In the era of digitalization, there are concerns regarding data protection, privacy issue and most importantly- cybersecurity to combat the cyber attacks. As the technology advances, the security concerns are also growing with the new modes of crimes getting evolved.
In the light of all the incidents that happened recently from attacks on social media to bitcoin mining at the local coffee shop, here are the most significant “cyber resolutions” to consider in this new year 2019 to be safe and make your system safe from any ransomware like WannaCry. Here we go:
1- Be vigilant on your System Updates
Many people do a lot of shopping in the festive season and New Year and many of them have probably purchased new devices. In this IoT (Internet of Things) way of life, one up not skip the software updates. Otherwise, your skipping of updates can open the door for the hackers and who can monitor your household activities.
Software updates are inevitable because they frequently include the critical patches to new bugs or flaws in the device. Hence, resolve this now by keeping your software up-to-date!
2- Don’t get trapped in the lure of free Wi-Fi
Nowadays, access to the Internet has become easy. If you use Wi-Fi at your local area shop that may claim to be secured, but public Wi-Fi connectivity is not secure enough, and it lacks encryption. If you are accustomed to using Wi-Fi on the go, then obtain a VPN to scramble the data which is being delivered over the network. Private online activity like accessing your banking details without a VPN can openly expose your critical information to the hackers.
Investing in a VPN is a good and preventive way to ensure your private details remain private.
3- Set Solid Passwords
Your passwords should be secured with protection on the web. When you are logging in on different accounts, then you should not use the same and simple password for all logins. You should select solid passwords which include a combination of numbers and symbols.
4- Safe you home
Today’s homes are more connected with digital links than they have ever been. It is essential to make sure that each device is secure. Moreover, your connection at the source should be secure just as you secure your front doors. You can consider a home gateway with built-in security to make sure every device in your home is well protected.
5- Safe your social media
Social media is a double-edged sword that can connect you to your loved ones, while also connecting you with those people with whom you don’t want to share your personal information. Cybercriminals know how to access your personal data. Hence, always make sure that your account is set to private and visible to only with your friends and family.
Now you are safe to start the New Year with the right foot. It is noted that don’t give cybercriminals the upper hand once it comes to your personal data breach.
Karen Minton is a Microsoft Office expert and has been working in the technical industry since 2002. As a technical expert, Karen has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as office.com/setup