Cyber Security 101 - Tip 3

Email Security.

  

Emails are commonly used as a medium for the spread of malware, spam, and phishing attacks, using deceptive messages to entice recipients to divulge sensitive information, open attachments or click on hyperlinks that install malware on the victim’s device. Email is also a common entry vector for attackers looking to gain a foothold in an enterprise network and breach valuable company data.

It is critical that enterprises and individuals take measures to secure their email accounts against common attacks as well as attempts at unauthorized access to accounts or communications. Here are some tips you should follow to ensure you don’t fall victim to cyber-attacks via email:

·       Never open attachments or click on links in email messages from unknown senders.

·       Try to send as little sensitive information as possible via email, and send sensitive information only to recipients who require it.

·       Use spam filters and anti-virus software.

·       Avoid accessing company email from public Wi-Fi connections.

·       Don’t reveal personal or financial information in an email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email

·       Before sending sensitive information over the Internet, check the security of the website.

·       Pay attention to a website's URL. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com versus .net).

·       Keep a clean machine. Having the latest operating system, software, web browsers, anti-virus protection and apps are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats.

·       Make your password a sentence: A strong password is a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive sentences or phrases that you like to think about and are easy to remember (for example, “I love country music.”). On many sites, you can even use spaces!

Cyber Security 101 - Tip 2

Installing Protective Software.

 

 

 

 

     Continuing the cyber security tip series here is one of the most important tips for protecting your devices and data from malicious software and viruses. The lack of virus and malware protection remains one of the most common reasons why computer systems fail. It’s therefore best practice to install and use protective software such as Avast, AVG and Avira  which are some of the best free options available for download on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

Types of Viruses

Worms: These are programs which copy themselves to other computers on a network. They tend to slow things down as they consume more and more bandwidth or computer resources.

 

Trojans: Disguised as a common file, this type of virus performs malicious functions on the computer without the knowledge of the user (Think of the Trojan Horse of Troy)

 

Malware: There are many types of malware which is not classed as a virus. It is software used to spy on computer user's activities and collect personal information and are more commonly known as "spyware".

 

Why is it important to avoid viruses and malware?

Virus and malware protection goes a long way in increasing the longevity of your computers and laptops as well as securing your information. A computer or laptop without a virus protection will most likely be infected with harmful software within a few minutes of accessing an unsecure or public network. The effects of such harmful software includes but not limited to:

§  Prevent computers from booting up (aka the dreaded blue screen of death)

§  Slows computer processing

§  Damages parts of the operating system or alters how the system operates without the owner's knowledge

§  Corrupts, destroys alters files and documents

§  Infects other devices connected to the same network

§  Attack other machines using machine as a host

§  Send out unauthorized messages

§  Steal personal details such as email and social media account passwords (Malware)

§  Access and control webcams for spying (Malware)

§  Blocks or restricts internet access (Malware)
 

                  

New viruses and malware are developed as time goes by which promises to be more efficient and detrimental than their predecessors. Hence, it is advised to regularly update your protection software to its latest versions an scan your files on regular basis to always ensure you don’t become victim to such threats.

 

Cyber Security 101 - Tip 1

Keep Operating System Up to Date

Tip número uno in my series of of tips concerning your cyber security and safe internet usage. Hope you find them informative.

   Computers using outdated operating software are more likely to have software vulnerabilities that can be exploited making it susceptible to malware and viruses. With each new update to an operating software these vulnerabilities in the programming as well as existing bugs are rectified. Additionally, the software itself is usually enhanced with additional features thereby increasing its functionality.  Delaying updates when you have extensive computer usage is completely