In the modern world, your data is more valuable than your device. If you lose your iPhone or laptop, you can replace them within 24 hours. If you lose your data, you may never get it back. From a young age your mother should be telling you not just to clean your teeth but also to “protect the data!”, both should be a daily ritual. One aspect of protecting your data is being vigilant about backing up your data on a continuous basis to an external device and cloud storage service like Dropbox. Another equally important aspect of protecting your data is to keep it safe from hackers. How to do that?
In this post, we will discuss 5 ways to protect your valuable data from cyber attacks.
1. Secure Your Passwords
The conventional wisdom is to secure your password by making it more complex. You are no doubt familiar with the requirement that your password must combine a mixture of upper and lower case, numerals, and special characters. It becomes increasingly difficult for hackers to crack a more complex password using brute force methods. For instance, your complex password might read: canDidAte_24*10. However, in order to be unbreakable your passwords also require length. One easy way to add length is to turn your password into a passphrase. For instance, your long and complex password might read: #Shivani_is_A_top_canDidAte_24*10.
In addition to using complex passphrases, you should also enable two-step authentication. This will require you to enter a verification code sent to you by SMS or through your authenticator app. The code changes every 30 seconds, so even if a hacker manages to crack your unbreakable passphrase, without knowing the one-time authentication code, it will not be possible to access your account.
If possible, try not to use the same passphrase for each site so that if your account is hacked on one site, the others are not compromised. Also, it is a bad idea to write down your passphrases in a book or on a piece of paper. In case you do, be very careful to keep that information secure.
2. Avoid Pop-Ups Like the Plague
Pop-ups offer the chance to complete interesting surveys, obtain discounts for online shopping, and learn about your horoscope. Ignore them! Pop-ups open unauthorized sites and download malicious software in the background known as a drive-by download. When downloading and updating software make sure you select custom installation instead of standard installation in order to prevent undesired applications from being downloaded and slowing down your PC. You can also block pop-ups from all websites you visit.
3. Be Vigilant Against Wireless Hacks
Your computer and user accounts may be secure, but if you are not careful your data could be intercepted when sending it over the Internet. Websites requiring personal details should communicate by a secure channel using the HTTPS protocol, which allows data to be sent and received in encrypted form. Always secure your Wi-Fi connections by using a unique password and do not share sensitive information while using public WiFi such as passwords, audit files, or details of confidential commercial transactions. There are malicious scripts that hackers can employ to reveal your Wi-Fi password or strip the HTTPS to HTTP, downgrading you to an unsecured network and granting them full access to your system.
4. Get Updates from Authorized Sites
Keep your software up to date since each software update usually contains patches for known security vulnerabilities. Only download software from authorized sites. For example, only download Android Applications from the ‘Google Play Store’. There are incidences of unauthorized apps hacking into phone cameras leading to photographs being stolen . Even Mark Zuckerberg is concerned about this security vulnerability, and has opted to block his webcam port using a piece of opaque material.
5. Install Antivirus Software
If all of your vigilance fails, and some malicious code makes its way onto your computer, there is one last line of defense. Antivirus software can protect your computer from viruses, worms, malware, and rootkits. Attacks from these types of malicious software can have a devastating affect on your system from slowing down your system to deleting files and accessing personal data.
Antivirus software is essential because it scans all files to identify known threats. Some antivirus software also includes a built-in firewall, which allows the software to monitor all the incoming and outgoing traffic of your computer. If not included in your antivirus software make sure you turn on the default firewall that comes with the Windows OS.
Conclusion
In the modern world, your data is more valuable than your device, and so in this post we looked at 5 ways to protect yourself from cyber-attacks. Let’s enjoy the digital revolution while remaining alert, being vigilant and staying cyber safe!
Shivani Shankar previously worked as a Cyber Security Consultant at PwC India. She is pursuing her master’s degree from Columbia University in Management of Science and Engineering, and is the President of the Columbia Consulting Club leading a team of ~40 members. Alongside her school coursework, she is working with Louis Vuitton as a Consultant. Shivani plans to work with a Consulting firm in the US from January ’21.
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