Hacking and data security is an issue for everyone—from the largest corporations to individuals—but there are some things that you might be doing that can put you at higher risk for a breach. When that happens, you could easily lose all your files or be in a position where a hacker is demanding a ransom for you to recover those files. While a cloud-based data backup solution can help you prevent data loss, there are some other behavioral changes and security improvements you can make that will also protect you from being the victim of a hacker as much as possible.
1: Non-secure online shopping
Online shopping is a great way to find all the things you need (and some things you just want), but it can also make you a target of hackers if you don’t do it in a safe way. Some of the riskiest things you can do are clicking links in emails that are not from recognized companies, or clicking on social media or web ads with killer deals and not verifying the site before you enter your credit card information.
Take a deep breath before you click, and make sure you’re shopping on a secure and valid site before you put in any credit card information. Hackers use time-sensitive deals to get you to click without thinking. Double-check that the email is from a valid company by looking at the return email address before you click any links, and if you want to shop online and you don’t recognize the store you’re browsing as a local or national retailer, use secure payment methods like PayPal instead of entering your credit card information directly into the site.
2: Not practicing good password protections
Hacking passwords is one of the oldest types of cyberattack, and it’s easy to do because most people aren’t very careful with passwords. From writing your password on a sticky note and keeping it on the back of your keyboard, sharing it with co-workers, or just using the default password123! that IT gave you, those activities make it easier for hackers to get to your data. Use a secure password or a password manager to get the best protection.
3: Downloading apps to your device
Besides email phishing links, external clicks are one of the most common ways that hackers get access to data. If you download a streaming music service, a shopping browser extension, or a travel deals app, those can have malicious ads (malvertising) that can lead to a compromised computer.
4: Not creating a backup
Ransomware is a type of attack that is on the rise. It occurs when hackers steal your files, lock you out of your computer or server, and threaten to delete them all unless you pay up. Millions of corporations and individuals have been subject to ransomware attacks and they’re unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Protect your data by backing it up with an automatic cloud-based storage solution like those available from Storage Whale.
Find out more about cloud-based data solutions and take steps to protect your data and your important files from malicious hackers.