By Lucas Paus
Technology has changed the way we live, our
relationships with others, and even how we take care of ourselves. These days,
everyone – from the most inexperienced to the most advanced user – takes
measures to protect themselves from cybercriminals seeking to compromise or
steal information.
In this article, we discuss how you can fend off
cybercriminals’ malicious attacks, making it much more difficult for them
to succeed.
1. Update your security solution,
applications, and operating system
This is of vital importance, as software
updates often include solutions to security defects that have been found.
This way, if your system or application has any flaws, they will
be resolved by the updates, meaning an attacker will not be able to
exploit any kind of known vulnerability in your system.
2. Install security solutions on your devices
Computers, smartphones, tablets and any other
devices that allow security software to be installed should be protected. It is
important not to use pirated software because, besides being illegal, it is
unlikely to offer proper protection.
Tools like firewalls and antivirus
software will defend you from various threats, including Trojans and other
types of malware, as well through various detection technologies, which
help prevent leaks or information theft.
3. Make backups
As well as making backup copies regularly, you
should ensure that they are kept in a safe place: putting them on an
external drive should be sufficient. Be sure not to leave them constantly
connected, because if your computer becomes infected with any kind
of ransomware, your backup files could become encrypted too, even if they
are stored in the cloud.
If your computer becomes infected and you have kept
your backup in a safe place, you will easily be able to restore your
information after you disinfect your system.
For more information, see our backup guide.
4. Report phishing emails and websites
One of the most frequently used methods for
carrying out fraud is the old trick of setting up fake websites.
Receiving an email from a sender that looks familiar, with a link that directs
you to a fake portal, is a technique often employed by cybercriminals.
To prevent this from happening, it is very
important to report phishing websites from whichever browser you are using,
and also report them to your antivirus provider if it does not already
recognize the site as a malicious portal.
“One of the most frequently used methods for
carrying out fraud is the old trick of setting up fake websites.”
If the phishing website is a financial one, you
could get in touch with the organization affected so they can start the process
of getting rid of it. This way, you will be helping to protect the
community by warning people about the dangers of visiting fake sites.
Naturally, we do our bit at the ESET LATAM Research Lab by reporting the
cases we receive.
5. Change your passwords
There are many ways in which your password can be
compromised. Make sure you have a strong password, change it regularly, and
don’t use the same one for multiple accounts.
These three pillars will help keep the key to
your digital identity secure.
6. Activate two-factor authentication
Even if you follow each of these recommended
practices to protect your passwords, they could still become compromised.
However, two-factor authentication, which is available on most social
networks and online services, will significantly increase your levels of
security.
If a cybercriminal manages to steal your
password, they will not be able to do any significant damage,
as they will still need to input a code generated by this additional layer of
security.
7. Check the privacy of your social networks
All too often we’ve seen users sharing an excessive
amount of sensitive information on social networks.
“Platforms like Facebook allow you to set up groups
where you can share information and limit who views it.”
This problem is exacerbated if their posts
are public. Platforms like Facebook allow you to set up groups where you
can share information and limit who views it.
It is also important not to grant access to users
you don’t know and to review the permissions that you have in place around your
personal information.
8. Check the status of your bank accounts
You can never check your balance too often, as by
doing so you may detect an irregularity or unknown transaction. If
your card has been cloned or you have fallen victim to banking malware,
regularly checking your account is the best way for you to keep tabs on any
attacks that may have happened – and minimize the damage.
9. Make sure you aren’t subscribed to any
premium SMS services
The number of hoaxes circulating on WhatsApp continues to increase,
with one single campaign having the ability to yield more than 10 million
victims. This often ends up with users being caught off guard and subscribing
to numbers that send SMS messages which charge the recipient a fee to receive
them.
To prevent this, many countries allow you to check
whether you are subscribed to any such services on your phone provider’s
website.
10. Be aware of your environment
Understanding how hoaxes work
is the best way to avoid falling victim to one. At the same time, sharing
your knowledge will make you a friend of IT security; and by protecting
the devices of other people who use the same network as you, you will also be
taking care of your own property and the information stored on your computer.
Undoubtedly, if you follow these tips, you will be
able to increase the security of your devices and create obstacles for
cybercriminals, which in most cases will prevent attacks, as increasing the
complexity of these operations will most likely put them off attempting them.