Cybersecurity 101: how to protect yourself online

With the rapid and continuous evolution of technology, everything is now easily accessible online. This has led us to spend significant amounts of time on digital platforms. Whether we’re using social media, working or attending school remotely, we find ourselves spending countless hours in front of our digital devices.

While technology is a great tool, there are downsides to being online. Cybercrime is increasingly prevalent, and anyone with access to a digital device or the internet could be at risk. However, there are ways to stay protected. Here are some simple safety tips that everyone can benefit from.

Secure password control 

• Stronger passwords for your accounts make it harder for individuals who are trying to crack them to be able to do so. Using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to create a unique password would be beneficial.
   
• Make sure you avoid using the same password across multiple accounts. If one becomes compromised, all of the accounts will become vulnerable.
   
• Lastly, try to change your passwords regularly. This can help protect against data leaks. If a password does get exposed in a breach, updating it will prevent any unauthorised access. Password Manager is a good tool to use if you’re having difficulty remembering numerous passwords.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) 

• Setting two-factor authentication for your accounts will add an extra layer of security by having a secondary verification step during log in. By having to authorise your identity with each sign in, it becomes increasingly hard for cybercriminals to access your accounts. 
   
• Make sure your 2FA settings, such as your phone number, are up to date. Otherwise, outdated or incorrect information will log you out of your own account.

Beware of phishing scams

• Before clicking on any link, ask yourself if it’s absolutely necessary and from a trusted source. Sometimes links are used by cybercriminals to gather personal information by redirecting individuals to fake login pages or downloading malicious attachments.
   
• Phishing attacks are becoming quite sophisticated, sometimes they may appear as chat messages or emails from people you know. If a friend's account becomes compromised, they might send a harmful link unknowingly. Always check in with your friends and verify before clicking anything. If it seems suspicious, contact them through a different method to confirm.

Be wary of public Wi-Fi

• Connecting to public Wi-Fi is efficient, but it has risks. Cybercriminals often exploit the lack of security in public Wi-Fi networks. They could create a rogue hotspot that appears legitimate, tricking individuals into connecting and allowing them to monitor and steal data from personal devices.
   
•  Man-in-the-Middle attacks can occur when data is intercepted while a device is connected to  Wi-Fi. Cybercriminals can steal personal information this way as well.
   
• You could consider disabling auto-connect on your device to prevent automatic connections. Alternatively you can use VPN (Virtual Private Network) to protect your internet traffic through encryption, and use your mobile data instead.

Protect your personal information with the right privacy settings

• Depending on your privacy settings and your followers on websites such as social media, many people may have access to your personal information. Even temporary posts such as stories on social media that are only up for a limited time can be screenshotted and saved by others. Therefore, it's crucial to be mindful of what you share and to consider whether you want everyone to have access to that information. This is especially important if your accounts are public.
   
• Disclosing  personal information can make it easier for others to target your online profiles, guess your passwords, and collect information about you. Your data can be misused in several ways online, including well-crafted and personalised phishing attacks. Therefore, it’s important to stay updated on your privacy settings and to check what information is available to others. 

Social Engineering Awareness

• Social engineering is a manipulation technique used to trick individuals into revealing personal information. This approach is typically employed for fraudulent purposes, as victims often believe they are communicating with someone in a position of authority. Cybercriminals purposefully impersonate these trusted individuals to gain the victims' trust and extract sensitive information. This can be done through email, texts, or phone calls.
   
• Be cautious about the information you share with others. Many impersonators try to imitate trusted individuals, such as bank representatives or individuals from your company. Never disclose anything you feel uncomfortable sharing, and always verify the identity of the person you are speaking with before providing any information.

Final thoughts

Overall, the internet is a powerful tool if it’s used safely and responsibly. Anyone could be a victim of a cyberattack, so it’s important to remain cautious and be aware of your online presence. Taking proactive steps will reduce your vulnerability to any cyber threats. Remember to stay informed and consistently apply strong security measures to protect yourself online!

Jasmine studies MSC Cyber Security in Canada.