Top 10 Cyber Awareness Tips to Stay Safe Online

Introduction

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity has become a critical aspect of every person’s daily life. With the increasing amount of personal and financial information shared online, everyone is more vulnerable to cyber threats than ever before. Cybercriminals use various tactics to exploit unsuspecting users through social engineering (such as phishing), data leaks or vulnerability exploitation. However, adopting a basic cyber awareness regimen can significantly reduce these risks. This guide explores the top 10 cyber awareness tips to stay safe online and protect your data and online identity.

Use Strong and Unique Passwords

According to Microsoft, a password should be at least 12 characters long. It should be a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. A password should be easy to remember but difficult to guess. A good policy to create a strong password is to use a phrase, like “dancing monkeys”. Replace some letters with numbers, whitespaces with underscores, add capital letters and symbols. This way a simple phrase like “dancing monkeys” becomes a strong password like “D4nc!ng_M0nk3y5”.

Creating and remembering different passwords for tens, maybe even hundreds of accounts can be a challenge. This problem can be easily solved by using a password manager. A password manager is a piece of software that keeps all passwords securely in a vault and only one password is required to unlock the vault, a master password. It is imperative, that this master password is strong and unique.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security measure that adds an additional security layer to an online account. By requiring additional verification beyond just the password and username, the account is more protected against possible database leaks and random intrusion attempts.

The additional verification can take many forms, but popular options include: PIN codes sent to the user’s mobile phone, fingerprint scanners, smart cards and specialized hardware tokens.

Keep Your Software and Devices Updated

Updates often include security patches that fix vulnerabilities hackers could exploit to gain unauthorized access and steal data or resources. Regular updates also ensure optimal performance, as they improve functionality and compatibility with other software. Outdated systems increase the risk of data breaches, malware infections and ransomware attacks, potentially leading to loss of personal data, compromised privacy, and financial harm.

Be Wary of Phishing Attempts

Attackers often use phishing to gain unauthorized access to a person’s accounts. A phishing email usually tries to create a sense of urgency in the victim. Often times, mistakes are made by rushing – taking some time to analyze the email is always a good practice. Verifying the sender address and making sure that it is the official address of a service provider should be the first step in analysis. Phishing emails often contain either a link to a phishing website or an attachment for the user to download. A good way to verify the link in an email is by hovering the cursor over the link. This way, the browser displays the actual link in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. Attachments in a phishing email probably contain malware. They are also password protected so that anti virus programs can not scan them and therefore it is recommended to avoid downloading files from unknown senders.

Secure Your Wi-Fi Network

Securing your home Wi-Fi network helps keep your personal data and devices safe from unauthorized access. Additionally, any intruders in your network may use your internet connection to mask their own malicious traffic. Make sure to change your Wi-Fi password from the default to a strong new password. Other things to check are network encryption (WPA2 or WPA3 recommended) and that the router’s firmware version is up to date. If you need assistance, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) should ensure all of these requirements.

Download New Software from Trusted Sources

It is important to be mindful of malware when installing new software for both your smartphone or computer. Official application stores like Google Play or the Microsoft Store have strict security standards and verification processes, making it harder for bad actors to exploit them. On the contrary, third party websites often lack these security checks and require additional vigilance. Finally, it can be helpful to go over the information about the developer, the required permissions of the programs and its reviews by current users. All of this can help to validate the legitimacy of the software.

Limit Personal Information Shared Online

Publicly shared information is the most easiest threat vector that cybercriminals can use to target you. They often gather information from social media profiles, such as birthdays, locations, family details, and interests, to impersonate you or manipulate you into revealing more sensitive information. Details like your pet’s name, favorite sports team, or even vacation plans can be exploited to answer security questions to user accounts or craft convincing phishing messages. To stay safe, adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your posts, be mindful of what you share, and avoid posting sensitive details that could be used to compromise your security.

Be Cautious of Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks, often available in cafes, airports, and other public spaces, are typically unsecured, making it easier for hackers to intercept data transmitted over the network. Avoid logging into sensitive accounts or entering personal information while connected to these networks, as attackers can exploit them to steal passwords, credit card details, or other private information. If you need to use public Wi-Fi for secure tasks, connect through a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your data and create a safer browsing environment, reducing the risk of a successful cyber-attack.

Regularly Back Up Important Data

Ransomware, a piece of malware used to lock or encrypt files, demanding payment for their release is the current most popular cyber-attack. With reliable backups, you can restore your data without paying a ransom, minimizing disruption. Additionally, backups protect against accidental deletions, hardware failures, and natural disasters that could lead to data loss. To ensure effectiveness, save backups on both an external drive and a secure cloud service. Regularly schedule these backups and test them to verify data integrity, as often times backups might exist but are still unusable due to technical issues.

Stay Informed and Educated

The most critical tip of our top 10 cyber awareness tips to stay safe online is staying informed and educated. In a landscape where cyber threats are constantly evolving and hackers frequently develop new tactics and exploit emerging vulnerabilities, it is crucial to stay aware of the latest security risks and best practices. Being up to date on cybersecurity threats and trends can help you recognize common threats like social engineering. Additionally, consider taking a cybersecurity awareness course to learn practical skills for identifying risks and protecting personal information.

Try out our free course at https://www.mycyberhygiene.com/ or start with a customized solution at our Cyber Awareness Trainings page to test your knowledge and skills of the top 10 cyber awareness tips to stay safe online.