Where to start?

Inconvenience may be a strong word but, in this world, we must practice defending ourselves against digital attacks. The sad reality is that anyone can be hacked.

Defense starts with us, 

COMPUTERS:

Develop and use a password or pin that controls access to your device. The better passwords contain symbols, letters and numbers (#, A, a,1) Please don't use the most common which are number sequences (123456) or first names. Using something that is personal to you may help. It is recommended not to share passwords with anyone.

The same is said about your online accounts, strong passwords are a layer of protection. The better passwords contain symbols, letters and numbers (#, A, a,1) Please don't use the most common which are number sequences (123456) or first names. Using something that is personal to you may help. It is highly recommended not to use one password for all your accounts. There are password managers available online and these may be worth researching. Regularly accessing your most important accounts may be of benefit, companies are hesitant maybe slow reporting their cyber-attacks, if they report to their account holders at all.

Another layer would be multi authentications for accessing your online accounts. Some of these can be set up to send you a text message that has a security code that will need to be entered for access. Biometrics may be available, and I would expect in the near future this process will be very common if not already. Multi authentications may be an inconvenience at first but with practice it may become second nature. Again, possibly another layer of protection.

Not all websites are created equal. There are some that just by one click can cause an unwanted action. Developing the habit of paying closer attention to what you are looking at may provide an additional layer of protection.

Auto fill on your regularly used accounts may not be the best thing to do, especially if someone accesses your device and for other reasons. This may be an inconvenience at first but developing the habit of entering your username and password each time may provide you a layer of protection.

Should a weird page pop up while you're online, I personally will close my browser asap hoping to interrupt any files that may be downloading or installing and maybe shut down my computer. It may be a good idea to review your browser settings for Pop Ups.

Please think hard about anyone asking to remotely control your computer, this usually requires you to give permission to your computer. Once they have access it is more or less their computer. Checking your settings for remote access may be another layer of protection.

Maintaining regular updates is highly recommended, you can adjust your settings for automatic downloads. These can install and repair security issues and make usage improvements, again, possibly another layer of protection. 

Reviewing your computers security software and making sure it is working is crucial for your defense, there are many companies offering this protection and many are reputable and effective.

Just a note: regularly using a disk cleanup may help your computer work better.

E MAIL

There are those that create great harm and unwanted actions by manipulating e mails. Some of these can cause harm by stirring emotions, creating e mails that look real but are not, and some cause damage just by clicking on them.

Paying closer attention to your emails may be of benefit. I personally will delete emails that don't look right, even if I'm not sure of the content.  

Any email seeking private information should be considered suspicious no matter the sender or where it originates. Yes, another layer of protection.

If it looks too good to true it probably is.

PHONES and TEXT

Develop and use a password or pin that controls access to your device. The better passwords contain symbols, letters and numbers (#, A, a,1) Please don't use the most common which are number sequences (123456) or first names. Using something that is personal to you may help. It is recommended not to share passwords with anyone. Consider the use of biometrics.

Many of the items listed above (Computers) applies to the defense of phone usage.

Consider keeping your contact list updated, even calls that may be anticipated. I usually don't answer my phone if I don't recognize the number. There is a good chance if a missed call is valid the party calling will leave a voice mail.

Text messages can fall in the same category as bad e mails. There are those that will attempt to provoke your emotions and trying any combinations of content to get you to respond. 

 

 

 

 

My name is Michael and I lay no claim to being a Cyber Security Expert. In the past I enrolled online for a BS in Cyber Security Management but found this path wasn't right for me, I currently seek certificates from Cisco and LinkedIn. The information presented is simple and I consider it effective. If you have any questions, thoughts or concerns please contact me.