Although the Internet has become a mass phenomenon, unfortunately, the level of cyber hygiene in the world is still not very high. Here are some helpful tips that can help you improve your cyber security.
The purpose of cybersecurity
Cyberspace is a relatively new area of people's lives, but the consequences of problems and "diseases" in cyberspace are transforming into very real problems in physical life: infection of personal items (smartphones, laptops, etc.), loss of personal data (in particular, from -for the theft of accounts in social networks), material values.
In today's technological world, people every day use many different devices to access the Internet, ranging from desktop computers to smartphones. This trend is actively used by scammers, so it is important to be able to protect yourself from any online threats.
Common recommendations to stay safe on the Internet
There are certain steps you can take to protect your online identity:
- Data encryption
Use encryption to exchange information and correspondence. For e-mail, this can be asymmetric PGP encryption, for which there are special programs, and for instant messengers, encrypted chats. This will ensure the privacy of your data if your computer, phone, or email account is hacked. Hackers will not be able to read your messages without the encryption key.
- Regular backups
Back up important documents to separate devices or secure cloud storage. Criminals often encrypt data on compromised devices beyond recovery. If you make backups, recovering affected systems is much easier.
- Use a VPN
When you connect to Wi-Fi in a public place (cafe, airport, hotel), you share the network with strangers. And if there is an attacker in it, he can intercept your data. Although the connection has become more secure now thanks to the spread of the HTTPS protocol, a VPN service still does not hurt. With it, you first connect to a virtual private network, and only then to the entire Internet – this gives an additional layer of protection.
- Use cloud solutions for storing data
Get an external drive or cloud storage space and store everything important there. Such services are provided by all major companies from Microsoft, Google, and Apple to Dropbox and manufacturers of smartphones and computers. In this case, a virtual data room is a perfect alternative for managing business data. Your peace of mind is worth it.
- Message filtering
The most common method of spreading viruses is by email. But messengers are also a source of danger. A stranger or an intruder from the contact of a friend who has been hacked can write to you. Never open attachments in suspicious messenger messages, emails from unknown senders, especially with hype topics (“you have received a bonus”).
- Use two-factor authentication
This is, for example, an additional message to the phone with a code to enter the account. It is worth using multi-factor authentication on all services where such an option is available. If attackers steal your password, they will not be able to log into your account without a phone, and you will see an unauthorized person trying to log into your account.
- Legal software
The use of pirated software threatens unauthorized access to personal or confidential information, increases the risk of a computer being infected with a virus, and causes serious technical problems.
- Social media profiles
Be careful when sharing information about yourself on social media. This advice seems obvious: the more information you reveal about yourself online, the easier it is to get access to your personal data. The best way to protect yourself from the theft of important information is to keep your social media profiles as empty as possible.