Cybersecurity - What is it and how can you apply it in your daily life?
Cybersecurity - What is it and how can you apply it in your daily life?
Learn new cybersecurity habits
Learn new cybersecurity habits
Practical tips for guaranteeing the confidentiality of your data.
65% of the global population has been the victim of a cyberattack and more than 51% of computers have been affected by malware or viruses.
Cybersecurity has today reached very high levels. Fortunately, we have numerous next-generation tools that offer us high protection on the net. However, cyberattacks continue to be a real risk. It is calculated that 65% of the global populations has been the victim of a cyberattack at least once, and that more than 51% of computers have been affected by malware or viruses.
We must implement new habits into our daily lives that help us to improve the cybersecurity of our cellphones, computers, and all those devices that are susceptible to suffer a cyberattack.
What are the main cyberthreats today? How can you protect yourself from them? What measures can you adopt to increase your cybersecurity? We'll tell you the answers.
What is cybersecurity?
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity protects IT systems from cyberattacks, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
Cybersecurity is a set of measures and processes aimed at protecting and defending us from malicious attacks. In particular, those digital attacks that our servers, computers, mobile devices, electronic systems, and any other technological device may suffer.
The main aim of cybersecurity is to ensure that failures in the security systems of these devices don't occur, since they usually store personal, private, and confidential information.
The main cyberattacks today
The main cyberattacks today
The latest cybersecurity threats that have been detected focus on teleworking, remote access devices, and cloud services. Among the main ones, the following stand out:
It is a malicious software that causes damage to the operating system of our devices, deleting files or extracting confidential information. In general, this malware usually "sneaks" into our devices when we click on an infected link or download an infected file.
It is a type of malware, with certain characteristics. In this case, the aim is not to destroy or delete files, but to encrypt them to make them inaccessible. These are usually compromised files and the cyberattackers extort money from the victim in exchange for not publishing them.
Phishing is a type of social engineering where cyberattackers impersonate a co-worker, a well-known brand, or the bank to deceive the user and obtain information. They use emails or text messages that seem to come from a reliable source so that we press on the infected link or give confidential information.
In advanced persistent threats -APT-, cyberattackers use undetectable malware to sneak in to the user's system. They thus access all the device's information and remain on it for long periods of time. This practice is widely used to steal data and confidential information in the field of large corporations.
In these types of attacks, cyberattackers intercept and resend the user's messages to steal confidential information and data. They do so when the user connects to an "unsecure" Wi-Fi network, since this allows them to enter it and intercept the information that is being sent between the device and network.
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Practical tips to improve your cybersecurity
- Regularly update your software
Always make sure you have the latest version of the operating system installed (both in personal and corporate devices). They usually include updates in terms of cybersecurity and, if you keep the previous version, it's possible that there are faults that may endanger your device's security. - Create strong and indecipherable passwords
For a password to be considered "highly secure", it must have a minimum of 8 characters and include lowercase, uppercase, numbers, and symbol. There are different tools to help you create these indecipherable passwords, such as the Dashlane or Avast password generator. - Save and manage your passwords securely
Forget about writing your passwords on paper, word, or excel. To save and manage your passwords securely, you can use different applications such as the Google password manager -where all the passwords saved on Android or Chrome are stored- or 1Password - valid password management tool for all desktop (Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux) and mobile (iOS and Android) operating systems. - Choose secure digital work spaces
Among the most secure we find Google WorkSpace, iWork, and Microsoft 365. All of them have high security systems to create a secure environment, protecting all information and data that is stored on electronic devices (cell phone, computer, and tablet), and on the cloud itself. When you use them, check that all the security-related functions are active. - Activate two-step verification
Two-step verification is an extra security feature over the traditional verification of "user" and "password". With this system, when you are logging into any of your accounts, you don't just enter the corresponding username and password, must you must also enter a second security factor. You can activate it on some of the main online servers (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, or WhatsApp) or download an independent application for it, such as (Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator). - Don't connect to open Wi-Fi networks
Unsecure Wi-Fi networks can be an entrance portal for cyberattackers, so you should avoid them when you can. Bear in mind that no free and/or open Wi-Fi network (such as those offers by airports and hotels) is completely secure. Watch where you connect. - Browse securely
Even if you have a secure Internet connection, bear in mind what kind of portals or web pages you enter. You must ensure that you are browsing URLs starting with the prefix “https://” and pay attention to the warnings from your browser. - Install antivirus and firewalls
Antivirus is tasked with detecting attacks, removing malicious codes, and preventing other cyberattacks. On the other hand, firewall has a more limited margin of action, since it is only responsible for blocking unauthorized access to the device. Both are essential to protect your devices from cyberattacks. - Learn to recognize fraudulent e-mails
6 signs that you can identify them:
- The e-mail domain doesn't completely match the name of the company and/or brand from which, in theory, the e-mail is being sent.
- The URL doesn't match the domain, or is badly written.
- There are spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes, or even grammar mistakes, in the e-mail text.
- It asks for personal, confidential, or private information (such as bank account number, card number, and bank account username and password, etc.
- The e-mail subject is very aggressive: it demands attention or urgency.
- It includes attached files and strongly urges you to open them. If in doubt, delete the e-mail and don't perform any of the actions required. Contact the "supposed sender" directly, through any official channel.
Protect your digital world by applying these cybersecurity tips and enjoy a secure life online.
As we have seen, applying cybersecurity in your daily life is easier that what it seems. It is imperative that, in a digital era like the current one, you put into practice all these measures that can help you protect and ensure the security of your data. Remember to always keep updated to continue carrying out solid practices that allow you to safeguard your privacy online.
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