Cyber security
Before talking about cyber security, we should know about cyber crime, so let's talk about what is cyber crime
Cyber crimes are criminal offenses committed via the Internet or otherwise aided by various forms of computer technology, such as the use of online social networks to bully others or sending sexually explicit digital photos with a smart phone. But while cyber crime is a relatively new phenomenon, many of the same offenses that can be committed with a computer or smart phone, including theft or child pornography, were committed in person prior to the computer age. This sub-section includes articles on cyber bullying, sexting, and a whole host of other crimes commonly committed online or with the help of computer networking technology.Some types of cyber crimes
are given below:
- Computer Crime
- Cyberbullying
- Sexting
- Identity Theft
- Application security
- Information security
- Network security
- Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
- Operational security
- End-user education
- Keep Your Software Up to Date
- Use Anti-Virus Protection & Firewall
- Use Strong Passwords & Use a Password Management Tool
- Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication
Bottom line – Don’t open email from people you don’t know
Know which links are safe and which are not – hover over a link to discover where it directs to
. Be suspicious of the emails sent to you in general – look and see where it came from and if there are grammatical errors
. Malicious links can come from friends who have been infected too. So, be extra careful!
- Protect Your Sensitive Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
- Use Your Mobile Devices Securely
Create a Difficult Mobile Passcode – Not Your Birthdate or Bank PIN
Install Apps from Trusted Sources
Keep Your Device Updated – Hackers Use Vulnerabilities in Unpatched Older Operating Systems
Avoid sending PII or sensitive information over text message or email
Leverage Find my iPhone or the Android Device Manager to prevent loss or theft
Perform regular mobile backups using iCloud or Enabling Backup & Sync from Androiod.
- Backup Your Data Regularly
- Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
- Review Your Online Accounts & Credit Reports Regularly for Changes
Brief synopsis of the various offenses that constitute computer crime, such as unauthorized intrusion into a protected network, using encryption in the commission of another crime, or introducing computer viruses into a computer system.
Explanation of the crime of cyberbullying, which is the act of using computer networking technology and online social networks to harass, intimidate and otherwise bully classmates or other peers.
Overview of the disturbingly common phenomenon known as sexting, which is the use of text messaging or similar networking technologies to send and receive sexually explicit messages or photographs.
Collection of articles to help you detect and ultimately prevent identity theft, including important steps to take once your identity has been stolen and methods to help protect your personal data.
Cyber security is the application of technologies, processes and controls to protect systems, networks, programs, devices and data from cyber attacks.
It aims to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, and protect against the unauthorised exploitation of systems, networks and technologies.
Cyber security has never been simple. And because attacks evolve every day as attackers become more inventive, it is critical to properly define cyber security and identify what constitutes good cyber security.
Cyber security protects the data and integrity of computing assets belonging to or connecting to an organization’s network. Its purpose is to defend those assets against all threat actors throughout the entire life cycle of a cyber attack.
Elements of cybersecurity
Ensuring cybersecurity requires the coordination of security efforts made throughout an information system, including:
Cyber Security Tips
As we saw from the status above, ransomware attacks were a major attack vector of 2017 for both businesses and consumers. One of the most important cyber security tips to mitigate ransomware is patching outdated software, both operating system, and applications. This helps remove critical vulnerabilities that hackers use to access your devices. Here are a few quick tips to get you started:
Turn on automatic system updates for your device
Make sure your desktop web browser uses automatic security updates
Keep your web browser plugins like Flash, Java, etc. updated
Check out our blog on patch management best pratices!
Anti-virus (AV) protection software has been the most prevalent solution to fight malicious attacks. AV software blocks malware and other malicious viruses from entering your device and compromising your data. Use anti-virus software from trusted vendors and only run one AV tool on your device.
Using a firewall is also important when defending your data against malicious attacks. A firewall helps screen out hackers, viruses, and other malicious activity that occurs over the Internet and determines what traffic is allowed to enter your device. Windows and Mac OS X comes with their respective firewalls, aptly named Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall. Your router should also have a firewall built in to prevent attacks on your network.
You’ve probably heard that strong passwords are critical to online security. The truth is passwords are important in keeping hackers out of your data! According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) 2017 new password policy framework, you should consider:
Dropping the crazy, complex mixture of upper case letters, symbols, and numbers. Instead, opt for something more user-friendly but with at least eight characters and a maximum length of 64 characters.
Don’t use the same password twice.
The password should contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one number, and four symbols but not the following &%#@_.
Choose something that is easy to remember and never leave a password hint out in the open or make it publicly available for hackers to see
Reset your password when you forget it. But, change it once per year as a general refresh.
Two-factor or multi-factor authentication is a service that adds additional layers of security to the standard password method of online identification. Without two-factor authentication, you would normally enter a username and password. But, with two-factor, you would be prompted to enter one additional authentication method such as a Personal Identification Code, another password or even fingerprint. With multi-factor authentication, you would be prompted to enter more than two additional authentication methods after entering your username and password.
According to NIST, an SMS delivery should not be used during two-factor authentication because malware can be used to attack mobile phone networks and can compromise data during the process. 5. Learn about Phishing Scams – be very suspicious of emails, phone calls, and flyers
We recently blogged that phishing scams are nastier than ever this year. In a phishing scheme attempt, the attacker poses as someone or something the sender is not to trick the recipient into divulging credentials, clicking a malicious link, or opening an attachment that infects the user’s system with malware, trojan, or zero-day vulnerability exploit. This often leads to a ransomware attack. In fact, 90% of ransomware attacks originate from phishing attempts. A few important cyber security tips to remember about phishing schemes include:
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used by a cybercriminal to identify or locate an individual. PII includes information such as name, address, phone numbers, data of birth, Social Security Number, IP address, location details, or any other physical or digital identity data.
In the new “always-on” world of social media, you should be very cautious about the information you include online. It is recommended that you only show the very minimum about yourself on social media. Consider reviewing your privacy settings across all your social media accounts, particularly Facebook. Adding your home address, birthdate, or any other PII information will dramatically increase your risk of a security breach. Hackers use this information to their advantage!
According to McAfee Labs, your mobile device is now a target to more than 1.5 million new incidents of mobile malware. Here are some quick tips for mobile device security:
Backing up your data regularly is an overlooked step in personal online security. The top IT and security managers follow a simple rule called the 3-2-1 backup rule. Essentially, you will keep three copies of your data on two different types of media (local and external hard drive) and one copy in an off-site location (cloud storage). If you become a victim of ransomware or malware, the only way to restore your data is to erase your systems and restore with a recently performed backup.
Don’t use a public Wi-Fi without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). By using a VPN, the traffic between your device and the VPN server is encrypted. This means it’s much more difficult for a cybercriminal to obtain access to your data on your device. Use your cell network if you don’t have a VPN when security is important.
With the recent Equifax breach, it’s more important than ever for consumers to safeguard their online accounts and monitor their credit reports. A credit freeze is the most effective way for you to protect your personal credit information from cyber criminals right now. Essentially, it allows you to lock your credit and use a personal identification number (PIN) that only you will know. You can then use this PIN when you need to apply for credit.
Top Causes of Security Breaches
Hacking, phishing, and malware incidents are becoming the number one cause of security breaches today. But, what’s more troubling, these hacking attempts are the result of human errors in some way. Education and awareness are critically important in the fight against cybercriminal activity and preventing security breaches.
We hope you found these personal cyber security tips and the knowledge of how personal security breaches occur to be helpful in mitigating your risk from a security incident