It’s safe to say that pretty much every household around the world is equipped with devices that can connect to the internet. With increased online traffic, there’s been a steady growth in hacking, phishing, and other malicious activities via the internet. In this modern and digital age, we must be careful of cyberattacks and do everything we can to prevent them. Cyberattacks are an ever-looming threat not only on a personal level but also on a national level. Therefore, there are a few things that you must do to ensure safety from cyber-attacks. To help you become less prone to cybercrime, we’ve curated the most important cybersecurity tips which everybody should know by heart.
Think Before You Click
Very often we end up subscribing to mailers from websites we’ve only visited once. If you’re used to surfing the internet for large portions of the day, you might find the ‘Spam’ folder in your inbox full of promotional emails. However, not all emails get filtered; some malicious emails can find their way to your primary inbox. And if you click on any link attached to a malicious email by mistake, your system will most definitely be attacked by hackers. The most important thing you can do to prevent an attack is to refrain from clicking on insecure links. You can easily check whether a website has a security clearance by checking the website’s link. ‘Https’ signals that a website is secure while ‘Http’ indicates that a website is insecure.
Create Strong Passwords
When signing up for a new account, you’re asked to choose your username and a strong password. If you enter a weak password such as your birthdate, then the site will show an error like “This password is too common” or ‘’This password is too weak’’. You’re asked to use strong passwords because attackers tend to hack into accounts using the most common passwords. And surprisingly, it works 80% of the time. Don’t leave online security to chance, use the security resources to protect your credentials online. Another thing to avoid is to use the same password for multiple accounts. If a cyberattack were to take place and one of your credentials got stolen, it’ll put all your other accounts at risk as well. So remember to use different passwords for different accounts. How can you remember the details of all your accounts? It’s simple. Use a verified password manager!
Set Up Multi-factor Authentication
You can apply an additional layer of security by setting up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This additional layer of security prompts the user to provide a One-Time Passkey (OTP) that is usually sent via text message on the user’s registered phone number. This helps the host site to verify the identity of the user. Any unauthorized person will be barred from logging into your account even if they steal your username, password, and security answer. Multi-Factor Authentication is a reliable defense against hackers and it must be activated to improve the level of cybersecurity.
Secure Your Payment Information
If you are a regular customer of online shopping websites, saving your payment information for future payments must be avoided. In fact, you must never save your credit or debit card details when making any payment online. Instead, use intermediate payment platforms like PayPal that provide an extra layer of security. If you have your payment information saved on a website that gets breached by hackers, your account details will be exposed and possibly misused by the attackers. Never share or save your personal account details.
Update Your Security Systems
Always ensure that your security systems are up to date and are working optimally. Your firewall software, operating system, and other antivirus software should always be updated as soon as a new update is released. Older versions of software or an operating system are highly prone to attackers because it’s easy to find loopholes in older software, given the amount of time the attackers had to get through them. By regularly updating your security systems, you’ll nullify any chance of compromising the vulnerabilities of your system. Next time a software update command-box pops up on your screen, don’t ignore it!
Always be on the lookout for suspicious links or ads. In this day and age of social media, attackers can easily leverage the socializing platforms to spread their malware and viruses. Be careful when you surf online and avoid suspicious links. Install the best antivirus software on your system. Avoid untrustworthy downloads and keep these cybersecurity tips in mind!