How to Protect Yourself from a Potential Cyber Security Breach
It is not a matter of if your cyber security will be breached. It is a matter of when and how badly. In this day and age, hacking is simply a thing that happens. We can’t really stop it. We can, however, take steps to protect ourselves from hackers so if they do try to get into our systems, they won’t get very far and we won’t get hurt very badly. Here are some of the things you can do to protect yourself and your business from a cyber security breach.
A lock made of ones and zeros! Awesome! Photo Credit: Yuri Samoilov
1. Threat Protection Software
Make sure you have the right cyber security software in place on your computers and on your smartphones, tablets and, yes, your servers. This means looking beyond Norton and McAffee (both of which are notorious for bogging down a computer’s system while not offering very much protection at all). Microsoft Security Essentials works well, especially when you back it up with a malware scanner like Malware Bytes. Trend Micro has some great products for Android systems and mobile devices. You want something that can work in the background without slowing you down and that will shut down an attack immediately.
2. Understand Current Threats
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Heartbleed, the most pervasive and serious cyber threat to hit the web in recent months. The two other “most popular” type of security threats, in terms of personal and business computing, are ransomware and advanced persistent threats. Make sure you know what these things are and what to do if one of them manages to get control of your system. Then make sure you take time to read up on cyber security regularly. The threats to your system are always changing and evolving. Staying safe means staying informed.
3. Disconnect
The cloud is very popular. Nobody is going to deny that. But remember: As convenient as the cloud might be and as necessary as it might be for many of your business projects, just because you can be connected to the web all the time doesn’t mean you should be connected all the time. Turn off your phone’s automatic Wi-Fi search (it drains your battery anyway). Store sensitive data on an external hard drive (that you scan regularly for threats). Hackers love systems that are left idle and unattended, so if you don’t have to be connected, go ahead and disconnect!
Do not fall for this! Photo Credit: Gwydion M Williams
4. Cover Your Business and Personal Documents
As a job seeker, your information is every bit important to you as business information is to a company. Even the most vigilant of us can get hit with a cyber security attack. If this happens to your business, you’ll want to make sure you have measures in place to keep you and your clients covered. The last thing you need is to lose your company because you couldn’t keep your clients’ data safe in spite of your better efforts. In “What is Cyber Liability Insurance and Do You Need It,” Pablo Conde points out that most data breaches don’t happen in large corporations; they happen in small- to medium-sized businesses – and those breaches carry a hefty price. Your business insurance isn’t likely to cover all of that cost, so adding some extra insurance can give you (and your clients) some peace of mind.
The best defense against cyber attacks, really, is you. Stay vigilant. Stay up to date. Make sure you’re scanning regularly and that you know how to avoid things like phishing scams and other issues. Hackers count on your not knowing what to do. Prove them wrong!
Erin Steiner is a freelance writer from Portland. She covers web, culture and business related topics for a variety of websites.
the Smooth Sale!
Read Addtional Strategies and Techniques:
Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, Sourcebooks
HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews, Career Press
