Easy Tips To Avoid Hackers
The digital age has brought great convenience and ease to today’s society. Unfortunately, along with the myriad of benefits technology has provided, there are several drawbacks to which you must pay attention. Hacking poses a great threat to small businesses and common users alike.
Cybercriminals can attack you at any moment, taking advantage of vulnerabilities to steal important information such as credit card details, usernames, and passwords. Knowing how to protect yourself online is vital to keeping your online information secure.
Here are some easy tips to avoid hackers — plus a list of the most common types of hacking.
Common Types of Hacking
The first step to managing risk is knowing what type of dangers you might encounter online. When it comes to hacking, cybercriminals use over a dozen techniques to infiltrate systems and accounts. The following are some of the most common types known today:
Phishing
You might already be familiar with phishing — most people receive them daily via emails and text messages. Phishing messages contain deceptive information and links. They’re often disguised as announcements from official organizations such as Amazon, PayPal, or Netflix. Opening the message or clicking on an attached link can activate malware that installs spyware or ransomware in your device.
Bait and Switch Attack
Bait and switch hacking was popular during the age of black hat SEO. It redirects potential visitors from legitimate sites to those owned or created by cybercriminals. Hackers trick you into visiting malicious websites by using trusted marketing methods such as paid advertising on legitimate websites. Genuine advertisements are replaced with bad links, which download malware onto your computer after you click on them. This malware can lock your browser or compromise your entire system.
Cookie Theft
Cookies in web browsers store private data such as browsing history, usernames, and passwords for various sites you visit. When a third party copies unencrypted session data and uses it to impersonate the actual user, this is referred to as cookie theft. This often occurs when a user connects to a website via an unprotected Wi-Fi network. Although the username and password for a specific site are encrypted, the session data that is passed back and forth (a.k.a. the cookie) is not.
Tips to Avoid Hackers
While there are endless ways hackers can take advantage of your vulnerabilities, it’s never too late for you to strengthen your defenses. Here are a few easy tips you can use to avoid hackers online:
1. Install a firewall on our computer.
Most operating systems have a built-in firewall. This software is designed to block third-party viewers from accessing your private information. It also informs you of any attempts of intrusion coming from the outside world.
Whenever you go online, make sure that your firewall is always activated. If for some reason your computer doesn’t have a firewall installed, you can purchase one from Fortinet, Cisco, or Sophos. This is especially important if you’re a small business trying to protect your customers’ information.
2. Use strong passwords.
Passwords need to be strong and unique to make it harder for hackers to guess them. Generally, you want your passwords to contain a mix of numbers, letters, and symbols. You should also try to avoid using common phrases in your passwords.
Beyond creating strong passwords, you should also consider using different passwords for different accounts. Studies show that around 91% of people use the same password for multiple accounts. Use a password manager to keep track of your passwords. That way you don’t have to actively keep remembering what codes you used.
3. Avoid opening suspicious emails.
The average person receives around 100 emails per day. This makes your inbox the ideal space to launch an attack on your system. Emails pose a massive security risk for businesses and common users. These messages can carry malicious content disguised as harmless advertising campaigns or updates.
Verify the sender’s email address before you open any emails in your inbox. Check for any misspellings or missing information that may clue you in on the scam. Furthermore, inspect the message for grammatical errors. Legitimate emails go through a series of editing and re-writing to make sure everything is well-written and organized.
If an email appears to be coming from a fake website and requests personal information such as bank account information, home address, phone, social security numbers, etc., that is a huge red flag. Your best options are to block, delete, or ignore.
4. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks to access important information and accounts. This includes Wi-Fi in coffee shops or hotel lobbies. If you really need to access something important while you’re out and about, consider tethering to your phone’s 4G or 5G hotspot network. Alternatively, you could also invest in a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your details. That way your actions are invisible to other users on the same network.
Solutions for Better Cybersecurity
One of the best ways businesses and individual users can protect themselves online is by getting OERP solutions to secure their databases. Industry experts can help you identify and monitor your pain points and strengths, as well as personalize solutions for your issues.
Receive additional security and protection on your devices and systems. Get insightful resources and training from industry experts, to ensure overall security for your databases.
Strengthen your cybersecurity efforts today.
