- Back up Data:
- Manage your Passwords (See Below *)
- Secure your devices and network
- Encrypt important information
- Ensure you use two-factor authentication
- Monitor (who has) use of your computer and its systems
- Put policies in place to guide your staff (and family)
- Train your staff (and family) to be safe online
- Protect your customers (or those with whom you interact online)
- Protect yourself
- Get updates on the latest risks
There are many challenges in securing passwords in this digital era. When the number of web services used by individuals are increasing year-over-year on one end, the number of cyber crimes is also skyrocketing on the other end. Here are a few common threats to passwords:
- Login spoofing - Passwords are illegally collected through a fake login page by cybercriminals.
- Sniffing attack - Passwords are stolen using illegal network access and with tools like key loggers.
- Shoulder surfing attack - Stealing passwords when someone types them, at times using a micro-camera and gaining access to user data.
- Brute force attack - Stealing passwords with the help of automated tools and gaining access to user data.
- Data breach - Stealing login credentials and other confidential data directly from the website database.
All of these threats create an opportunity for attackers to steal user passwords and enjoy unlimited access benefits. Here is a look at how individuals and businesses typically manage their passwords.
Traditional methods of password management
- Writing down passwords on sticky notes, post-its, etc.
- Sharing them via spreadsheets, email, telephone, etc.
- Using simple and easy to guess passwords
- Reusing them for all web applications
- Often forgetting passwords and seeking the help of 'Forgot Password' option
While hackers are equipped with advanced tools and attacks, individuals and businesses still rely on simple methods to mange their passwords. This clearly raises the need for the best password management practices to curb security threats.
How to manage passwords
- Use strong and unique passwords for all websites and applications
- Reset passwords at regular intervals
- Configure two-factor authentication for all accounts
- Securely share passwords with friends, family, and colleagues
- Store all enterprise passwords in one place and enforce secure password policies within the business environment
- Periodically review the violations and take necessary actions.
- Don’t click on any links in emails, text messages or attachments from people or organisations you don’t know.
- Contact the individual or company by phone and confirm the authenticity of a request.
- Search the company, products or services online to confirm the advice (is it a professional website matching with the goods and services the email offers?)
- Does the company provide adequate information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, dispute resolution, or contact details?
- Be extremely careful about requests for bank account or other personal or business information.
- Use trusted and established news source
- identity theft and fraud
- online scams
- attacks on your computer systems or websites
- accidental or illegal access
- corruption (a fault within the computer system as well as the action of a "corrupt" staff member)
- theft
- damage
- criminals – out for money or information, to illegally access your hardware and data, or to disrupt your business
- clients you do business with – to compromise your information
- business competitors – looking to gain an advantage over your business
- current or former employees – who accidentally or intentionally compromise your information
- theft or unauthorised access of hardware, computers and mobile devices
- infecting computers with malware (such as viruses, ransomware, and spyware)
- attacking your technology or website
- attacking third party systems
- spamming you with emails containing malware
- gaining access to your information through your employees or customers
- financial loss – from theft of money, information, disruption to business
- business loss – damage to reputation, damage to other companies you rely on to do business
- costs – getting your affected systems up and running
- investment loss – time notifying the relevant authorities and institutions of the incident
- customer records and personal information
- email records
- financial records
- business plans
- new business ideas
- marketing plans
- intellectual property
- product design
- patent applications
- employee records (which could include sensitive personal identifiable information such as their date of birth)
Antivirus software, or anti-virus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware (malicious software). Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses; hence the name. However, with the proliferation of other kinds of malware, antivirus software started to provide protection from other computer threats. In particular, modern antivirus software can protect users from: malicious browser helper objects (BHOs which normally assist a legitimate program to function), browser hijackers, ransonware, keyloggers; - the list goes on!
Some antivirus software products also include protection from other computer threats, such as infected and malicious scam and phishing attacks which target online identity, online banking, and the like. As well as being installed on traditional devices such as desktop and laptop computers, antivirus software products are available to be installed on other computer products such as mobile telephones and tablet devices. Some basic antivirus software products (such as AVG and Avast) are available for free download, so cost should not be an impediment for an individual to have at least the basic level of cyber security installed on their devices.