Cyber attacks have become very common on the Internet. Anyone is vulnerable to a cyber attack with or without reason. Cyber attacks aren’t always for the accumulation of personal data, nor are they always meant to turn a profit. For some unfortunate individuals, cyber attacks can be just “something to do” on the weekend. For this reason, it’s imperative every Internet user takes the appropriate action to keep themselves out of harms way with a few simple steps.
1. Get An Antivirus And Keep It Up To Date
This may go without saying, but getting an antivirus shouldn’t end there; a simple installation of Norton or AVG alone won’t always keep everything running smoothly. Whichever antivirus one chooses to subscribe to, constant updates are a must. Outdated antiviruses can’t recognize many of the viruses which infect computers today. These virus definitions need to be updated as much as possible to keep the latest cyber-security threats away.
2. A Strong Password In Everything That You Do
There’s a reason that, when signing up for a new website, users are often required to use upper/lowercase letters, numbers, and a certain amount of characters – it’s to keep those users safe. The case for the strong password is often under appreciated, being that hackers don’t simply sit at home trying to guess someone’s password.
No, hackers use brute-force programs designed to crack any given password. These programs can guess your passwords up to 1 trillion guesses per minute. However, as with anything – these programs aren’t perfect. Setting a long, unique password filled with different characters and numbers can make cracking your password not worth some people’s time.
3. Get More Bandwidth Than What You Need
A slightly less malicious type of cyber attack – due to it’s inability to steal one’s information – is the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. In layman’s terms, a DDoS attack is when an individual, or group of individuals, sends a network more traffic than what it can handle, essentially shutting that network down.
Large companies with big networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and many video game franchises, entirely depend on the existence of their operational networks. All of these companies subscribe to much, much more bandwidth than what they need, making a succesful DDoS attack on these companies a lot more challenging. While bandwidth certainly isn’t free, it can prove to be a useful measure in protecting oneself against one of the most effective cyber attacks out there. Especially for users who rely on the Internet to bring in income.
4. Only Use Secure Networks And Websites
When coming across a website and having your browser of choice chime in with a “This website isn’t secure, continue anyway?” it’s quite common for people not to think much of such lack of security, and proceed as usual. This is actually a big no-no, no matter what antivirus one has installed.
Another common vulnerability is public wi-fi connections. These should be avoided whenever possible because these are also insecure. If only people knew just how dangerous these connections can be, there would be a lot less people using them. Odds are, if you or someone you trust isn’t hosting the network, you’re better off staying away.
Business’s shouldn’t be scared of taking to the internet, nor should they constantly worry about what could be. And casual Internet users shouldn’t miss out on all it has to offer out of fear of a cyber attack. But knowing the potential threats and taking the appropriate preventative measures can prove invaluable time and time again. To find out more contact us online or call one of our network security specialists at (619) 400-7581.
