The majority of people think of hooded, slack-jawed individuals sitting in dark rooms looking link at their computers. However, cybercrooks come in various shapes and sizes- some are just looking for a quick payday while others are more determined to achieve their goals. In addition to stealing money hackers make use of ransomware and phishing attacks to disrupt businesses. Therefore, protecting yourself from hackers is more crucial than ever.
Make sure your computer, applications and browsers updated. Many updates close software flaws that hackers could exploit to view or steal information. Set security PINs on your mobile devices, and only download apps that are accessible from official app stores. Password managers can be used to create and manage secure passwords. Be careful when clicking on suspicious links or responding to emails sent by unknown senders.
If you’ve been a victim of a hack immediately inform your bank or credit card company. You could receive a new credit card or account number, and they will be monitoring your transactions to identify any fraudulent transactions. If your information was compromised, encrypt it — complete disk encryption is available with Windows and MacOS — to ensure that, even hackers gain access, they are unable to use your information (Windows’ BitLocker and Apple’s FileVault are both popular choices).
While no cybersecurity solution is foolproof following these guidelines will greatly reduce the chance of becoming a victim of a hack. Remember, hackers are looking for an easy target. If you take a few precautions and utilizing effective protection against hackers’ software you can enjoy your online time without worrying about cyber-crime.