Cybersecurity has become the need of the hour. As we spend more time online, we’re often sharing some of our personal information in one way or another. And if this information falls into the wrong hands, our money and identity/reputation could be at risk. So, for individuals and businesses alike, safeguarding sensitive data is mandatory!
These days, cybercriminals can intercept every bit of computer-based information from an unsuspecting victim. Therefore, data security should be amongst the essential protocols for any business/individual.
So, how do you keep your data safe from thieves on the internet? There are many ways to prevent data theft and interception. If you follow these data security measures, you will successfully diminish the chances of a breach in your digital defenses.
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Organize all of your sensitive data
Identifying sensitive data is the foremost step in preventing it from being stolen. Some might call it “data discovery” since this process will enable you to determine sensitive data and how to protect it. You don’t have to do it manually; there are plenty of valuable tools available for data classification and discovery. Therefore, you can streamline this process and segment the sensitive data within your environment.
After mapping all of your sensitive data, you can start identifying the items that could potentially put your data at risk. For instance, if multiple employees have access to your network, you should ensure those employees follow security protocols. In the end, you’ll be able to filter out the number of systems and individuals that come in contact with sensitive data to minimize the risk of someone handling it unfittingly.
Furthermore, if you don’t want to be caught off-guard by improved technologies in data theft, expanding your knowledge in this field may be the best option. Earning a masters in cyber security online can help you improve your skills and learn new things to advance your career. That way, you can gain the upper hand on digital forensics and risk management.
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Password-protect everything
Demanding passwords for individuals to access your systems – and ensuring those passwords are not easy to crack – is another excellent security tip. The best way to set strong passwords is to add different characters (numbers, symbols, and letters) where necessary. You can also set a series of words or phrases that take a lot of brainstorming to figure out.
Other than that, it is also essential to avoid using the same password for more than one system/account, as credential stuffing is yet another form of cyberattack. These types of attacks use stolen login information and gain access to multiple servers. To prevent this from happening, you can use a trustworthy password manager, such as Keeper, to generate and adequately store unique passwords.
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Be cautious of links
Show off hands if you’ve been here before: clicking on a suspicious, never been seen before, link, to see where it leads. That’s probably the fastest way of losing confidential information!
Links in emails are a standard move used by hackers to trick individuals into giving up their personal information. This is often in the form of flight reservations, banking statements, password recovery emails, and many more forms of malware.
If any user clicks on these links, they are redirected to a phony website that looks eerily similar to its original counterpart. The website will ask them to log in with their details. Once a hacker has their hands on such data, they can access the user’s accounts and information. Therefore, if something looks suspicious, don’t even think of touching it with a 10-feet pole.
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Use Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication is one of the best and most effective ways of adding a robust layer of security to multiple platforms. It often leverages knowledge factors (something only a user knows), biological factors (something a user is), or possession factors (something a user owns) to verify a user’s identity. These can be top-secret questions, biometric data, and security tokens. However, it is still susceptible to certain types of Trojan horse attacks and phishing. So you might still want to ensure using a trustee antivirus.
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Keep all of your systems up-to-date
Your operating system, browser, and software should always be up-to-date. If your business uses a firewall, regularly update your firmware and firewall software. The older a server, system, or software is, the more vulnerable it is to being hacked by the latest tools and most intelligent people. By updating your systems, you will prevent backers or malware from exploiting those security backdrops.
So, next time you notice that “genuine” system update pop-up, don’t let it slide!
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Be overly guarded
Although many things online are protected, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, be aware of any software you are downloading, links you are clicking, and websites you are visiting. Being slightly paranoid about social media, email, and the internet can help you create a strong line of defense to protect data that could slip away.
Conclusion
These data security guidelines are essential for your business to follow. None is too complex for any company or individual to execute. So, what are you waiting for? Start implementing these cybersecurity tips right away and save your data from being touched by unwanted users!
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