Living in this digital age, we must acknowledge the fact that our private data is susceptible to cyber attacks than ever before. Stories about various personal ID theft and data breaches proliferate, with millions of consumers receptive to its effect. Companies and major government sectors are working around the clock to safeguard themselves by heightening security measures and you can do your part into the fray
Cyber security affects everyone. Any electronic devices that you owned presumably consist of information that hackers and criminals alike would love to steal, like email addresses, names and birth-dates. Supposing a hacker had access to your contact information. He has the power to send an email or text message to your group of friends using your name, encouraging them to click on a link containing various viruses.
This world is connected and each of us are responsible for our own protection, be it in real life or in the World Wide Web, and it all starts with grasping the importance of cyber security.
What You Can Do
- Install a good antivirus/anti-malware program (McAfee, Avast) on your computer and keep it well updated.
- You should never disclose your personal information to strangers who tries to communicate with you. Nowadays, it is common for people to mimic someone from a statutory company, trying to acquire your username/password. In most cases, they will try to get you to corrupt your own computer by installing unknown software or clicking on a seemingly malicious link. However, if the person seems justifiable, revert to him and confirm with the company he claims to be with.
- Avoid sudden warnings from sources are not certain of. Fake security software warnings, also known as scare-ware, may be sent to you through email, or may appear in a new browser window while you’re surfing the web. While they may claim they have found a problem that needs to be resolve immediately on your computer, they are often devised to infect your computer instead.