Five Pro Tips to Combat Cyber Attacks

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In the past pandemic months, cyber security has proved to be more critical than ever. With everyone working remotely, students attending their school classes from home, and exchanging endless information over the web, hackers have got their new vulnerable targets. Day in and out, there have been reports about businesses, educational institutes, and many other industries experiencing some form of cyberattacks. 

If your system or business has been fortunate enough yet, thank god, but don’t think you can forever maintain that immunity. As technology has evolved, cybercriminals have to. They are one of those highly motivated individuals on the planet that have outgrown the fear of getting caught and penalized. These perpetrators know how to take advantage of your feeble security systems and take away your millions of dollars with one simple click.

With that being said, cybercrime has become an ongoing threat, and you must take proper measures to mitigate risks surfacing every year. Following are some common attacks you need to watch out for:

  • Phishing
  • Denial-of-service 
  • Man-in-the-middle
  • Malware
  • SQL injection
  • Ransomware
  • Cross-site scripting

Below-listed are some tips to fight off these threats and shield you and your business –

  1. Be Smart with Your Passwords

Many websites have password policies that address the strength of user passwords. Some even prompt you to change the password every few months. And all that is to tighten the login security of your account. So, keep your passwords complex. Make a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Install a password management application to manage your passwords.

  1. Update Your Software and Apps

It is easy for a cyber criminal to infiltrate your system when it is not fully up-to-date. Hackers Know how to exploit your weak areas and gain access to your network. And once they are in, it is often too late to undo the damage they cause. Thus, you must patch (fix) the areas likely to make you a convenient cyber target.

  1. Resort to A/V Protection

Antivirus and firewall protection has proven to be the most effective ways of guarding your network against malware and other viruses. They block malicious emails and stop suspicious attachments from downloading. In addition, the firewall screens out hackers and lets safe traffic enter your device. However, the free and amateur tools aren’t great at giving you such protection. Instead, opt for paid software from a trustable vendor.

  1. Back-Up Your Data

If you have lately experienced data loss due to some malicious attacks on your system, I hope you have gotten in touch with data recovery service professionals. They can surely help you retrieve data. But have you planned enough not to reencounter the same situation? Well, cloud storage and regular backup is your go-to solution here. 

  1. Invest in Cyber Security Insurance

Irrespective of running a startup or a large organization, it is vital to ensure your safety from cyber crimes. Identity theft, phishing, email spoofing, data breach, and similar attacks bring enormous money and reputation loss to the business. So, having cyber insurance is critical to overcoming their negative impacts.

Heron Nelson
 

Heron is a business blogger with a focus on personal finance and wealth management. With over 7 years of experience writing about financial topics, Heron has established herself as a trusted voice in the personal finance space. She has a deep understanding of financial concepts and strategies, and is able to explain them in a relatable and actionable way for her readers.