Cybersecurity. What if I said I can give you five security tips you can implement in five minutes that will help greatly mitigate the risk of your home or business computer system from becoming a target for cybercriminals? Yes, it can be that easy!
While there are certainly savvy hackers out there, the reality is many breaches of security stem from common, no-cost proactive measures that most overlook.
Here are our top five:
- Password – Yes you’ve heard it a million times but there is a reason! Have you been using the same password the 5 years? Or even for one year? Change it now. The more complex the better, that means using a combination of numbers, letters and special characters. For added security, mixing uppercase and lower case helps reduce the ease of criminal guessing. And, using the same password, or a combination thereof, is not recommended. Try something unique in its combination such as Chagr!N instead of Chagrin.
- Firewall – Do you have one? At the very least if you’re on a Windows computer there is a software firewall built right in. Make sure the Firewall is enabled and those Windows updates (you’re running those too, right?) will keep it up to date as well.
Related read: Cyber Attacks and Data Breaches: Protecting your email accounts - AntiVirus – Contrary to popular belief, your computer does NOT come with AntiVirus software. AntiVirus is a third party program that needs to be installed. However, your computer may have come pre-installed with a trial version of Anti-Virus software, but if you haven’t purchased that software and updated it, you are NOT protected.
Bonus TIP: if you switch Anti-Virus Software, you must remove any previous versions. More than one Anti-Virus program will do more harm than good.
- Backup – Do you have one? Is it any good? How do you know? First, make sure you have a backup of critical system files at the very least. Make sure you are restoring random files on occasion to verify that the backups are actually good. I recommend backing up to a physical disk, but if you are using tape, make sure they are newer tapes. Magnetic tape by nature starts to deteriorate after two years and the integrity of the backup suffers.
- Wifi – Is the network secure? Just because it requires a password does NOT make it secure. If you don’t know, don’t send any info wirelessly you don’t want anyone to see. This is especially true on public networks – (Starbucks, hotels, etc.) Anyone within range of the wireless network can potentially see what you’re looking at online.
As you have read, some of the easiest actions to improve cybersecurity are often the most overlooked. If you have questions about the information in this article or your IT system, contact me at mjaworske@zinnerco.com.
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