This is the digital age where everyone is connected through their devices. Whether it’s exploring emails in the morning or ordering food, the major part of our day is spent online. But seriously, how much importance we give to data security? How many of us care if they visit a safe site? Are our passwords strong? Is there any virus in our device?
In Singapore, millions are spent each year on antivirus software to guard data, but identity theft and hacking are on the rise, making data security a topmost priority for everyone. Here we have come up with some practice tips to keep your data secure and minimize the risk of a data incident whether you’re at home or office.
Create Strong Password and Change them Frequently:
When it comes to creating a strong password, the easier it is, the more vulnerable it is to hacking. For example, today’s hackers have advanced systems to crack your codes, such as ABCD, 1234 and even your date of birth. Creating a simple password is just like giving the keys of your home to the thief.
Therefore, you need to work over the security of your passwords. Here are some tips to consider when it comes to password security.
- Make sure your password is a combination of characters, upper and lower case letters, symbols and numbers. Avoid using anything associated with your names, telephone numbers and birthdays.
- Use a different password for each of your accounts.
Back-Up Your Data:
Having a backup gives you peace of mind in the events where you can lose your entire data. Simply put, you will have a duplicate copy of everything if something happens to your devices or cyber incident happens. Make sure to back up regularly, or set your device to automatically update. The simplest way to backup is an extern hard drive.
Use Secure Networks:
Not all people are serious about the security of their network, and for the most part, they have nothing to worry about. Home and work connections are likely to be protected by a router that encrypts information. But that’s not the case with public Wi-Fi. For example, places like trains, hotels and cafes where you enjoy free Internet don’t have cyber-security pros to keep their systems safe. That’s might not be an issue if you use their network for casual browsing, but it can be risky if you access sensitive information like banking. However, if it is important to access sensitive information, make sure to use a VPN or virtual private network.
Use Verified Encryption:
Encryption converts sensitive information to an encoded version that can only be decoded with a key. Simply put, this process encodes readable information. This way, it eliminates the risk of unauthorized access. You can practice this security measure by password-protected the documents over the emails while the password can be sent separately. Also, make sure your cloud vendor encrypts data while processing and storing the information.
Opt for Cloud Services:
Cloud infrastructure has been gaining momentum over the years. After all, it lets the user access, process, sharing and storing data on the Internet, no matter where they are. However, security is still the key concern associated with cloud services, given that the data is stored away from your in-house server. Make sure to check the track record of your cloud vendor. You can check their security certifications and how they encrypt the data. Don’t hesitate to ask them how they protect your data and what will they do in case of a data incident. For example, do they have a solid backup system in place?
Update Your Software:
Every tool installed on your PC has technical vulnerabilities that a threat actor can capitalize on. Luckily, you can minimize this risk by updating your software and applying patches that fix them. Older software, on the other hand, might not be able to resist the latest viruses and methods used by cybercriminals. To keep the most recent threats at bay, make sure your software is updated.
Limit Human Access:
Human error accounts for most cyber incidents, whether it’s losing the laptop that contains important data or forgetting to log off the PC when not in use. Some are even likely to open malicious emails from unknown sources. To eliminate the risk of costly human errors in cybersecurity, the employees should be educated on internet use and data protection. Besides, you need to limit human access to high critical areas like a server room. And make sure to change access rights or passwords when your employee leaves as “ex-employee threats” are quite real.
Apart from the employees, make your clients aware of internet safety and data protection.
So these are some important tips to keep your data safe. What do you think? Do you know more data safety practices? Share with us by commenting below!
