Cyber security is among the most important aspects of online presence today. The internet is a wonder of technology allowing people and businesses to function in ways that they never dreamed of. However, this also means that the darker side of humanity is able to function in ways that were never dreamed of. Hackers and fraudsters are busy working to steal or hold data for ransom. They are attempting to steal crucial information that can lead to identity theft. They are encouraging people to click on scams which can destroy a life’s savings in a matter of minutes. Why do they do this? Because their greed has overcome any sense of decency they may have had. The counter to these people is cyber security. Cyber security is important at both a personal level and for businesses. While the “how” is different for each, the results of cyber security can be the same. That’s an enhanced sense of peace of mind.
Techniques Cyber Security Use
There’s a number of basic techniques that everyone should do to secure their online lifestyle. These techniques can apply to both individuals and
- Stay Up to Date and Use Anti-Virus Software - Many people get annoyed by consistently having to update their windows software whenever an update is available. The truth is that most of these updates address security vulnerabilities and not updating is risking a machine to potential attacks. Anti-virus software should also be used to assist in detecting malicious code. There are a wide number of anti-virus software available.
- Have a Strong Firewall - For a home computer, you’ll likely use the firewall that comes with your operating system, but you can also opt for a differing offering. Businesses need to set up strong firewalls that will set up specific rules for the incoming and outgoing traffic. It’s important to filter anything dangerous, but not hinder employees from doing their daily work.
- Strong Passwords - Quite simply, reusing passwords or having weak passwords is a huge mistake online. Brute force attacks can get through weak passwords incredibly quickly. Re-used passwords can open up a number of different services to hackers. Each online service should have a long and strong password. Consider using a password manager. These will store and insert passwords as needed on websites. You’ll need to remember a master password which you can make to be incredibly complex. If it’s just one password to remember, the complexity is fine.
- Using Data Backups - Ransomware attacks are on the rise. Having data backed up on the cloud or in off-site servers allows a company to recover quickly from such an attack.
Popular Cyber Security Software
There’s a huge number of cyber security options on the market today. Choosing between them can seem very difficult. Some of the best options to choose from include:
- TotalAV Cyber Security - This is an option which can work for all devices, not just a computer. It features a huge number of different features and is adept at fighting malware, spyware and viruses. It also has real-time monitoring, ensuring a person doesn’t need to get suspicious to start checking. If there’s a downside, it’s fairly expensive when you get into the better subscription offerings.
- LifeLock - This is cyber security delivered by industry leader Norton. It’s user friendly and has strong anti-virus power. It does have downsides however. The price goes up after an initial year of use and the lower tier plans are quite limited in their features. Otherwise, it’s an excellent option in the higher tiers.
- BitDefender - This cyber security offering is among the very best at detecting any kind of malware which may have infected a computer. It’s also strong with defending from phishing attacks. Of course, there’s a downside. Unlike some others on this list, the features when using it from MacOS can be somewhat disappointing. However it’s excellent for Windows and Android.
These are only a few of the many wonderful cyber security platforms out there. It’s important to look around for one which fits your needs best. The cyber security needs of a 1000 employee company are going to differ greatly from what you need at home. But the one unifying need is for all of them to keep you safe from the dangers of online predators.