Hello Fans, ![]() Cybersecurity is important -- now more than ever. It is more apparent than ever thattechnology is gradually taking over every facet of our lives. Whether we are athome or travelling technology has some sort of involvement in our dailyroutine. It would not a stretch to say that we are becoming increasinglydependent on technology for better or worse. There is not a person in the worldthat doesn't interact with it in some way. In that vein, we are seeing aproliferation of internet access that rivals the spread of the automobile andvaccines. A Growing Industry This is to say that the internet is becoming ubiquitous. We all havesome part of our lives online whether we like it or not. As an immediateresult, our security and privacy are constantly under fire. It may be foreign actorswho are trolling websites for information or susceptible individuals. It may bepeople we know who want some sort of leverage or access to personalinformation. What is clear is that there is an obvious risk in simply livingthat was not there before. ![]() For some, this seems like an issue that can never be solved, and, insome ways, they are correct. If our lives are split between physical realityand our digital existence the threat of hackers or breaching will always bepresent. However, this does not mean that we are somehow at a loss or without asolution. As a matter of fact, we can defend ourselves mightily with a little bit of knowledge and willpower. If we can engage in some cyber securitypractices then we can greatly reduce the chance of an attack or, at the veryleast, mitigate the damage of a breached system. In this article, weare going to discuss why cybersecurity matters today and what you can to makesure that your life is not invaded by uninvited guests. Technology Everywhere You Look Technology today has more impact than almost any other industry. Truly,all industries are tech focused in that there are major components that rely ontechnology is some way or another. This is to say that manufacturing andmedical are both highly dependent on technology along with almost everyindustry on the planet. ![]() It is, in no uncertain terms, the lifeblood of modern business and amajor area of study for today’s youth. As a matter of hope, we can only watchand wait to see how the generations will integrate technology into their livesbut, we know that it is a crucial part of all lives. In fact, it has becomecritical which is why we most secure it to the best of our abilities. Just think about your own exposure to the internet daily. Most employed people depend on the internet to work every day. Mostunemployed depend on the internet to find work or jobs in their preferredarena. Every business owner must use the internet to stay competitive andfunction at all. The productivity gained by using technology cannot be ignoredand if this is the case then our exposure will only grow. We go online over abillion times a day and that data at any time can be stolen and used against usfor nefarious endeavors. As the access enabled devices continue to spread and access grows theproblem worsens due to the age of the technology or the practices used byindividual users. There is nothing more dangerous, in the modern era, thanhaving your data stolen. It is akin to being turned upside down as you struggleto regain your gravity. The Best Defense Luckily, there are methods that can be employed to secure your data andprevent a total upheaval of your life. Firstly, there is the age-old advice ofgood password policy that is not used very widely despite its effectivenessagainst hackers. ![]() To further understand its effectiveness let’s examine how hackersusually operate and why they are successful. Aside from using ransomware,hackers typically prefer to use something called social exploits to gain theinformation they or the access they desire. This, in effect, is the process of calling people on the phone and lyingabout who they are to get information. They will also, occasionally, pose asother people to gain physical access to sensitive locations in a business e.g.server rooms, IT desks, etc. There is not much that can be done about socialhacking except having a keen eye and discerning ear, but, aside from that astrong password can deflect many other attacks. Strong passwords can defend against brute force attacks and spoofing,contextually of course, as the effort required to break them is oftenincredible and beyond the scope of most hackers. To be clear, astrong password uses mixed cases and a combination of numbers and letters alongwith special characters. They should never be shorter than 8 characters andshould always be kept in secret with either a password protector or physicalsafe storage location. Conclusion Another great strategy to defend yourself with is the use of proxies. Now proxies can do a lot of good, but, are also widely used by hackers, so ineffect, you are fighting fire with fire. Proxy services, such as VPNBook, useprivate network filtering to protect your identity and location while youbrowse the internet. These can be great against hackers and those who want tosteal your data for marketing or political purposes. ![]() Itis highly recommended to use a proxy at home and, if one is not alreadyimplemented, make sure that your company uses a proxy as well so that businessrecords are not compromised either. Ultimately cybersecurity is important today because the internet is nowa channel into your private life that almost anyone can access. This fact, mixed with broad proliferation of internet-based technology,leads us to importance of cybersecurity. As long as you are willing to implement strong password and use a proxy servicethen you can defend yourself against one of the greatest threats we face as aunified people. Stay Connected, Stay Secure! |
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