Five Simple Ways to Stay Safe Online
Every day we hear of another security breach that makes the news or a friend who’s email account has been hijacked. Tech savvy people are becoming more concerned about becoming the target of a security breach. Unfortunately, these concerns are well founded. According to a recent TeleSign Study, 51% of online users were hacked between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. These types of incidents have resulted in credit card fraud, identity theft and stolen trade secrets.
Now that we know that the Internet is a dangerous place, the next question is what can we do to avoid being an online victim. Fortunately, there are a few simple things that we can all do to drastically reduce the risk of becoming an information security breach statistic.
1. Never Log into Accounts from Email Links
You may have seen emails that ask you to change your password or log into your account for some compelling reason. For your convenience (or so you think), a log in link or button is provided. Since the email looks like come from you bank, Apple or PayPal you might be tempted to just save time and use the link proved in the email. Well, simply put, don't click that link. Hackers are experts at deception. Though the email looks like it is from an authentic source, most of the time it just a criminal’s way of sealing your account information. Instead of clicking the link, always log into the website by entering the web address in your browser.
2. Hover Over Web Links Prior to Clicking
Sometimes cyber criminals simply want to draw you to a fraudulent website to steal your sensitive information or install a program on your computer. Regardless of where the email came from, always hover over any link before clicking. If the link is authentic, it should have the same web address as the company that sent the email. That said, never provide your user ID, password or any sensitive information to a website that you found through an email you received.
3. Don’t Plug Any Unknown Device into Your Computer
Hackers often drop USB drives and other portable storage devices in parking lots or give them away on the street to unsuspecting victims. These portable drives are used to spread malicious programs such as ransomware to unsuspecting users. Therefore, if you find or are given a USB stick or CD by a stranger, discard it or return it to your IT department.
4. Never Provide Sensitive Information Over the Phone
In 2016, I must have received 30 robocalls from someone claiming to be the IRS. The robocall instructed me a call a number where the criminal on the other end would harvest my sensitive personal information. I have also received calls from someone claiming to be from “Windows Support.” That person tried to get me to run a “diagnostic program” from a website. That program would have undoubtedly given the attacker access to my system. These are just a couple of examples of how hackers steal information or infect a computer. If someone calls you requesting sensitive information and claiming to be from an organization you normally work with, hang up and call a number that you know is correct for the organization rather than providing sensitive information to a stranger that calls you.
5. Guard Your Passwords
Last, but certainly not least guard your passwords as you would the crown jewels. Your passwords are used to access information that is valuable to cyber criminals. Even though you may trust others, never share your passwords with friends, family or coworkers. Also, make sure that passwords are never written down or stored insecurely on your computer. Because many people use the same password for many system accounts, a hacker can often gain access to dozens of systems by compromising a single password.
There is no doubt that the Internet is a dangerous place, but by implementing a few common-sense business practices, you can reduce the risk of being hacked drastically. Please comment below or share any insights that may be helpful.
