Digital citizens, anyone with online connectivity, now make up the majority of the population, so any threat to our security in the digital sphere is something we should all be aware of and protected against.
We’re now deep into Cybersecurity month, and alongside our recent piece on the importance of cybersecurity in businesses, we wanted to turn our attention to individual protection. You might be working a few days from home during the week, which means that your employer has less security control over your internet connection and connected devices at home to protect you against cyber threats. So, even more important to be aware of cyber threats.
You might think you’ve heard all the security advice before, but we think a quick refresher can’t hurt, and you might even find out something that protects you better against hackers.
The goal of Cybersecurity Month is to increase awareness of cybersecurity risks, and improve cybersecurity for individuals and businesses through education and sharing best practices. So that’s exactly what we’re doing.
You’re probably reading this on a phone. That handy little device you carry everywhere with you, and stare at for hours on end, sits on your bedside table as you sleep. It’s fair to say that our phones are with us pretty much always. This is brilliant in many ways but also exposes us to an increased risk of cyberattack. If you do the basics right, it goes a long way.
So here are four tips for staying safer online whether you’re on a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop:
What do we mean by great? Impossible to guess is a good start. If any of your accounts have your date of birth or worse still just the word ‘password’, get rid of them. Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have a handy feature that can generate super-strong passwords for you, so changing them regularly is easy, too.
Rather than writing all your strong passwords down on bits of paper or in .txt files on your desktop – use a password manager. It will securely store your passwords, so you don’t have to spend time resetting them, and even better, most modern password managers autofill logins, so you don’t even have to type them out.
2-Step Verification is a system where the platform you want to access or use in some way, double checks it’s you who is trying to log in. This verification can come via a unique code on a text message or using in-app biometric authentication like a thumbprint on your phone.
Keep Your Apps Up To Date
Finally, keeping your apps up to date ensures that they are working with the latest security features from the developers. As cyber threats evolve, developers work hard to patch specific vulnerabilities. If you keep your apps up to date, you have the best chance of blocking attacks. Moreover, Apple and Google check if the available apps in their store are legit and free of potential cyber threats. As long as you download apps via these stores, you limit the chance of getting attacked.
If someone manages to break into one of your accounts, then it’s a good idea to make sure your email account is secured first. Typically, your email connects you to every other account you have, so making sure it is secure first increases your security across every platform.
Those are just five easy ways to protect yourself online. Maybe you’re already doing some of them, maybe all of them. Cybersecurity doesn’t stop here, it’s a constant education and awareness of cyber threats and how to counter them.
Need more guidance on cybersecurity? Intwo are digital experts so reach out to us whenever you like.
As the primary responsibilities, I develop and productize new services, redesign existing ones, and implement them on various cloud platforms. I also conduct market research, develop strategies, and lead the roadmap for service offerings. Additionally, as the CISO, I ensure the organization’s security by establishing and maintaining processes, policies, and practices to mitigate risks and respond to incidents across various domains.
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