Ways to Deal with Cyber Threats in the Office and at Home

Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges faced globally on enterprise and domestic level. Be it home or office, cyber threat is giving goosebumps to everyone. Every big and small enterprise is vulnerable to these threats. The threats are growing over time and have raised concerns among common household users and office employees. The majority of people do not take it seriously and as a result, face the consequences in the form of data theft.

Whether you are using the internet at home or office, you need to stay vigilant and protect yourself and the people around you from any potential attacks. For instance, companies must train employees on how to deal with cyber threats, and what measures to take when sending or receiving files. While the homeowners must educate kids and other family members to 0act appropriately such as installing antivirus software and securing the network.

There are plenty of ways to deal with cybersecurity attacks, which will be discussed later on. First, we would like to discuss the types of cybersecurity attacks that are prevalent nowadays.

Forms of Cybersecurity Threats

Malware

Malware is the most common type of cybersecurity threat that can be equally risky for both enterprise and home users. It is generally referred to as software that performs a nasty task on a network or device such as corrupting data or overriding a system.

Phishing

Phishing is also one of the most common types of cybersecurity threat that tricks the email recipient to disclose confidential data. In some cases, it encourages the recipient to click on a certain link or download files

Sear Phishing

It is an advanced form of phishing. It involves the mimicking of a person by a hacker whom the victim knows and trusts.

Trojans

‘Trojan’ name is generally originated from the horse found in Greek history. A type of malware that enters the system and looks like software employed by hackers to gain access to the data of the victim.

Ransomware

It is an attack involving encryption of data on the target system and demanding a ransom for allowing the user to access the data again.

Now that you are aware of different types of cybersecurity threats, it is now time to reveal the ways to deal with them. Let’s have a look at it.

Ways to Deal with Cybersecurity Threats

Keep the Software Updated

Whether at home or in the office, the first thing is to keep the software updated. For instance, if you are using Windows on your laptop, make sure to update it in a timely manner. The same goes for other software installed on your laptop. By updating software and operating system, the vulnerability to attack the system is minimized.

The reason is that some of the loopholes in the system are removed by updating it. Using cracks and illegal software can also ease the way for hackers to get into the system and steal your information. At the enterprise level, the IT personnel should ensure that everything is encrypted and secured. Moreover, new security patches and updates should be performed on fortnightly basis.

Use Security Suite to Protect Your Network

When it comes to protecting your devices, make sure to install a security suite to protect your network. You can find plenty of software free and paid that would do the job to protect you from any cyber threats. Moreover, some ISPs also offer security suites with their plans to give you extra protection. If you haven’t found one yet, just check out Spectrum deals for speed up to 940Mbps, unlimited data caps, and a security suite included in the package.

Encryption and Backing Up of Data

Data encryption is one of the most effective ways to deal with data breaches and security threats. Not taking appropriate measures to encrypt your data might lead to heavy data losses. Similarly, when it comes to the company’s data backup, the tech personnel should make use of appropriate data backup methods such as cloud storage. But before everything else, the data that contains customers’ sensitive information and business data should be encrypted.

Give Training to the Staff

The majority of small and big enterprises don’t take cybersecurity seriously. Most organizations don’t play a role in training their employees and informing them about the nitty-gritty of securing data. For instance, some employees might use weak passwords or open phishing emails, which may lead to data loss.

Employers need to take the matter into their own hands and conduct sessions regarding the security and privacy of data. Moreover, tech personnel should also play role in finding the loopholes in the system and take appropriate measures to overcome it. Overall, the company must devise strong policies for the best cybersecurity practices.

Use Strong Passwords

Whenever signing up for a new account especially that contains sensitive data, you must use a strong password. Moreover, repeating one password for all your accounts will give an easy way for hackers to steal your information. Make your password complex and check its strength given right below the password field. You can also use password generator tools to create new passwords. The general rule of creating a new password is to use capital and small letters along with numbers and special characters.

If you are connected to a Wi-Fi network, make sure to change the password beforehand. Some of the manufacturers use a default password for every model, which makes it easy for hackers to break into it.

Use Virtual Private Network

Virtual Private Network or VPN is the best way to hide your identity and access the internet even on public Wi-Fi hotspots. If you are on the move all the time and rely on public hotspots, make sure to use VPN to stay safe and hidden from hackers. Especially when you are making online transactions through your mobile app, remember to turn on your VPN.