The total cost of cybercrime has now amounted to over $1 trillion over the years. This number will only grow as hackers create new methods for gaining access to devices and stealing data. Thus, cybersecurity is essential to all. Whether you are a small business owner, work in a government institution, or have a habit of shopping on your smartphone. There is an infinite number of threats to your security and privacy. It’s essential to learn how you can stay safe. Following these five best practices is a good start.
1. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
You’re probably somewhat familiar with two-factor authentication (2FA). For example, your bank may send you a text message each time you log into your account. Two-factor authentication is the best way to make sure your accounts are bulletproof. Even if your password suffers from a brute force attack or data breach, hackers won’t be able to invade your accounts. They’d still need access to your smartphone or email for that.
Nowadays, most platforms are 2FA-compatible. And they’re more convenient than ever to use. Once you log into an account, you get a notification popping up on your phone, asking whether it was you who made the access attempt. Some forms of 2FA involve codes through emails, messages, and apps instead of notifications. Whatever means you use, you will always know when someone else tries to access your accounts.
2. Use a Password Manager
Hackers have many ways at their disposal to gain access to your sensitive data. Some of these include keyloggers, spyware, and phishing scams. And after they gain access to one account, they can use your credentials to target everything else you do online. After all, most people reuse the same passwords all over again. And even if they don’t, the passwords are usually pretty similar and simple to guess. Or easy to crack. That’s why the key to digital security is using unique, robust passwords. And for that, you need a password manager.
Password managers not only help you create strong passwords, but they also store them in one place. All you have to do is remember one master password. The password manager will take it from here. Unlike other practices on this list, the password manager provides not only security but also convenience. Instead of taking extra time every single time you log in to your account, you save time by not typing in passwords. And it also goes easy on your memory because you need to remember only one password instead of dozens.
3. Scan Everything and Scan Often
Malware is tricky. Usually, you don’t even know where it came from, but you need to get rid of it. If you use Windows, Windows Defender is an excellent start. It’s built-in to Windows 10, and you can set it to run in the background.
But you shouldn’t stop there. Go further and look into comprehensive security options available online. A good antivirus should include not only tools for malware scan and removal. It should also have proactive features such as file scans for all downloads and warnings about dangerous websites. Research your options, and you’re bound to find software fitting both your needs and budget.
4. Protect Your Internet Connection
If you watched any hacking movies in the 80s or 90s (remember Goldeneye?), you know that most threats occurred because people inserted floppy disks that contained viruses. Nowadays, such physical attacks are unusual. The majority of attacks happen over the internet. And one way you can protect yourself is by using a virtual private network (VPN).
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel around your internet connection. This encryption ensures that cybercriminals, advertisers, or ISPs cannot watch what you do online. VPNs have a variety of other great features too. They bypass government censorship, network restrictions, and geo-blocks. In other words, a VPN allows you to unlock a more open online experience.
5. Update All Your Devices Regularly
Let’s be honest — software updates are annoying. But they are your best friend. It’s not only system enhancements that you get when you update. Most of the time, you receive vital security patches designed to keep you safe. Hackers try to infiltrate major operating systems, popular apps, and everything else people use on their devices. Thus, most developers keep an eye on all things security and patch things as quickly as possible. But if you miss such updates for any reason, your devices and data may become vulnerable to attacks.
Set your computer and phone to run automatic updates during downtime at least once per week. It never hurts also manually to check for updates a few times per week. Finally, add a few major tech websites and blogs into your newsfeed. You will stay up to date and know whether there are any updates you should do right away.
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