How to Protect Your Data and Privacy Online
A new data breach or cyber attack is reported almost every single week nowadays. There is really not much you can do if a large corporation, which you interact with regularly, gets attacked and your personal information, passwords, or images are also compromised.
In the cyber world, we often say, prevention is always better than cure and the same applies to personal security and data privacy as well. Therefore, the best way you can protect your personal data and sensitive information in 2022 and beyond is to put all of your efforts into securing your devices and maintaining your privacy.
It doesn’t take much work to increase the security of your devices, online identity, and activities. A lot of the advice we offer on how to increase your online security is really common sense. It is important to note, however, that whether you’re an individual or a large business, no matter what cybersecurity protection steps you take, there’s never any guarantee that an advanced hacker won’t find a way into your systems and devices.
If you’re unsure about where to start or how to ensure that your plans, policies and procedures are fit for purpose, hiring expert cybersecurity help is a good idea.
Here's what you can do to stay safe online:
Install A Reliable Antivirus Program
An antivirus program can protect your devices from various threats like Ransomware Attacks that encrypt your files and then demand money to unlock them or a Trojan horse software that poses as trustworthy applications while secretly stealing your data. An effective antivirus can also guard against bot herders that can instruct your computer to carry out whatever task they see fit, like sending spam or carrying out a denial-of-service attack
Study the Security Program You Install
Many fantastic apps and settings are available to safeguard your devices and your identity, but their value depends on how effectively you utilize them. You must be familiar with these tools’ capabilities and settings to maximize their potential to protect. Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs), annoying program that aren’t malware but yet do no good, can typically be blocked by antivirus software too. However, not all of them default to PUA detection. Verify your detection settings to make sure they are set up to block these irritants.
Make Sure Each Login Has a Different Password
Obtaining a batch of username/password combinations from one source and testing them elsewhere is one of the simplest ways for hackers to obtain information. As an illustration, suppose hackers broke into an email provider and stole your account and password, they might then try this combination on a banking site too. Using a strong, one-of-a-kind password for every one of your online accounts is the greatest method to stop a single data leak from generating a chain reaction.
Make use of multi-factor authentication
Although multi-factor authentication can be annoying, it increases the security of your accounts. To access your accounts, you need to complete an additional step of authentication in addition to your login and password. You should enable multi-factor authentication if an account supports it and your personal information is valuable or sensitive. Online services that support multi-factor authentication include Dropbox, Evernote, and Gmail.
Conclusion
Like we said before, the threats on the internet are growing in complexity and number every day. The advanced attacker is often two steps ahead of individuals trying to protect their data and privacy online.
Blog Reference: https://www.cm-alliance.com/cybersecurity-blog/how-to-protect-your-data-privacy-online