Computer attacks have become so common that almost everyone has to deal with them at least once in their lives. Today, cyber-attacks are sophisticated, well-coordinated, and can pose serious threats to the personal data of Internet users.
Media headlines often sound alarms about large-scale cyberattacks against companies and government institutions. They seem a bit far from you, an ordinary computer owner who uses them for personal needs.
You may be wondering why someone wants to hack your system?
There is a reason, in these times when data is gold, everyone can risk hacking into their computers. Because hackers are closer than you think, it is important to be prepared.
While a cybercriminal brain may be targeting you personally for an attack with email messages specially designed for “phishing” using your personal information, they are unique, of course, but they are not that special. It is much more likely that you were not careful or unlucky.
It’s difficult to remember a variety of passwords that people use the same over and over again.
Does your Facebook password match your Twitter password? What about the password for your bank’s website? Some digital Ne’er-Do-Wells now have all or part of their credentials, and any website you have reused them on is now open to them.
How to secure your computer from hackers, spyware and viruses?
Cybersecurity is critical. We live an essential part of our lives online and on computing devices. Whether it’s a laptop, smartphone, or desktop computer at work, you have valuable information that unreliable people would like to have. Wouldn’t it be useful if you knew how to protect your computer from hackers and all the other dangers in the digital world?
The best news is that it is not difficult to learn some essential tips and tricks that will dramatically improve your Internet security. Get ready, because this is a mega guide with practical advice to help you use a computer and the Internet without getting burned.
Learn good cybersecurity habits
When we are young, our parents teach us general rules of life that are supposed to guarantee our safety. You should always look at both sides before crossing the road. Never get in a car with an unknown. That kind of things.
Unfortunately, current technology did not exist when many of us were young. Therefore, it is necessary to have the same common sense but do adapt to the digital world.
Use strong passwords and a password manager.
Passwords are still one of our best defences against hacking. Most websites have minimal password complexity. For example, they will say that a password must be of a certain length and contain a specific combination of character types. Unfortunately, any password that a person can easily remember will be broken as soon as possible by brute force guesswork.
The good thing you can do to secure your computer from hackers is to use a trustworthy password manager. These administrators keep track of all your passwords securely and generate random secure passwords that are difficult to guess using brute force or any other method of password cracking.
The best news is that most people don’t have to dig too deep into a password manager. Google Chrome already has a very competent integrated function. You can generate strong passwords in the browser and synchronize them with the cloud. Wherever you log into your Google account, you can quickly recover passwords.
Use a Paid Antivirus Software
Computer viruses, keyloggers, and Trojans are everywhere. Antivirus programs like Bitdefender, Panda Cloud Antivirus, Malwarebytes and Avast protect your computer from unauthorized code or software that threatens your operating system. Viruses have a variety of effects that are easy to detect: it can slow down your computer or delete critical files.
Antivirus software plays an essential role in protecting your system by detecting threats in real-time to protect your data. Some advanced antivirus programs offer automatic updates and further protect your computer from new viruses that pop up every day. You can go with any antivirus of your choice, to compare the options you’ve selected, use this solution. After installing an antivirus, be sure to use it. Run or schedule regular virus scans to make sure your computer is virus-free.
The password protects everything.
Of course, you must set passwords for anything that can get into the wrong hands. Your computer, phone and tablet must have their codes or passcodes. Biometric unlocking such as usage of fingerprint or facial recognition is not as secure. Therefore, it is a great idea to familiarize yourself with your device’s biometric off switch, if available.
This is a command or a keystroke that disables everything except password entry. For example, if the hacker forces you to hand over your computer or phone, they will not be able to access your device without your access code. However, you can point the camera at your face or put your finger on the fingerprint sensor.
If possible, use encryption.
Encryption is a technique that mathematically encrypts your data so that it cannot be read without the correct key. For instance, websites that start with “https” use a secure, encrypted method of sending data. So only you and the recipient’s website know what you are saying.
Third party applications, such as your service provider or anyone who checks data packets when you go through multiple stops on the Internet, only know your IP address and the address of the page you are visiting.
In addition to avoiding websites that don’t use encryption, you should also stick to chat services that offer end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp is an example. End-to-end encryption even prevents WhatsApp from knowing what are you saying or talking about in your chats.
Learn how to identify malicious emails
Email is still one of the most famous ways for malicious people to contact you. It is perfect because you can send millions of emails and find some lucrative victims.
The best defence against malicious email knows how to recognize it. You should reject any email that offers unlikely rewards and forces you to take part with the money. It can be simple to laugh at the idea of a prince in a faraway country which is providing you millions of dollars if you now part with a relatively small amount. But every year, people who succumb to these scams are robbed of millions of dollars. If something seems rotten or too good to be true, it is likely.
COMMENTS