Here are 5 top cybersecurity tips for everyone, based on our interviews at SecureWorld cybersecurity conferences across North America and on our team's research.
Here is one way to think about it.
If you were the quarterback of a football team and the ball is snapped and in your hands, it would be ridiculous to stand there and think that no one cares you're holding that thing. If you take that attitude, it won't be long before you get knocked down, the ball gets popped out and the opposition takes it and runs away with it.
Game over.
It is just as crazy to think hackers don't want what you have as an individual or an office in a business park somewhere.
If you have a username and password, online accounts of any type, social media accounts, medical records you can access online, an email account, and we could go on— then you have something hackers would like.
Roy Zur of Cybint Cybersecurity says most of this stolen information ends up in the digital underground, known as the dark web: "It is not indexed by search engines to ensure anonymity. The stolen data is traded, sold, and used for financial, political, or personal gain."
You have something of value to hackers and cybercriminals. Having this mindset is critical because it will motivate you to take reasonable steps to protect your digital self.
We just overheard a conversation about this crucial cybersecurity tip at one of our conferences and it is really crucial: set all your devices, laptops, desktops, etc. to auto update when new versions of operating systems and web browsers come out.
The reason is simple: in the old days, updates focused on features. Now, updates often focus on cybersecurity just a much or more than the features being added. Google just proved that in a recent Chrome browser update.
The reason for this is that hackers are constantly trying new ways to attack our digital programs, apps, and operating systems. And they find holes.
Once companies learn about this (like Microsoft, Google or Facebook) they block these loopholes that hackers have discovered and send the more cybersecure version of the software out into the world.
If you have auto updates on, your system will quickly update to this safe version. If not...you know how it goes...you'll get around to it, someday. Which leaves you more vulnerable to a cyber attack.
We've all seen these emails that come in and usually require urgent action that involve you clicking a link. These emails can trick you into giving away your username and password, can allow hackers to harm or view your computer or perhaps lock it up for ransom. Check out our article How to Tell if an Email is Really From Apple, iTunes or the App Store and How to Spot a Fake PayPal Email because these contain tips on how to spot a fake from any brand.
Remember these rules of thumb: if an email says you need to take action—beware. Do not click on the email, open any attachments or even call the listed phone number. Instead, open your web browser and search for the company website yourself and contact the company that way to verify if it is a truly urgent issue.
This sounds like one of those great ideas that just isn't possible. Especially because you should have a different password for every account you have, so hackers can't steal one of your passwords and then use it to access your other accounts.
They use automated tools to do things like this because it's big business.
New password guidelines, which suggest using passphrases, can help all of us stay cybersecure. Here are specific tips on How to Create a Strong Password that is Easy to Remember.
This is likely to be the most controversial cybersecurity tip on this list because certain computer operating systems are claiming to be so advanced that they make antivirus programs obsolete.
However, unless you are doing everything right and you are sure all your auto updates are on, antivirus can be still be viewed as an extra line of defense that looks for known attack efforts by hackers.
Which antivirus program should you choose? We'll leave that to trusted review sites like Tom's guide. Check out Why You Need Antivirus and see the site's reviews.
At SecureWorld we work with medium sized and huge companies that have teams of cybersecurity professionals (sometimes hundreds of them at a single company!) who spend all day, every day, doing all they can to improve that organization's cybersecurity. It's a non-stop battle against hackers.
At home, or in a small business, that type of effort is not possible.
However, by putting these top 5 cybersecurity tips into place you can make your home, non-profit and small organization much safer.
[Note: this article was created for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, to help more of us stay safe online]