There are many dangers that everyone needs to navigate while online, be it on social media, video streaming websites and even online banking. Hidden in the fabric of the internet are numerous cybercriminals equipped with malware and viruses trying to get your information, meaning that even if you realize it or not, your data is constantly at risk.
Not only that, but the businesses or companies you work for are potentially at a greater risk due to how much data they hold and how lucrative it all is for an online criminal. That’s why it’s important to not only ensure that you’re safe online, but that the businesses you work for are too.
The best way to ensure the safety of the information your employer has of you is to get a company like Zeta Sky, a third-party IT specialist, to manage your IT solutions. This is because services such as these can provide the internet security and data backup on behalf of the company you work for, making it easier for them to manage and protect your information.
As well as using a third-party IT service to protect your data, there’s also other measures you can apply yourself to keep you and your precious data protected. Here are some of the best methods.
Don’t make your password too easy
A lot of people think of hackers as twisted geniuses who use their intelligence to break through security measures. In truth, the most common form of hacking is usually just simply finding out someone’s email and guessing a password to gain access. This is why the best security feature is to have a good, strong, obscure password that’s hard to guess. Passwords such as ‘Password101’, ‘YourName1’ or the other most popular passwords, are extremely easy to figure out and offer you very little protection. So in the future, it’s best to use a combination of random words and unique keys, making it hard to guess.
Don’t use words related to something specific to you that’s easy to find out either, like your date of birth or birthplace, as this gives hackers a chance to get in. It’s best to just do something random but memorable, and it’s also a good idea to not use the same password for all your different accounts as it stops hackers from gaining access to everything if they manage to get in.
Don’t open links or attachments from unrecognized emails
Phishing emails are one of the most common ways for malware and virus to get into your computer. A phishing email will look like an important email from a reputable company, such as Amazon or your bank, and will prompt you to click a link to usually fix a made-up issue with your account. This link may look like a URL, but pressing it could start a download that installs malicious programs into your PC.
Another possibility is that this click could take you to a phishing website made to mimic an official organization to harvest any information you input into it, allowing them to use this against you and again access to your personal data, accounts, and in the worst case scenario, your money.
Install anti-virus and a firewall
This is the best line of defense against viruses and malware and comes the most recommended because of how easy it is to do. Installing a firewall blocks all access to your network and PC from unauthorized programs or computers, meaning only devices you allow in can get in. An anti-virus works by detecting any suspicious program, such as one of the varies types of malware, by comparing its code with the known codes of these malicious programs. If it’s a match it’ll swiftly remove the code or quarantine it away from all your software, keeping it safe and harm free.
