With the growing cyber security threats, PC users need to know how to stay safe…
Cyber security threats are growing every day. Whether it is a new ransomware variant, company breaches, tech support scams, or fraud scams. Here is what you need to do to stay safe:
- Update, update and update some more – Check your PC for updates that need to be made to your operating system, applications and security software. If anything is outdated, it can leave an open door for cyber criminals. Many times, when vulnerabilities are patched, those vulnerabilities are exposed. This means the hackers know exactly how to get into your system. You must update your systems as soon as those updates are available.
- Implement application whitelisting technology as your PC security solution – Many security software solutions use a blacklist approach to keep your computer protected. This method has become obsolete with growing threat of ransomware and polymorphic viruses. By using a whitelist approach, only secure programs are able to run; blocking all unwanted and unknown programs from running.
- Knowledge is power – PC users must be aware of what to look for when it comes to cyber security. This means quarterly training on what red flags to look for in phishing scams, access administration, social engineering.
- Back up your data – Remediation is not an option against many of today’s cyber security threats. Therefore, you must be sure to back up your data on an external storage device on a daily basis. Also, be sure to unplug the external device once the back up is complete. If your back up device is plugged in at the time of a malware attack, the hackers could also infect your back ups as well.
These four steps will help to ensure your safety against today’s cyber security threats. Stay safe out there.
