Cyber Security Month: Week 4
It’s important that everyone has the resources they need to be safer and more secure online. For this reason, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) designated October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Here at Guardio, cybersecurity is all that we do. Not only do we seek vulnerabilities in other products, but we also work hard to keep individuals safe in their day to day browsing.
The Guardio Blog is full of resources you can use to educate yourself about the latest threats and tips to stay safe. In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, this article is the third in a series of four, dedicated to providing you with the resources you need to be safe and more secure online. Check out previous week’s articles here:
Week 1: If You Connect It, Protect It
Week 2: Securing Devices at Home and at Work
Week 3: Securing Internet Connected Devices in Healthcare
The Future of Internet Connected Devices
During the past 3 weeks, we discussed the importance of ensuring that each of your devices are protected from threats, ensuring that devices are secure at home, and the importance of data breach monitoring. The average computer is targeted by cybercrime once every 39 seconds and no matter what you do to protect your own data, not everyone is doing the same. Having a mentality of “it’ll never happen to me” is the exact mindset that results in the loss of digital property, compromised accounts, and identity theft. The average computer is targeted by cybercrime once every 39 seconds and your data is not only on your own computer, but held on other computers and company databases as well.
Clean up your browser and remove malware
As technology continues to advance, the need for security online increases. New tools are created daily. These tools allow us to protect ourselves, but they also help cybercriminals find new targets, infect computers, steal data, and commit cybercrimes. To ensure that you remain ahead of cybercriminals, make sure to follow these guidelines.
Install Browser Protection
Browser protection is among the cutting edge of online safety technology. Products like Guardio scan each of the websites that you visit and extensions that you add to ensure that they're free of malicious code and scams. They catch things like phishing pages and keyloggers that often go unnoticed, even to the savviest individuals. When a malicious site or extension is found, these products block the offending website or extension and let you know why. They also alert you when a website that you're visiting is still too new to be trusted. Browser Protection keeps you safe by stopping threats BEFORE they reach your device, instead of afterward like traditional antivirus solutions.
Keep Your Operating System and Software Up To Date
Don’t put off installing updates that your operating system recommends and those associated with software installed on your computer. These contain important security updates and from the time they release the update until you install the update, hackers have an easy road map outlining how to exploit any security holes that you haven’t yet patched.
Use Strong Passwords
A strong password contains at least 12 characters and includes both alphanumeric and special characters like exclamation points, periods, dollar signs, or percent symbols. Avoid using your name, the names of your loved ones, your profession, or any other personal information within your password as this makes it easy to crack. You can learn more about creating a memorable, secure password here: How to Create a Strong Password That You Will Remember
Activate Live Account Monitoring
While you may be taking steps to stay safe online yourself, this doesn’t mean that everyone else is doing the same.The news headlines are full of reports of major websites experiencing data breaches, but only a small number of these breaches are made known to the public. Companies hide breaches every day for fear of the negative attention and loss of business that comes with their breach of customers' trust. Guardio offers account monitoring that can alert you right away if your account information was shared online or on the dark web for criminals to access so that you know to begin taking action to protect yourself right away.