From staff reports
It is important to protect yourself from cyber attacks in the world we live in today. Here is just one example that should make you think twice about better security:
Several bugs in Microsoft, Ubuntu and Tesla products were found and exploited during a hacking conference in Vancouver.
Yes, they have hacker conferences.
Cyber security is easy to ignore, but it should be at the top of your list to protect yourself or your business. Just one violation can be catastrophic.
The Center for Identity Theft Research has released these variations in 2021:
MeetMindful Cybersecurity Breach
The MeetMindful meeting app suffered a cyber security attack in January 2021, resulting in stolen and leaked data on more than two million users.
CNA Financial Breach
The ransomware attack on insurance company CNA Financial left employees without access to their systems and blocked access to corporate resources.
Cyber attack on social networks
Data on 530 million Facebook users were published online in April 2021. Facebook said that the information was obtained by scraping in 2019.
Your chances for safety
If companies like CNA and Facebook are hacked, what are your chances of preventing a cyber attack? The answer can be as simple as “123456.”
Incredibly, “123456” is the most common password used in most places around the world. Others that rank high are “password” and “qwerty” (look down at your keyboard and you’ll see why it’s popular). But simplified options are not the only worrying trend of common passwords.
What’s in the name?
Unfortunately, the answer to that Shakespearean question is an easy clue to someone’s password.
42.3% use their first name in online passwords they create 40% use their last name 31.6% use their middle name
Other popular personal information commonly used in passwords is date of birth, social security number, phone number, pet name, child name or ex-partner name.
How to use stronger passwords
Common passwords are bad passwords. It’s that simple. Why? It’s too easy for a hacker to hit them. But what is a strong password? Here are some suggestions:
long: Most experts recommend 12 to 15 (or more) characters for a strong password.
random: Letters, numbers and symbols without special meaning are the strongest passwords. You can find random password generators online.
Unique: It’s simple, use a different password for each account. Repeating passwords or formulas means that hackers only need to find one password to get more.
A strong password is the first line of defense against cyber attacks. But there are other measures you can take to strengthen your defenses.
According to the Agency for Cyber and Infrastructure Security, there are four basic steps you need to take to be cyber secure:
Implement multifactor authentication. This makes you 99% less likely to be hacked. Update your software. In fact, turn on automatic updates. Think before you click. 90% of cyber attacks come from phishing emails.
The fourth is … you guessed it … a strong password!
Victoria University of Australia also has tips on how to protect your website:
Make sure you have already experienced a security breach – Visit haveibeenpwned.com and take action on any accounts it suggests have been compromised.
Don’t trust anyone (by email) – Always be wary and skeptical of deceptive emails and compromised websites (spam and phishing). Interacting with them puts your data at risk and can download viruses.
Secure your device – If your mobile device is not secured, lost or stolen, hackers could use it to access your data and steal your money, identity or data.
install antivirus software set password, gesture or fingerprint to be unlocked set device to require password when installing applications leave hidden Bluetooth when not in use and disable automatic network connection enable remote lock and / or delete functions if supported by your device .
The world we live in
Like it or not, the world is digital and interconnected. So while we need to protect ourselves, we all need to protect the systems we rely on. Being cyber smart is contagious. Take basic steps and help your friends and co-workers do the same.
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