1. Using Free Hotspots
Hotspots are everywhere and will double over the next two years. Unfortunately,
the heavy majority aren’t necessarily ones you’d give your hide-a-key to. Many of these are
created to obtain your email and login information and then eventually your sensitive accounts. The best defense against these hackers known as “sniffers” is to use a VPN (virtual private network).
Basically, a VPN keeps your private information safe in the encrypted vault you created.
Lock it up!
2. Online Banking
Warning: This might shock you…
More than 100 banks worldwide have lost $900 million from cyberhacking. You can easily be a victim
in these losses. When you do your banking online at your local café, be sure that you know exactly
what network you hop on. It’s a lot easier than you think to set up shop and create a “safe” looking
connection with a convincing name. Don’t get any ideas…
Permission to be a little bit skeptical before joining a connection.
3. Wi-Fi: Always On
Your mobile device may default to allowing your Wi-Fi to be “always on”. If that’s the case, you very well could connect to an unsecure network without really noticing.
Instead, chose the setting: “location-based Wi-Fi”. Your Wi-Fi will fire up only when you’re around networks that you have personally saved and trusted.
4. Firewall Opt-out
Plain and simple.
Your firewall is the first line of defense against any and all malicious imposters. It’s created to let good traffic through your device on a network, keeping malware and hackers out.
It’s the starting point to a Fort Knox- like device.
5. Browsing Unencrypted Websites
You may need to sit down before you read this next stat:
55% of the Web’s top 1 million sites don’t offer encryption. Gasp.
An unencrypted website permits all data transmissions to be viewed by the villains of
the web. Typically your browser will indicate when a site is actually secure but even those sites that are locked can’t make you untouchable. Sidejackers can steal cookies from a website through public
networks.
6. Neglecting Security Updates
It’s annoying and inconvenient sometimes. Those software update pop-ups that seem to appear when you’re in the middle of something that actually matters.
However, upgrading and updating your firmware will save you in the end. Set a reminder to check it so procrastination isn’t the next hacker’s accomplice.
Find this helpful? Our HD IT Training is designed for real-world application and relevance.