October 19, 2022

7 Easy Steps to Protect Yourself From Getting Hacked, #119

15 minutes

Have you ever gotten a suspicious text or email that felt real and didn’t know what to do? When was the last time you changed your online bank account password? In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about the seven steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim of cybercrime.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

Are your passwords strong enough? [2:57]
Who is managing your passwords? [4:14]
The power of two-factor authentication [5:38]
How to avoid malicious emails [7:05]
When was your last data backup? [9:07]
The risks of public Wi-Fi [10:10]
What if I’ve already been hacked? [13:06]

The five most common cybercrimes

As we continue to move at breakneck speeds into an increasingly digital age, digital security should be one of our top priorities. One of the first ways to stay protected is to know the most common cyber schemes employed by the internet’s criminals. The most common technique is called phishing, where an attacker uses generic spam emails or targeted communications to acquire your personal information. Spoofing is similar to phishing, but it’s more complex in that the attackers mimic a specific organization or website to get your information or to install ransomware or malware.

Ransomware is software that criminals use to lock you out of your system or important files and extort you for money to regain access. Malware is software that actually gives attackers control of your system and opens the door for even more damage. The final thing to keep on your security radar is IoT or “Internet of Things” hacking. This type of hacking is done by accessing your computer and stealing data through other connected devices like smartphones and smart appliances that are connected to the same wireless network. The terms and conditions for some apps even give companies permission to do this kind of data mining, so be careful what you download!

Keep it secret, keep it safe

It’s 2022, yet the most common digital password is still 123456. That fun fact is only fun if you're a hacker. Professional cybercriminals have software that can easily guess simple passwords like this. You want to make sure the passwords guarding your important accounts are complex and at least eight characters long. That goes double for your smartphone! Our entire lives are on these things, and major damage can be done if they fall into the wrong hands.

The most common complaint about having quality passwords is that they are too difficult to remember. That’s why it’s essential to use a password manager such as 1Password or Bitwarden on your computer and mobile devices. Apple users have an advantage through the password management software called Keychain built into every device. Not only does it store all of your passwords using biometrics (i.e. fingerprint or Face ID), it will help you generate and save advanced passwords to keep all of your information safe. Listen to this episode for more cybersecurity tips!

Resources Mentioned