Published in: Cyber security

Cybersecurity 101 How to Keep Cyber Hackers Away: – Do not Get Hacked!

Author South-End Tech

Published on: June 27, 2023

By Angela Violet

Cybersecurity and IT Associate

South-End Tech Limited

Date: Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Hacking refers to the misuse of devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, and networks to cause damage to or corrupt systems, gather information on users, steal data and documents, or disrupt data-related activity. Reasons people get hacked include:

Use multi-factor authentication

Arguably the most effective thing you can do to protect your online accounts is to turn on multi-factor, or two-factor, authentication for as many of your accounts as possible. The method uses a secondary piece of information—often a code generated by an app or sent via SMS—alongside a password. This secondary piece of information helps to prove it is you trying to log in, as the codes are often accessed on the phone in your pocket. Even if you do have a password that is easy to guess (we will get to that shortly), an attacker is unlikely to get access to an account with multi-factor authentication turned on unless they have your phone.

Use a password manager

All the passwords you use for your online accounts should be strong and unique. What this means is they should be long, include a mixture of different character types, and not be used across multiple websites. Your Twitter password shouldn’t be the same as your online banking one; your home Wi-Fi network shouldn’t use the same credentials as your Amazon account. The best way to do this is by using a password manager. Password managers create strong passwords for you and store them securely. If the fact that they can stop you from getting hacked isn’t enough to make you consider using one, a password manager also means you never have to struggle to remember a forgotten password again.

Learn how to spot a Phishing Attack

Phishing is an attempt to steal sensitive data by tricking a person into revealing passwords/credit card data/downloading a computer virus.

Quickly clicking can be your worst enemy. When a new email or text message arrives and includes something that can be tapped or clicked, our instincts often lead us to do it straight away. Don’t. Hackers have used the pandemic as cover to launch wave after wave of phishing attacks and dumb Google Drive scams. Anyone can fall for these types of scams. The main thing to do is to think before you click. Scam messages try to trick people into behaving in a way they wouldn’t normally, say, pretend instant demands from a boss or messages that say an urgent response is required. There’s no foolproof way to identify every type of phishing effort or scammers are constantly upping their game but being aware of the threat can help reduce its effectiveness. Be cautious, think before you click, and download files only from people and sources you know and trust.

Update everything

Every piece of technology from the apps on your phone to the operating system that controls your smart lightbulb is open to attack. Thankfully, companies are always finding new bugs and fixing them. That’s why you must download and update the latest versions of the apps and software you’re using. Everything is vulnerable, including your internet-connected chastity belt.

Wipe your digital footprint

The past can come back to haunt you. Hackers frequently use details from previous data breaches to access the accounts people currently use. Reducing the amount of information that is available about your online life can help cut your risk of being hacked. A simple step is regularly deleting your Google search history, but you can also use privacy-first Google alternatives.