As a SMB end user, you are most vulnerable to the wiles of hackers and criminals when you are doing high-risk things without knowing just how risky they are. Below are activities you should stop doing now.
Using an unsecured network to share anything you care about is a bit like talking aloud in a public space, giving bystanders information.
Use public WiFi sparingly. Never use it for banking, or for sending or receiving important information. This goes double for anything confidential.
Some hackers specifically target unsecured wireless networks and sit quietly across the street, accessing all your information.
Vulnerable, unpatched software is a top cause of malware infections today. Many data breaches can be traced back to out-of-date applications that were exploited by cybercriminals via malicious email attachments or web-based attacks. These created major threat vectors. Many organizations have yet to secure them.
Google’s Android, the world’s most popular mobile OS, has always been a major target for hackers, who try to penetrate the OS via various malware methods — seeking to steal data and identities, and to control devices.
This is a very risky habit you need to break now. If you get hacked, lose your device, or a thief steals your device, then you will will deeply regret not taking the time to back up your files, emails, and so on. Ideally, you should do a backup at least once a week, but preferably once every twenty-four hours.
This is a perfect way to invite a hacker into your life. Make sure you use a different password for everything you do online. Each password should be long and strong. Use a mixture of upper and lower cases, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols. Don’t use real words or family names. The longer and more complex you make your password, the harder it will be for a hacker to break it.
Who doesn’t have their business email on their phone? Emails flood our inbox and we “know” and “trust” that sender. Right? On our phones it’s a lot harder to notice if that email address is spoofed. Email security and security awareness training are now more crucial than ever, especially with the growing remote workforce.
Give your security a check-up and see the full suite of solutions that VIPRE has to offer.
The post 6 Risky Business Activities You Should Stop Doing NOW! appeared first on VIPRE.
- Sharing Information Over Public WiFi
Using an unsecured network to share anything you care about is a bit like talking aloud in a public space, giving bystanders information.
Use public WiFi sparingly. Never use it for banking, or for sending or receiving important information. This goes double for anything confidential.
Some hackers specifically target unsecured wireless networks and sit quietly across the street, accessing all your information.
- Not Updating Outdated Software
Vulnerable, unpatched software is a top cause of malware infections today. Many data breaches can be traced back to out-of-date applications that were exploited by cybercriminals via malicious email attachments or web-based attacks. These created major threat vectors. Many organizations have yet to secure them.
- Using Malicious Applications on Your Android Devices
Google’s Android, the world’s most popular mobile OS, has always been a major target for hackers, who try to penetrate the OS via various malware methods — seeking to steal data and identities, and to control devices.
- Not Backing Up Your Information Frequently
This is a very risky habit you need to break now. If you get hacked, lose your device, or a thief steals your device, then you will will deeply regret not taking the time to back up your files, emails, and so on. Ideally, you should do a backup at least once a week, but preferably once every twenty-four hours.
- Using the Same Password Over and Over
This is a perfect way to invite a hacker into your life. Make sure you use a different password for everything you do online. Each password should be long and strong. Use a mixture of upper and lower cases, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols. Don’t use real words or family names. The longer and more complex you make your password, the harder it will be for a hacker to break it.
- Carefree Clicking on your Phone
Who doesn’t have their business email on their phone? Emails flood our inbox and we “know” and “trust” that sender. Right? On our phones it’s a lot harder to notice if that email address is spoofed. Email security and security awareness training are now more crucial than ever, especially with the growing remote workforce.
Give your security a check-up and see the full suite of solutions that VIPRE has to offer.
The post 6 Risky Business Activities You Should Stop Doing NOW! appeared first on VIPRE.