Cyber-Security. How to protect yourself from cyber-attacks

Cyber Security. How To Protect Yourself From Cyber Attacks
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Cybersecurity is a body of practices, processes, and technologies that protect networks, programs, data, and devices from unauthorized access, damage, and attack. Cybersecurity is also known as electronic information security or information technology security.
Cybersecurity applies in different contexts, ranging from mobile to business computing. Some of the categories within cyber-security entail:

  • End-user education – Deals with people, the most unpredictable cybersecurity factor.
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery – Defines the response capability of a business to a cybersecurity incident.
  • Operational security – Entails the decisions and processes of protecting and handling data assets.
  • Information security – Enhances the privacy and integrity of data in transit and storage.
  • Application security – Keeps devices and software free of threats.
  • Network security – Secures computer networks from intruders. They can entail either opportunistic malware or targeted attackers.
  • Cybersecurity kiosks – help companies safeguard their infrastructure from malware threats on USB drives, Blu-ray/CDs/DVDs, and other portable media devices brought in by employees, contractors, vendors, and others.

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Why Care About Cyber Security

Cyber-security intends to protect the information, network-based digital equipment, and your internet from unauthorized modification and access. Since people are becoming interconnected, the risks to their supply chain, confidential data, and production systems are growing.

Therefore, cyber or internet security should be a concern for all people and companies since everyone is at a greater risk of hacker attacks. That’s because there is a surging increase in digital assets and some smaller companies get to have fewer security measures.
It is advisable for smaller companies to make their employees undergo Cyber Security training in order to protect their database from hackers. Everyone should care about cyber-security because it negates the theft and exploitation of sensitive data. Most attackers are on the lookout for employee records, client data, financial information, and proprietary designs. Some attackers can hijack your systems for blackmail purposes.

Cyber Attacks and Cyber Threats

A cyber-attack is launched by cybercriminals against single or multiple networks or computers. Cyber-attacks can steal data, disable computers, or use the computer as a launch point for more attacks. Attackers can use different methods when launching attacks. Some of these can entail:

  • Denial of service
  • Ransomware
  • Phishing
  • Malware
  • Smishing
  • Pharming
  • CEO fraud

Attackers change their attack trends from time to time. Below is a list of the latest trends that most attackers use to obtain your data and plant malware.

Evasive Phishing

Phishing is a popular attack, and it’s amongst the biggest internet security threats. These evasive scams entail encoded emails with embedded images and complex underlying code within the plain letters. The attackers personalize the content of the emails to attain access to your data.

Mobile Device Attacks

Attackers are creating some adapting techniques that can attack the mobile world. Some of the most infiltrated systems are mobile banks. Attackers upload banking malware on the phone through bank applications to steal your funds, credentials, and payment data.

Software Supply Chain Attacks

Cybercriminals integrate malicious code into legitimate software and infect a software that your company relies on. Within the company, your supply chains will be as strong as the weakest link. These attacks can compromise well-defined targets or compromise as many targets as possible.

Clouds Under Attack

The increase in cloud environments has led to a surge in cloud targeted cyber-attacks. Poor management and misconfiguration have made it easier for attackers to target the cloud ecosystem. These attacks can lead to theft of data and cloud crypto mining.

Internet Security: Protect Yourself from Cyber Threats

As new technologies continue to emerge, the role of cyber-security will increase. However, there is no time like the present, and you should ensure that both you and your business have the best protection from all cyber threats. Below, we will sift through the best ways of protecting yourself from cyber threats.


SSL Certificate For Your Website Security

It is essential to have an SSL certificate on your website and users should check secured padlock and HTTPS before browsing the website. An SSL certificate from reputed SSL certificate authorities like Comodo, RapidSSL, GlobalSign should be selected. There are different SSL certificate types like single SSL, multi domain, Code Signing certs. For example, if you are a single website owner then, a comodo SSL certificate is a great choice for website security. It secures the transactions between two ends like the server and the browser.

Passwords Protection

Using a password enables you to encrypt any information from unauthorized persons. To achieve such a level of encryption and protection, you must use a multifaceted approach to ensure that there won’t be any security exposures.

Password protection requires you to understand everything that requires encryption. It can include emails, documents, apps, accounts, cloud services, and so much more. Using different password protection capabilities can ensure that:

  • It will take time for an attacker to tamper with your data.
  • You can have unlimited deterrents to prevent attackers from getting your data.
  • Only people with your password can access any information.
  • There is protection for all your data, no matter where it is.

Passwords act as your first line of defense against any attacks. Most people repeat their passwords across accounts, and that’s not safe at all. Once an attacker attains access to the password, all your information is in jeopardy. Putting the best effort into password protection is the first step towards cyber protection.

Let’s look at other ways of enhancing password protection.

Password Managers

Password managers help create a unique and strong password for all your accounts. Therefore, if an attacker gains access to a single password, it will be impossible to access any other account. A good password manager should offer to autocomplete options and sync across mobile and desktop.

Strong Password Generator

This is the recommended way to make a password. Strong Password Generator is a program that provides a high-quality, randomly generated random password generator with no password sent or recorded.

Two Factor Authentication

Also known as 2FA, this is one of the best ways of having an added layer of protection. It’s essential for all your accounts but especially emails, bank accounts, social networks, and so on. 2FA sends you a code to your phone every time you try to log into an account. Also, you can use software solutions like Google Authenticator if SMS isn’t your cup of tea.

Change Nothing

Some people believe that changing a password every three months is safe and secure. However, this makes it easier for anyone to create a pattern. For example, you might opt to change a few numbers or letters in the password. Also, changing the password frequently makes it harder for you to remember it, thus leading to the use of easy to remember options that might make you vulnerable.


