Cyber security has been the hot topic of recent years with data breaches occurring in businesses across the world and more personal attacks to retrieve sensitive data and identity information.
So with all of the recent scares and threats, how can we easily improve our cyber security? Here are our top tips to boost your protection without the need of being a technology whiz!
Update your Passwords
Long gone are the days when a simple password like ‘Password123’ can keep your information safe. Go through your key accounts and update the passwords to more obscure words with a mixture of numbers, capital letters and special characters. It’s also important that passwords are regularly updated to keep the strength high.
It may seem hard to remember at first but with the help of new password managers such as StickyPassword, Dashlane and Last Pass it can be simple to keep your passwords encrypted but easy to access.
It’s also important not to use the same password across multiple platforms, however tempting it may be. Remember, one singular login may not provide a hacker with all your details so if the same password works for every site and application they’ll soon get everything.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Nothing beats the quick access of saved credentials and one quick press of the login button but there is also nothing easier to hack. With remote access abilities and inspect functions to reveal code, a saved password is an easy way for cyber attacks to happen quickly.
Try using a two-factor authentication process to add another layer of security without adding too much fuss to the login process. Simple steps such as a fingerprint password, registering a phone number or having a security question creates a level of security that only you can provide.
Two-factor authentication is also a great way to alert you against any attempted cyber attacks – if you suddenly get a text or email through requesting a second level of security to login when you’re not trying to get through, you know someone else is!
Backup your Data
In most cases all of our data, including personal information, documents, pictures and general information that we need for the future is kept on one device – but this can create a huge problem if you get hacked.
Create a secure backup system that ensures you won’t lose everything if your cyber security is breached. Platforms such as Google Drive, Google Photos, Carbonite and BackBlaze are great ways to keep a second secure copy of all your information.
To compare the best backup services check out techradar’s comparison article here.
Keep software & antivirus firewalls updated
New software is being developed regularly to keep our details secure so make sure it’s up to date. It can often seem like a chore to update your systems and install the latest malware protection but most computers will have scheduling options to keep your system up to date without taking time out of your day.
For more ways to improve your cyber security and to see more indepth information regarding these methods take a look at articles from Dobson Technologies, AT&T Business and Cox Blue.
Written by: Rosie Bancroft
