With its smart gadgets and connectivity on the go, the modern world has made our lives easier. Modern technologies bring innovative solutions to age-old problems daily. In a world increasingly dominated by technology, it is easy to forget the misuse of such technology, especially with such deep penetration of it into our lives. All our security details, including financial credentials, can be accessed through the Internet, while our laptops and smartphones often contain our well-guarded secrets. Cyber security has never been more important as many individuals are prone to lose all their hard-earned earnings through online scams and hacking attempts.
Amongst the most common cyber threats, Statista puts bulk phishing as the most widely used form of cyber-attack from 2021 to 2022. Phishing is done by hackers who deceive users into giving up sensitive information such as their social security or financial app login by sending authentic emails. Mimicking authentic websites to hack into users is a common technique, and users are especially vulnerable to this type of attack via email. Hackers also cause massive disruptions to corporations, causing data breaches, which can harm the general population. According to one estimate, the average cost of one data breach is around 4.35 million USD. Due to these breaches, cyber security spending by organizations has increased exponentially. While corporate data breaches require sophisticated cybersecurity measures, the following tips shall help individuals surf the web safely.
Understanding Online Privacy
Implementing cybersecurity measures requires a mindset that understands the importance of protection against online privacy threats. While some people may label you as paranoid for following two-factor authentications and using encryption for sensitive data, it is the right call today. Especially with cybercriminal activity on the rise, following these simple yet effective tips is important to help you secure your online presence.
Strengthen Your Passwords
The first step to protect yourself online is to use strong passwords. It includes using strong passwords for your social media, email accounts, and any financial apps. By using a mix of alphanumeric, uppercase, and lowercase letters, a strong password can be generated. Furthermore, avoiding commonly used phrases and words as passwords will also help you against external attacks. Using the same password for multiple accounts will lead to multiple data breaches and thus you should vary your passwords from account to account.
Enable 2-Factor Authentication
When using two-factor authentication (2FA), you cannot have access to your account by simply putting in the username and password. In this, you’ll get a separate security code on your registered mobile or via email, and only then will you gain access to the account. While not all websites and services offer 2FA, all the major social media and financial ones offer this service.
Enabling 2FA is the easiest way to avoid becoming prey to phishing scams, which get hold of your account details by deceiving you. However, if 2FA is enabled, they will need to access the 2nd layer of security, which they won’t be able to do unless they have full control of your mobile devices.
Keep Software Updated
Another key aspect of enhancing your online security is keeping all software current. Although users get irritated by constant security updates when focused on their work, these updates offer vital protection. Your system is protected from external threats if it contains the latest security updates. It is better to turn on automatic updates so you don’t miss out on any new security features.
Beware of Phishing Attempts
As mentioned above, bulk phishing is the type of cybercrime with the highest percentage of occurrence recently. Hackers mimic authentic websites and email correspondence to deceive users into exposing sensitive information. These may include financial credentials and even social security numbers, leading to hackers siphoning funds from your online accounts. Do not open suspicious emails or website links as this can lead to hackers getting into your system.
Using Encryption of Sensitive Data
Encryption is the process whereby your data is encoded into ciphertext with the help of an algorithm and a key. There are numerous protocols and software to take note of when encrypting your data, but it is important to use strong algorithms.
Meanwhile, you should also use end-to-end encrypted modes of social media messaging if you share sensitive information. For effective management of your data, make sure to encrypt your backed-up data, as it won’t be of any use to someone who stole it for nefarious means.
Implement Cyber Hygiene Practices
Cyber hygiene, like your bodily hygiene, means taking care of your online presence without any impurities. Here, the impurities relate to vulnerabilities in your system security that hackers can exploit. In a personal capacity, perform regular security audits yourself and check for any compromised passwords. Periodically changing your passwords is a good technique to avoid data breaches. Finally, if you’re part of an organization, training employees in cybersecurity practices when surfing online is important.
Invest in a Firewall
A firewall is a barrier that protects your internal network from external threats. A firewall controls all incoming traffic as you can easily manage what comes in and what data goes out.
Having a competent firewall is a no-brainer as it becomes your first line of defense against external cyber threats. A firewall also helps you maintain the privacy of your sensitive data and allows you to respond to any cyber threats in real-time.
Develop an Incident Response Plan
At an organizational level, protecting your company’s data is paramount; for this, you must develop an incident response plan. An incident response plan equips organizations with the tools and SOPs to tackle cyber threats. It involves preparing policies to deal with external threats and training the required resources to deal with them and when they occur. The incident response plan is an important tool by which an organization saves itself from facing the full force of a data breach by mitigating its consequences.
Stay Informed and Vigilant
Being vigilant is a key theme of staying protected from online threats and vulnerabilities. An informed individual who knows the latest cyber threats and what cybersecurity issues plague the online world is a vigilant one. A vigilant individual has a stronger chance of protecting their sensitive data from hackers and other cybercriminals.
Building Cyber Security Aware Culture
As an individual using the online space to be productive, navigating it safely can sometimes be hard. It would help if you stay vigilant at all times and when it comes to an organization, you should develop a cybersecurity-aware environment. Only when you give cybersecurity measures its importance can you help your organization stay safe from criminals. Training employees to perform a privacy impact assessment is a good way of knowing about the risks of cyber threats and how best to mitigate them. It would help if you stayed
Conclusion
Proactive cybersecurity measures are the need of the hour as they help protect individual and organizational data from harm’s way. Data breaches are costly, and constant vigilance and a cybersecurity-aware environment can defeat cybercriminals. Performing security audits and staying aware of the latest security threats can help you navigate the online space with relative protection of your privacy.