It’s not uncommon to hear news of data breaches or cyber attacks nowadays. In August 2022 alone, there were multiple incidents of cyber attacks. If a large corporation that you frequently interact with gets attacked, it’s highly likely that your personal information, passwords, or images may also be compromised.
As the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure, and the same applies to personal security and data privacy. Therefore, it’s best to put all your efforts into securing your devices and maintaining your privacy to protect your sensitive information in 2022 and beyond.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take much work to increase the security of your devices, online identity, and activities. Common sense can go a long way in increasing your online security. But it’s essential to keep in mind that there’s no guarantee that an advanced hacker won’t find a way into your systems and devices, no matter what cybersecurity protection measures you take.
However, whether you’re an individual or a large business, you can make your best efforts to stay safe online. Additionally, businesses must always be prepared for a cyber attack with a free Cyber Incident Response Plan Template.
If you’re unsure where to start or how to ensure that your plans, policies, and procedures are fit for purpose, hiring expert cybersecurity help is a good idea. Our cost-effective and remote Virtual Cyber Assistant service is ideal for businesses that either don’t have the budget to hire a cybersecurity specialist or the requirement for full-time staff.
Here are some tips to help you stay safe online in 2022 and beyond:
- Install a reliable antivirus program: An antivirus program can protect your devices from various threats like Ransomware Attacks that encrypt your files and then demand money to unlock them, Trojan horse software that steals your data, and bot herders that can instruct your computer to carry out whatever task they see fit. It’s essential to regularly review your antivirus protection, and the majority of reliable malware removal programs display a green icon or banner when everything is in order. After seeing the utility and seeing yellow or red, follow the instructions to get things back in order.
- Study the Security Programs You Install: You must be familiar with the capabilities and settings of the tools available to safeguard your devices and identity to maximize their potential to protect. Verify your detection settings to make sure they are set up to block Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs), annoying programs that aren’t malware but yet do no good. Additionally, browse all the pages in the main window of the security program when installing it, take a quick look at the options, and don’t miss the initial onboarding tour if available.
- Make Sure Each Login Has a Different Password: Using a strong, one-of-a-kind password for every one of your online accounts is the greatest method to stop a single data leak from generating a chain reaction. You can achieve this by using the random password generator integrated into your password management. It’s worth investing in one of the many excellent free or paid password managers available. The only password you need to remember is the master password of the password manager.
- Obtain and Utilize a VPN: Always utilize a virtual private network, or VPN, while accessing the internet through a Wi-Fi network that you don’t control. If you’re considering connecting to a free Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop, remember that you’re unaware of the security of the connection. Without your knowledge, another user on that network can start browsing or stealing the files and data delivered from your laptop.
Additionally, the owner of the Wi-Fi hotspot could be a thief who searches all Wi-Fi networks for secrets. With a VPN, your internet traffic is encrypted and sent through a server that belongs to the VPN provider. This conceals your IP address, and instead of your IP address, the VPN provider’s address will be visible to advertisers and trackers trying to discover or identify you. You can also spoof your location by connecting to a VPN server in a different country to access content that is blocked in your jurisdiction. Journalists and activists have long used VPN technology to communicate safely in authoritarian countries.
- Make Use of Multifactor Authentication: Although multi-factor authentication can be annoying, it increases the security of your accounts. To access your accounts, you need to complete an additional step of authentication in addition to your login and password. If an account supports multi-factor authentication and your personal information is valuable or sensitive, you should enable it. Online services that support multi-factor authentication include Dropbox, Evernote, and Gmail. With multi-factor authentication, you can authenticate yourself using at least two separate factors, such as who you are, what you own, or what you know. The password is something you know, and you could refer to fingerprint or face recognition authentication. Your cell phone might be something you possess, and you may be required to key in a text-message confirmation code or hit a confirmation button on a mobile app. You can also use a physical Security Key, which is something Google and Microsoft have stated they are working to promote.
In conclusion, the threats on the internet are growing in complexity and number every day. Advanced attackers are often two steps ahead of individuals trying to protect their data and privacy online. However, a few simple and logical steps, like the ones stated above, can go a long way in bolstering the security of your devices and keeping your sensitive data safe. It’s worth investing a few hours regularly into ensuring that your online activities are not being tracked, your sensitive information is protected, and your data is as secure as possible from malicious actors.