The risk of hacks is nothing new. It’s the nature of severity that keeps cybersecurity experts on their toes. Hackers keep coming up with such lethal versions of malware and phishing that it increasingly affects the cybersecurity infrastructure globally. Some of the risks that are just too serious to be overlooked include the following.
- Identify theft.
- Monetary damage due to ransomware.
- Stolen information that’s then used for spear phishing.
- Compromised surveillance has its own challenges.
And not to forget about the way in which all these events tarnish the reputation of a company that has been attacked by hackers. If you carry the stigma of being unable to protect the information of your customers and employees, you end up losing a lot more than just money.
Now, while nothing and no technique can guarantee 100% protection from hackers, there are still ways in which you can give hackers a tough time to infiltrate your systems and more time to your own cybersecurity team to limit the damage. Those are the ways that we are going to discuss now.
- Backdoor Password Protection
The first thing you should do is change the default password as soon as you’re on the web. That said, the new password should have certain qualities so that it’s strong enough to keep hackers out of the system.
- No two accounts, no two systems, nothing, should share a common password.
- The password should be a hard nut to crack – use symbols and numbers to complicate it. Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters to make it unique. Also, make it at least 8-12 characters long.
- Use the MFA Cybersecurity Technique
MFA is multi-factor authentication – you will get access to a system only if you’re able to feed proper credentials for all the security layers added. The first layer, of course, is the backdoor password. So, the benefit of MFA is that even if the hackers can figure out your password, they cannot directly access the system.
Also, using biometrics as one of the security layers in MFA is highly suggested.
- Practice Proper Password Hygiene
A long and complicated password is strong only for as long as it isn’t leaked. So, don’t share yours with anybody. Also:
- Don’t go back to an old password and reuse it.
- Don’t use a public Wi-Fi network for systems that have sensitive information.
Last, it’s equally the duty of employees to safeguard their work systems as much as it’s the company’s duty. So, do your part.
- Use the VPN that your company provides.
- Don’t click on random emails, links, and websites with your work systems.
- Attend cybersecurity classes whenever your company organizes one.
Remember, collective efforts will take you a long way. So, play your part honestly.
