The explosion of the Internet has brought many benefits to society, as well as businesses. Companies are now able to connect with people and broadcast their products and services in ways that were unimaginable 50 and even 20 years ago. With all the amazing opportunities the new frontier of the Internet brought, inevitably there were some downsides as well. One such downside that the Internet brought is the rise of hacking. Hackers are able to steal you or your company’s information proprietary information in order to possibly sell it to competing companies. This is why cyber security is so important, as it helps protect your company’s information. So, what are some steps you can take to make sure your information is safe?
Update Your Software
Keeping your software up-to-date is an important step in keeping your company’s information safe. As the article explains, at times there can be a weakness in the software that hackers can exploit. While developers may release “patches” to help keep your computer safe, if you do not keep up on these updates, you may be vulnerable to attack.
Verify Sources
According to the same article linked above, many times hacks occur from users downloading a program, which when downloaded can cause serious problems for your computer. Many times these types of attacks can be downloaded from questionable websites. Another way this happens is when a user receives an email that looks official but is in fact a hacker attempting to put malware on the computer. That is why it is so important to verify the source of any link you download, whether it be from a website or an email. This simple step can be one of the keys to cyber security prevention. In other words, stop the threat before it even has a chance to happen.
HTTPS
This piece of advice comes from the same article as the previous two tips. If your business has a website, you are vulnerable to attacks. Thus, making sure that your website is secure by hosting over HTTPS is very critical to ensuring your company’s safety. According to the article, if you do not have a digital certificate and do not host over HTTPS, your website could be susceptible to all kinds of attacks from hackers. Make sure your entire website is hosted over HTTPS as well, as some hackers will try to gain access by any part of your website that is not secure.
Protective Software
According to this MIT article, downloading protective software can be a great way to keep your computer safe. Protective software do this by scanning your files and updating its virus definition regularly. These functions can help keep your computer, and thus your company’s information, safe from hackers.
Secure Password
According to the same MIT article linked above, a strong password can help keep your accounts safe. According to the article, using a combination of letters, numbers and special characters can help increase the security of your password. Changing your password regularly is another way to keep your account safe, as well as using a different password for each of your major accounts. A strong password should be a non-negotiable for any portal your company uses.
In the end, while the Internet has many unique opportunities and advantages, it also comes with some threat. Hackers are always on the lookout for websites or accounts to probe and break into. This can make it hard for your company’s proprietary information to be kept safe. Hopefully by utilizing some of the strategies and tips above, you can help keep your company’s proprietary information in the right hands and away from hackers.