Identity Theft Protection

Identity theft is the act of obtaining your financial and personal information and using it to make unauthorized transactions or commit fraud. Identifying theft will affect your reputation, finances, and credit. Attackers can commit identity theft by stealing your credit card information, social security number, or bank account number.
Additional forms of identity theft include:

  • Medical identity theft – Some attackers can pose as you to attain free medical care.
  • Child identity theft – It entails the use of a child’s information to find employment, attain a residence, avoid arrest, or obtain loans.
  • Synthetic identity theft – The attacker combines both fake and real information to create a new identity. They later use their newly-acquired identity to make fraudulent purchases and steal money.
  • Criminal identity theft – The criminal users another person’s profile and name to avoid arrest and conviction.
  • Tax identity theft – An attacker files a federal or state tax return form in your name and collects the refund.

To successfully protect yourself from identity theft, you should shield all your private information. You can achieve this by destroying private statements and records. Shred or tear up solicitations, credit card statements, and other documents with your financial information.

Mail security is also vital to identity theft protection. You can achieve this by locking and emptying your mailbox so that no one will access your vital information. Also, consider mailing financial documents from the post office to prevent any potential theft.
You should also protect your SSN by avoiding having your card or any other card with the number with you. Also, avoid having your number of cheques since they are the first target for any identity thieves. You should also remember to destroy all your receipts from a gas station, ATM, or credit card.
There are more measures to prevent yourself from identity theft. However, these are the most important since they will remind you to safeguard your financial and personal information.


VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) provides you with online anonymity and privacy by masking your internet protocol (IP) and creating a private network. VPNs ensure that all your online interactions are untraceable. Also, it creates encrypted and secure connections to enhance privacy in either a secure or public Wi-Fi hotspot.
Surfing the web is a norm nowadays, and doing so on an unsecured network can pose a threat to your personal and financial information. VPNs help negate this by providing some encryption and anonymity when accessing the internet. Therefore, you can easily and peacefully shop online, send emails, or pay bills.
VPNs protect your privacy and IP address by creating a data tunnel between the network and the exit node. The tunnel makes it seem like you are in another location, thus having some online freedom and access to your favorite websites and apps on the go.

A VPN helps hide:

  • Your location and IP address
  • Your browsing history
  • Your devices
  • Your streaming location
  • Your web activity

After knowing the essentials of a VPN, you need to understand how to select the best one. Your first concern should be your privacy. Most reputable VPN providers will respect and protect your privacy by having no log in the policy. Such a policy ensures that they never track any of your online activities.
Secondly, you should check the location of their servers and their protocols. The location matters if you prefer accessing the internet from a specific country, state, or city. As for the protocols, they have to be strong to offer you the best security, a good example being PPTP.
Lastly, you should consider the VPN cost and the number of devices you can use it on. You will come across lots of free VPNs; however, most of them don’t have the best security measures. A good paid VPN should secure your internet at all times by monitoring and stopping internet traffic when it disconnects. The VPN should also support use in multiple devices to ensure there are no data leaks.


Antivirus Reviews

An antivirus or anti-malware software prevents and takes action to remove and disarm malicious software on your devices. These malicious programs can entail trojan horses, works, and viruses. The antivirus software can remove unwanted adware, spyware, and other malicious programs.

The software commences by checking your computer programs and compares them to known malware. From here, it’s easier to scan the computer and assess the behaviors to identify any unwanted signals. To ensure you have the best antivirus, read the reviews below.

  • Kaspersky. It’s one of the best antiviruses on the market since it actively works to detect and protect your computer from unwanted malware. Kaspersky is regularly developed to increase its malware detection rate. Like some of its competition, it’s simple and easy to use the tool.
  • Norton. Norton antivirus is a product of a leading anti-malware manufacturer. It has a broader range of antivirus security features, and it’s reinforced with constant updates. Some of these features include parental control, cloud backup, and device security. It also boasts of a 100% malware detection and protection rate.
  • Avast. Avast offers one of the best antivirus protection features and incorporates browser protection, a password manager, and a network security scanner. The amazing collection of features makes it a viable competitor to other antiviruses. More so, you can access most of these features for free and enjoy full-scale protection.
  • McAfee. One reason to consider McAfee is its unlimited license for all your devices. All uses get lots of features like PC boost and ransom guard, which helps with malware detection and prevention. The antivirus has a robust firewall that makes it harder for attackers to access your devices.

Antivirus Comparison

 

Kaspersky Norton Avast McAfee
$29.99 per year for 3 devices $19.99 per year for 1 device Free $59.99 per year
Phone and live chat support Limited support for the basic package and full tech support for the plus package 24/7 tech support for paying customers Cross-platform support
System Watcher detects malicious activities like ransomware Has Data Protector for ransomware protection Uses Ransomware Shield to negate ransomware threats Ransom Guard provides real-time ransomware scans

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

A blockchain is a ledger of all transactions through a peer-to-peer network. The technology enables cryptocurrency by allowing you to confirm transactions without going through a central clearing authority. Some people use blockchain technology to settle trades, vote, and transfer funds.
Cryptocurrency is one medium of exchange that’s created and stored in the blockchain. The blockchain uses encryption techniques to control and monitor the creation of monetary units and verify any transfers. Some of the advantages that blockchain offers include:

  • Cost reduction
  • Permanent ledger
  • Accurate tracking
  • Increased transparency

Blockchain can not only help individuals, but it can also help consumers in:

  • Managing their autonomous cars
  • Shave off billions in transaction costs by offering cheaper and faster settlements
  • Encrypting health information to negate privacy breaches
  • Casting votes and provide immediate, verifiable results

Thank you for reading!