tips.
Update your software regularly
It is essential to keep critical software, such as the operating system, security applications, etc., up to date. A software update typically includes security patches and bug fixes and helps fix critical vulnerabilities that hackers could use to access your network.
- Always install the latest security updates for your devices.
- Enable automatic system updates.
- Make sure that the automatic security update is activated in the browsers.
- Make sure that the add-ons used in the browser are up to date.
Connect securely
Establishing a secure connection minimizes the possibility of cyber threats. Never connect your devices to public Wi-Fi without using a virtual private network (VPN). This ensures that the communication between your device and the VPN server is encrypted, making it difficult for an attacker to gain access.
Use multi-factor authentication
In the traditional authentication method, you must enter your username and password. With multi-factor authentication, an additional layer of security is added. You must enter an additional authentication method, such as a unique code, another password, or even a biometric, unique physical or behavioural characteristic.
Beware of social engineering:
Social engineering exploits human psychology to gain access rather than using infiltration techniques.
A classic example of social engineering is when an attacker impersonates someone from your organization’s IT department and attempts to collect sensitive details, such as your password and unique identification numbers.
Many attackers consider this method to be more effective than finding a security vulnerability since the chances of obtaining relevant and exploitable information are high.
Spear phishing tries to trick you into revealing confidential or financial information, your password, or sending money.
This social engineering strategy is just one reason this cybersecurity standard is emphasized: Never share your password with anyone in the organization.
Use antivirus and a firewall:
Antivirus is one of the most effective methods to prevent ransomware and other malicious programs from entering your devices and compromising your data. A firewall helps keep attackers and external threats at bay by denying entry to the network.
It acts as a checkpoint where traffic is examined to identify potential hackers, viruses, and other malicious entities. It is important to note that both antivirus and firewalls must be obtained from trusted vendors.
Manage passwords efficiently:
Password management is essential to protect your devices and prevent them from being compromised.
Although reusing the same password for different accounts makes it easier to manage passwords, the risk of being attacked increases.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when setting a password:
- Use an easy-to-use alphanumeric password, with uppercase, lowercase, and unique characters. For example, use your best friend’s name as your password, but replace the letters of the alphabet with special characters like @, $, etc.
- Never reuse a password.
- Try not to leave clues in public, such as putting a sticky note next to the keyboard, writing your passwords in your workbook, or giving other “clues” that can help an attacker figure out your password.
- Choose a password that is easy to remember but is at least eight characters long.
- Use a password management tool to generate unique passwords while resetting them.
- Reset your password and log out of all active devices before using it.