Concerned About Cyber? 6 Easy Steps for Staying Secure in 2022
Cybersecurity has become one of the most important hot topics inside and outside technology circles over the last two years. From securing learning devices due to a rise in digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to coping with the fallout of high-profile breaches of national infrastructure such as the Colonial Pipeline, there is a seemingly endless news cycle dedicated to cybersecurity mishaps and concerns.
And with this onslaught of negative news, it can be easy for everyday individuals to become overwhelmed and feel powerless in the face of the “insurmountable” threats posed by cybersecurity. But in actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.
With all of the jargon typically thrown around concerning cybersecurity, there is a longstanding misperception that cybersecurity is beyond everyday people and that it should be left to professionals. Moreover, there is a prevailing sense among the public that breaches are simply a fact of life and that we should just learn to deal with them. But this just isn’t true. People have a vast daily role in cybersecurity threat prevention, detection, and remediation. For example, according to IBM, 95% of breaches have human error as the leading cause. Therefore, everyday technology users are the first line of defense when thwarting cybercrime. Unfortunately, many individuals are unaware of some of the best practices for boosting cybersecurity and how easy they are to use.
With that, here are a few critical best practices that everyday people can implement today to enhance their cybersecurity and create a more secure world.
1) DataLocker Encryption Devices Managed by SafeConsole
DataLocker offers easy-to-use data protection solutions that deliver the security CISOs need and the simplicity users want. Our award-winning product line includes everything from encrypted hardware and cloud storage to remote device management. With over 35 patents, our technology is at the heart of almost every encrypted hardware and software solution in the market. We’re proud to be used by two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies and security and military agencies at the highest levels of the Federal Government.
DataLocker’s Encrypted USB Flash Drives and Hard Drives are portable, easy to use, and encrypt data with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. Best of all, they can be remotely managed at scale by SafeConsole. Our SafeConsole platform is a powerful way to manage hundreds of thousands of devices and endpoints. It lets you easily provision, secure, manage, and audit encrypted USB drives, ports, and encrypted virtual drives from anywhere. Available in on-prem and cloud (SaaS) rollouts, SafeConsole also has optional Premium support and enterprise features, including SSO.
2) Watch Out for Phishing
Phishing – when a cybercriminal poses as a legitimate party in hopes of getting individuals to engage with malicious content or links – remains one of the most popular tactics among cybercriminals today. 80% of cybersecurity incidents stem from a phishing attempt. However, while phishing has gotten more sophisticated, keeping an eye out for typos, poor graphics, and other suspicious characteristics can be a telltale sign that the content is potentially coming from a “phish.” In addition, if you have spotted a phishing attempt, report the incident so that internal IT teams and service providers can remediate the situation and prevent others from possibly becoming victims.
3) Update Your Passwords and Use a Password Manager
Password cracking is one of the best ways to boost your cybersecurity. Having unique, long, complex passwords is one of the best ways to boost your cybersecurity. Only 43% of the public say they “always” or “very often” use strong passwords. If you are a “password repeater,” they can easily see come across your accounts.
One of the biggest reasons individuals repeat passwords is that it can be difficult to remember them. Using a password manager, individuals can securely store their unique passwords in one place. This means people only have to remember one password. In addition, password managers can automatically plug-in stored passwords when you visit a site.
4) Enable MFA
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) – which prompts a user to input a second set of verifying information such as a security code sent to a mobile device or to sign in via an authenticator app – is a hugely effective measure that anyone can use to reduce the chances of a cybersecurity breach drastically. In fact, according to Microsoft, MFA is 99.9 percent effective in preventing breaches. Therefore, it is necessary for individuals looking to secure their devices and accounts.
5) Activate Automatic Updates
Cybersecurity is an ongoing effort, and updates are hugely important in helping to address vulnerabilities that have been uncovered as well as in providing ongoing maintenance. Ensuring devices are always up-to-date with the most recent versions is essential to preventing cybersecurity issues from cropping up. Therefore, instead of trying to remember to check for updates or closing out of update notifications, enable automatic update installations whenever possible.
6) Reach out and see how we can help