by You’re not going to find any shortage of articles chock full of advice on how to keep online devices and networks secure. Despite that, many suggestions are ignored or forgotten, which means cyberattacks are still a thing that happens with startling frequency.
For all the talk of firewalls, VPNs, and the like that exist, there are a few less-followed suggestions for keeping devices secure that folks should keep in mind. Here are my top five:
Be wary on social media
It has gotten to the point where we barely think twice about what we share on social media. We share travel plans, new purchases, illnesses, birthdays, and more. All of these little details are nuggets of knowledge hackers can use to get into your computers — or even your homes.
Information like birthdays, names of pets, relatives, old schools, and so forth are all potential pathways to becoming the victim of identity theft.
Only share as much on social network sites as is safe. Take advantage of user control settings to decide who can or cannot view your posts or personal information. Always pause and think before hitting “send” on any Facebook post, tweet, or Instagram.
It may be a little sad to consider, but too many times, if someone can use something on social media to hurt you, they probably will.
Avoid public WiFi
Believe it or not, there can be such a thing as a malicious WiFi hotspot. Should you accidentally connect to one, you’ve suddenly opened your device up to several dangers.
Some malicious WiFi hotspots can insert viruses, malware, or ransomware onto your device, causing no end of headaches. Others open your device up to hackers so they can see everything you type, everywhere you go, and what passwords you may use to log in to bank accounts, cloud accounts, email, and instant messaging.
Never work with private or sensitive information while on a public WiFi. If available as an option, do not allow certain apps or tools to run on networks other than those approved by you.
Don’t share passwords
I always hate having to write this section in 2020. It seems so simple that I worry about insulting the reader by bringing it up.
The weird thing is, there are experts who have trouble following this piece of Cybersecurity 101. Not too long ago, a department in the CIA was discovered to have had a trove of hacker tools breached all because the members of that group shared the password on an open intranet.
Word got out.
If experts are making this mistake, more casual computer users are likely doing the same. We want to think that coworkers and customers are trustworthy. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and you don’t want to bet the integrity of your business on lax password security.
Smart businesses will have a written policy not to share passwords with anyone other than confirmed, authorized users.
Should you need to allow temporary access to an account or share information, look into the process for creating temporary, limited accounts or “view only” file-sharing options.
Don’t leave passwords lying around
While we’re talking password security, remember never to write a password down only to leave it out where anyone can come across it. This is especially true if your office gets frequent visitors from outside the company.
In an ideal world, you shouldn’t be writing down passwords anywhere. That said, complex passwords can be challenging to memorize and even more so if multiple passwords are being used.
Keeping passwords in a text file on a computer opens it to falling victim to infiltration. Password keeper programs could be an option, although there are occasionally security concerns.
If you must write down a password or two, do so on a piece of paper — preferably with no contextual clues as to what they are passwords for — and keep them safe in a locked drawer or safe.
Don’t just use a post-it stuck to your desk. And no…underneath your keyboard is the first place one looks.
Stay on top of security updates
Pay attention to software update alerts. Software providers are continuously working to improve performance and close security holes.
Whether it’s a laptop, desktop, or mobile device, follow up on update notifications sooner than later. These may arrive in the form of pop-up messages, SMS messages, or emails. As always, determine that a message is legitimate before acting and never click on a suspicious link.
That said, installing updates will make your system more secure. Putting it off will only keep your network open to potential cyber-attack.
A little goes a long way
Essential cybersecurity doesn’t have to be a chore. The suggestions listed above are all reasonably easy to follow. They will go a long way toward protecting your computers, networks, and mobile devices from cyberattacks and all the problems that go along with that.
There is a lot of wisdom in the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
