You may have heard that your friend’s account got hacked.
Or,
You might have read articles where people lost money in online transactions.
The question is how cyber-crimes take over and how you can be safe and secure in this cyber world. Safety comes from cyber awareness and this article is here to guide you about
- What is Cyber Security?
- Why Cyber Security is important?
- Free and basic tools to be cyber safe
The ones who want to brush up their knowledge and be clear on basics can find this article useful.
What is the meaning of Cyber Security?
Cybersecurity meaning is a dynamic concept. With diverse technologies and resultant crimes, cybersecurity keeps evolving.
According to Merriam-Webster,
Cyber revolves around computers or computer networks such as the Internet.
Just like there is physical security for any robbery, Cyber Security is the security and safety of computer networks, systems, and software from any malicious attacks or threatening circumstances.
It is the security of all digital stokehold that exists or will ever exist. Nevertheless, it is also the conditioning of human personnel who are keeping the cyber world secure.
These days, cybersecurity has become a global concern. The importance of cybersecurity is ever-increasing with numerous threats like cyber terror and cyber war. Neglecting cyber security can be detrimental to citizens’ trust and confidence in digital infrastructure.
Why Cyber Security is important?
“When we rely on something, its presence, safety, and stakes become ultra important.”
“When we rely on something, its presence, safety, and stakes become ultra important.”
In today’s tech world, the importance of cyber security has grown manifold. Almost everything is digital and the need to protect systems and devices can’t be neglected. You and I as netizens need to realize that
- Our digital devices are infiltrated with tons of data which need to be protected from cyber-attacks like data breach, DDOS attacks, malicious software, and phishing attack
- Our systems like phones, laptops, and air pods can be infected by malicious software. The famous WannaCry Ransomware attack targeted businesses online which resulted in the loss of data, and money for many organizations
- Data breach- Data leaks and data breaches can bring a company’s critical infrastructure into shambles. For example, In 2014, according to Wikipedia, American bank JP Morgan Chase witnessed a data breach affecting the data of over 83 million accounts and 7 million small businesses. This is considered one of the largest data breaches in the US.
- Social media hacking– Hackers can trace and target your activities on social media, i.e., where you go to work/study, where you stay, and whom you hang out with. Subsequently, cyber frauds like credit/debit card information hacking, financial theft, identity theft, and social media hacking can take place
Free tools to maintain cyber security
There are some easily available cyber security tools for netizens and businesses that can ease the prevention of cyber-attacks. For example
- Aircrack-ng– When you find yourself searching for an internet connection at a café or airport, go for Aircrack-ng for Wi-Fi Network Security. It assesses and monitors Wi-Fi security. https://www.aircrack-ng.org/
- Log Me Once Password Manager– This password manager is free for personal accounts which is a good start when you juggle multiple passwords in your head. https://www.logmeonce.com/
- Avast– To keep your computer/laptop/mobile free of any virus attack, install Avast, an Anti-Virus software. It performs security and performance drills for your device to detect any viruses or internal issues. https://www.avast.com/en-in/index#pc
- These days, Cyber frauds happen on the most happening social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. With such challenges, the use of applications like Hootsuite can help in managing social media activities
Hootsuite– This application helps to post on time, manage and multiple social media accounts of a company. The access to login is controlled by a few and employees only get access that they are required to know.
- Have I Been Pwned? – This is a website where you can enter your email address to see if your email id is/was subject to a cybersecurity breach of data. It has other cybersecurity services like
- You can use 1Password to generate and save strong passwords
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- And, subscribe to notifications for any other breaches
Some habits to ensure cyber security
- Solid cyber security policy- maintain data encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems
- Train people around you to spot and report possible cyber threats
- Use strong passwords- install a password manager, never reuse passwords, use multi-factor authentication
- Keep your software up to date
- Be cautious of phishing scams through emails
- Be wary of emails from unknown people- think before you click on any link and attachment
- Back up your data
- Be ready with a copy of all the data- delete sensitive data when not in use
- Stay up to date
- If you find anything suspicious, report it as soon as possible
These are some basics of cybersecurity and to know more about cybersecurity, types of cybersecurity, and how to prevent yourself from any attack, keep visiting Culsight.in
