How to increase your Cyber Security

Almost every action you take as a consumer or business is done online. From online shopping to bank transactions, there are multiple activities that require your sensitive information. That’s why it’s important to be vigilant about your cyber security; hackers are constantly attempting to use vulnerabilities or exploits to get access to your personal information. Once a hacker does get this access, they can leverage information to steal money, take your identity, or even sell every piece of important info that they can gather to more insidious users.

So how do you protect yourself from these malicious actors? There are a few easy tips you can follow to increase security when you’re on a computer. This article dives into three super-simple tips that are essential for top-notch online safety.

1. Update Systems Regularly

Yes, the popups warning you that it’s time to update your operating system come at the most inopportune times. But that popup is actually extremely important for your security. One of the reasons systems require updates fairly regularly is because of security exploits. As a new operating system update comes out, hackers are already scouring the code to figure out where it can be exploited. Though operating systems are extremely secure now, coders are constantly innovating, making it an arms race between developers and hackers. This means that a security update is essential for your online wellbeing, as it repairs a vulnerability or exploits what could otherwise leave some of your information exposed.

2. Be Aware of Spelling

One of the most common ways that phishing scams or hacking scams will get you to give up information is through spelling. Whether a slight misspelling of Google or a misspelled email domain name, these on-purpose spelling mistakes can route you to a malicious website designed specifically to get your data. When you get an email that says you need to reset your password on a website or service, double check the website that email links you to. There will be many times where you’ll notice a strange URL attached or a misspelled URL. This means it is a scam. Be vigilant of spelling, and always double check with real people via phone or in person when possible.

3. Keep Backups

Cybersecurity doesn’t just apply to physical information that you’ve put online; it can also apply to code, writing, or other sensitive material that you’ve created entirely on a computer. This material is usually stored in one or two places, but if those places are subject to a hack or those devices fail completely, then your sensitive documents are lost forever. That’s why it’s important to keep backups of this material on storage devices separate from your main device. Always keep a flash drive or external hard drive around, and back up important documents regularly.

Online security is more important than ever as we spend more time on the Internet. From buffing up your account passwords to only allowing HTTPS access through your web browser, there is an infinite number of tips and tricks that will help you stay safe online. The tips talked about above are absolutely essential, and will likely save you headache and stress from something that was easily preventable.