Security Tips for Users and Keeping Secure

Technology moves on at a rapid pace, and the attacks and hacks are ever increasing also. It seems not in the so dim and distant past we were on dialup, using a desktop computer, tying up the home phone line for Internet access. Waiting and waiting for pages to load….  🙂

Now, at the home as well as in business, each person has multiple devices accessing the internet and the same information, from smartphones to tablets to laptops. Even accessing data through the smart speaker.

We want to take the lessons and best practices from the larger business and translate that down to the SME and even down to the home user, its all the same. Read about keeping your computers and personal information safe from exploit and cyber threats when using the Internet, and policies that you should follow to keep all in order.

• Don’t let your machine get cluttered – always keep your machine, whether it be a desktop, laptop or smartphone up to date. If an update is offered to you, there is a good chance that update has been put in place to cover up a security loophole that was exposed. If you refrain from updating this can leave you more susceptible to attacks from cybercriminals. 
• Think before you share on social media. – it’s not uncommon for social media applications such as Facebook and Instagram to be hugely influential on one’s life. However, more of us than ever before are blindly sharing information without thinking fully about what we’re sharing. This could lead to information being revealed such as your address or IP address that could make you vulnerable. 
• Your Personal Information is key – one of the biggest treasure troves for phishers and attackers is your personal information. It can have great value just as money can. Big data is big money and many websites have a cache of personal information about you that you might not even be aware that they have. To deter the efforts of phishers, avoid clicking on any suspicious links or attachments in any emails you might’ve received.
• Don’t be complacent with your password – it might seem easy to remember at the time, but using a weak password is giving a cybercriminal and open door to both infiltrate your system and information. Always use a secure password and take advantage of any authentication features that might be available to you which include 2FA or 2 Factor Authentication.
• Always back up your data – as we’ve already touched upon already, your data is one of the most valuable commodities available digitally. Always ensure that you back your data up whether this is through an external device such as an HDD or USB or more preferably take advantage of cloud services offered by internet giants which secure your data even more.
• Ensure your Wi-Fi is protected – make sure that when you’re setting a passphrase for your Wi-Fi network that this is strong and that it can’t be guessed by any strangers. The reason for this is that if someone with the right skills was able to infiltrate your network your information could potentially be exposed. Another trick is to change the name of your router from the standard ID that it is given so that any hackers which are after access to your network particularly can’t guess with ease. 
• Ensure that your smartphones and tablets are secured with some type of password or lock so that it can’t be easily accessible should it fall into the wrong hands. 
• If you’ve borrowed a friends USB or borrowed one from the office, always ensure that you let your system perform a scan on the USB before you open any of the items contained on the disk. 

If you want to know more about how you can stay safe both at home and in the office when it comes to keeping secure, feel free to get in touch. Here at Network & Security, we have helped individuals and businesses up and down the country ensure that they are using industry-recommended best standards to keep their information and systems safe from the prying eyes of hackers and phishers. If you follow some of these tips we’ve shown you’re taking steps in the right direction when it comes to staying safe online at home or as an employee in business.