cyberhub.in: Top 10 personal security tips and tricks

1. Keep Your Software Up to Date

One of the most important cyber security tips to mitigate ransomware is patching outdated software, both operating system, and applications. This helps remove critical vulnerabilities that hackers use to access your devices. Here are a few quick tips to get you started:

· Turn on automatic system updates for your device

· Make sure your desktop web browser uses automatic security updates

· Keep your web browser plugins like Flash, Java, etc. updated

Check out our blog on patch management best pratices.

SOURCE :GOOGLE

2. Use Anti-Virus Protection & Firewall

Anti-virus (AV) protection software has been the most prevalent solution to fight malicious attacks. AV software blocks malware and other malicious viruses from entering your device and compromising your data. Use anti-virus software from trusted vendors and only run one AV tool on your device.

Using a firewall is also important when defending your data against malicious attacks. A firewall helps screen out hackers, viruses, and other malicious activity that occurs over the Internet and determines what traffic is allowed to enter your device. Windows and Mac OS X comes with their respective firewalls, aptly named Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall. Your router should also have a firewall built in to prevent attacks on your network.

SOURCE :GOOGLE

3. Use Strong Passwords & Use a Password Management Tool

You’ve probably heard that strong passwords are critical to online security. The truth is passwords are important in keeping hackers out of your data! According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) 2017 new password policy framework, you should consider:

· Dropping the crazy, complex mixture of upper case letters, symbols, and numbers. Instead, opt for something more user-friendly but with at least eight characters and a maximum length of 64 characters.

· Don’t use the same password twice.

· The password should contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one number, and four symbols but not the following &%#@_.

· Choose something that is easy to remember and never leave a password hint out in the open or make it publicly available for hackers to see

· Reset your password when you forget it. But, change it once per year as a general refresh.

SOURCE :GOOGLE

4. Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication

Two-factor or multi-factor authentication is a service that adds additional layers of security to the standard password method of online identification. Without two-factor authentication, you would normally enter a username and password. But, with two-factor, you would be prompted to enter one additional authentication method such as a Personal Identification Code, another password or even fingerprint. With multi-factor authentication, you would be prompted to enter more than two additional authentication methods after entering your username and password.

SOURCE :GOOGLE

5. Learn about Phishing Scams – be very suspicious of emails, phone calls, and flyers

We recently blogged that phishing scams are nastier than ever this year. In a phishing scheme attempt, the attacker poses as someone or something the sender is not to trick the recipient into divulging credentials, clicking a malicious link, or opening an attachment that infects the user’s system with malware, trojan, or zero-day vulnerability exploit. This often leads to a ransomware attack. In fact, 90% of ransomware attacks originate from phishing attempts.

A few important cyber security tips to remember about phishing schemes include:

1. Bottom line – Don’t open email from people you don’t know

2. Know which links are safe and which are not – hover over a link to discover where it directs to

3. Be suspicious of the emails sent to you in general – look and see where it came from and if there are grammatical errors

4. Malicious links can come from friends who have been infected too. So, be extra careful!

SOURCE :GOOGLE

6. Connect Securely

Cyber security tips about this have been dished out by nearly every tech expert under the sun, but many still don’t follow this advice. You might be tempted to connect your device to an unsecured connection, but when you weigh the consequences, it’s not worth it. Only connect to private networks when possible, especially when handling sensitive information.