How can you prevent yourself from getting hacked? As rightly said by a Cybersecurity expert, there are only two big reasons behind the hacking, flaws in software and flaws in human behavior. We will be focusing on flaws in human behavior here for this blog. The fact is that everyone is at risk. No matter whether someone is poor or rich. If you don’t follow good practices, you will be at risk.
If you are interested in pursuing an Ethical Hacker’s career path, then check out the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) course from Intellipaat. The state of being a victim of a Cyberattack is a very disturbing and frustrating situation. It’s always preferable to avoid being hacked in the first place. So here are some steps that being an online user you can take up.
Multi-Factor Authentication
The best way to secure IT systems and environments is to implement Multi-Factor Authentication. It’s one of the most effective ways to secure accounts. These Multi-factor could be two-factor or more than that. These could be code generated by an app or an SMS, along with the password.
The first password is the information that you remember that you can use for logging in. The next is the code that you can access using a registered phone. In this scenario, a hacker will be unable to access your system without accessing the code from your phone. Its recommended that you must keep the Multi-Factor Authentication on for all the social media apps to deny illegal access to cybercriminals.
All forms of Multi-Factor Authentication are equally important, but here too code generating-ones are considered more secure than the ones that get code via SMS. The physical security keys offer an extra layer of protection.
Password Manager
Password Managers are an effective way to securely store passwords of different platforms of a user. As we already know, every password that we use must be strong, and for that, it must be complex containing different characters, alphabets, and numerals. You cannot rely on simple passwords that many users who aren’t aware of Cybersecurity measures use like (“Password” and “12345”), etc. As they are easily hackable.
What it essentially means is that you must not use a single password for every platform that you visit. And the password that you use must be long and complex. Today, we are using many apps and services in our daily lives, and remembering each and every password becomes a difficult task. Forgetting passwords again creates a cumbersome experience that may frustrate you in the end. So experts recommend using a Password Manager to store passwords securely for all the platforms. also you can read about 10 Best Software For PC
Learn how to spot a Phishing trap
Every online user must be very conscious and alert while surfing online. As attackers are always prying on users who aren’t conscious. It’s our instinct that leads us to click on any new email or message when it arrives. Hackers have become more active during the pandemic as they took advantage of the situation that forced many companies and organizations to switch to Work From Home mode without taking appropriate precautions.
The fact is anyone could fall for these traps. The best way is to think before clicking on a link. The best way to identify phishing attacks is to look for emails or messages that come with false or disproportionate claims or messages that arouse a sense of urgency, etc. Now, these messages may seem to be coming from a trusted source, but it’s wise to check the legitimacy before clicking on the link. Finally, do not download any file to your device unless you can confirm the authority and legitimacy of the source.
Update everything you can
Every piece of digital software, tool, or platform that you use is vulnerable to a cyber attack. Security experts are working with companies to create fixes, and patches for all the loopholes, every day. So each of these tools, software, and platforms needs an update so that it remains protected from modern bugs, malware, and sophisticated attack approaches that hackers use. That’s the reason why experts recommend that all the systems must be updated on time to prevent any Cyberattack.
You must always be using the latest versions of the apps or software for your systems. In addition to that, every data must be backed up regularly.
Encryption
Encrypting data has become one of the best ways to avert any cybercriminal’s attempt to perform a security breach. Over the years, companies and organizations have realized that encryption is a major helper in securing data. Every form of data that may be a message, file, etc., could be encrypted. The biggest advantage to Encryption is that it allows you to send and receive data and ensure that none can access the information unless they have the key to the encryption.
Social Media apps like Whatsapp and Signal use end-to-end encryption and disappearing message features to help users protect their privacy and security.
Conclusion
The points we discussed above certainly help companies and individuals in preventing illegal access to data and systems. There are many more practices and methodologies for preventing these Cyberattacks, but maintaining at least basic security is the first step in ensuring a secure environment.
