Day by day, we receive cases from businesses experiencing some form of cyberattack. It doesn’t matter whether you were raised on technology or just engaged with it; you don’t think how online attackers can destroy your personal information, data, savings, and everything by your outdated or insufficient security equipment and settings.
Did you know: in the US, according to a new report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers lost $770 million to social media scams in 2021.
5 Easy Tips to Protect Yourself From Cyber Attack
Use your smarts and technology to be cyber-secure – at home, at work, at uni, or out in the world.
Are you Already Involved in Data Breach?
Your login credentials are compared against the millions upon millions of known compromised accounts that have been part of major breaches. Google says that it also monitors the dark web to some extent for collections of passwords — but most of the database that password checkup compares against comes from crawling the open web.
So if you want to know if your email or phone is involved in any of these sites, you can quickly get off those platforms.
Visit haveibeenpwned.com and change those passwords for any accounts that it suggests may have been compromised.
How Strong is your Password?
Strong passwords are a fundamental security layer that is essential to keep your devices protected. With strong passwords, you’ll be able to protect your data from cyberattacks. Having strong passwords will make it more difficult for hackers and cybercriminals to access your information online. Passwords can come in different forms like alphanumeric (using numbers and letters), alphabetic (just using letters), or a combination of both.
Tips: Test the strength of your passwords at howsecureismypassword.net (To know its strength, use something similar to your original password).
When choosing a password, remember: the longer it is, the stronger it is. Strong passwords are at least 12 characters long and difficult to guess.
Using a sentence is a great way to create a long password that you won’t forget.
Never try to Use these Passwords
Generally, we always create a normal password. Of course, it’s hard to remember a hard password sometimes, we lose or forget it, and that’s our weak point we have to point out on it.
The following passwords are considered the most common and easiest to crack – so if you’ve got any of these or similar variations, you should seriously consider changing them – quickly!
- 123456 – 0000000
- 987654321 – 123456789
- 123123
- QWERTY
- 111111
- Password
Avoid Phishing Emails
Phishing is a way for cybercriminals to steal information or access your computer system by disguising themselves as well-known companies. Never click on links in emails you receive from unfamiliar sources to protect yourself.
This may sound a bit extreme – but always be on the lookout for deceitful emails and compromised web pages (spam and phishing). Interacting with these puts your information at risk and can download viruses.
Remember:
- Don’t open the email from unknown email addresses
- Trash attachments in unexpected emails
- Avoid risky clicks – instead, type the address into your browser.
Use Best Antivirus
Security software, including antivirus programs, monitors files and other objects on your computer for suspicious activity that may signal an attack. Using antivirus software is one of many steps you can take to protect yourself against cyberattacks. There are many good antivirus programs available online, and most of them are free, but make sure you’re using reputable software; otherwise, cybercriminals might use it as a way into your system. Popular free antivirus options include AVG AntiVirus Free Edition and Avast Free Antivirus.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
For an added layer of security, consider enabling two-factor authentication on your email accounts and financial services. Two-factor authentication requires you to enter a unique code in addition to your password. While it is unnecessary for everyday use, it’s a great defense against cyberattacks. To enable two-factor authentication, visit your email provider or bank website and look for a two-step verification option in account settings.
