The Internet plays a vital role in our lives and as our lives are surrounded by the internet, we cannot possibly think of living without it. From working remotely to watching movies while traveling, everything requires the internet.
It’s a new world and as the world is evolving every day, the usage of the internet is going up. Those who didn’t take the internet as a necessity are now those users who spend most of their day on the internet. After the COVID pandemic, our lives have changed and to survive in this new world, you need to make sure that you don’t just have a high-speed internet connection, you have a secure connection through which you are getting the data.
The internet has indeed been a great blessing for all of us but there are many people, who have been through a lot due to data breaches. There are many pros to the internet but many people use the internet for illegal purposes, and as it’s a network that anyone can access, it’s not easy to trace someone. So, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
You need to make sure that you take all security measures to protect yourself from hackers. Many internet service providers in America are aware of this risk and they have started offering internet security suites to their customers. There are some service providers like Spectrum that offer free internet security to their customers but some companies charge extra for that. Paying a few extra bucks shouldn’t be your concern if it helps you in securing your internet connection then get it without thinking twice.
Why data breaches are happening a lot?
Data breaches seem to happen a lot in the past few years and the threats are increasing every day. With hackers, targeting both global giants and residential internet users, the situation is alarming. The hackers are always on the lookout and we should be too.
The reason why data breaches are happening a lot is that people access data from multiple platforms on the web. When you visit a random website, you give the hacker a potential entry point into your device, which makes it hard for you to protect your device against a data breach unless you are using an internet security suite while you are surfing around.
According to a survey in 2019, there were around 10 billion internet attacks identified regarding malicious software. It’s hard to guard your device with such a high volume.
Why should we not use Public Wi-Fi?
Many people use public Wi-Fi without any VPN and that gives the hackers the best opportunity to get into your devices. Public Wi-Fi is not a secured connection, as the data is not encrypted. You need to understand that it’s very easy for hackers to trace your IP address once you connect your device with the public Wi-Fi.
If you are outside of your house, you see an open Wi-Fi network and you don’t have credits in your mobile or you don’t have mobile data while you have to do some work or make a call on WhatsApp, make sure you have VPN installed in your mobile. Turn on the VPN before you open any application on your device while connected to an open Wi-Fi network. If you don’t have a VPN, it’s highly recommended not to use public Wi-Fi unless it’s an emergency.
How to secure my device from internet threats?
Many people have been a victim of a data breach because they didn’t take any security precautions. Remember that there are different mediums through which a hacker can access your device. You should make sure that you do everything from your end to secure your data. Here are some tips to consider:
- Get a security internet suite
The first step is to get a security suite internet whether you have a residential internet connection or a commercial. While getting internet services, many people don’t even bother asking about the security suite because of the lack of awareness. Later, they face internet threats and then understand the importance of internet security.
The internet security suite will help in encrypting the data, which makes it hard for the hacker to trace your IP address and get access to your personal information and data. It will secure the data path and will protect your devices from phishing attacks and unsecured links. Alternatively, you could use an external service like the data breach protection by Lookout.
- Perform regular vulnerability assessments
If you have a business and you have multiple employees, you must perform regular vulnerability assessments to make sure that everything is secured at your end. Big companies have different departments that monitor the employee’s activities so if something unusual happens, they could trace the root of the breach.
- Use complex passwords
Many people use very basic passwords and they use one password for all their accounts. If you use social media on your device, the hackers can easily follow your pattern and can trace your password. Change your passwords after every 60 days and use complex passwords.
- Beware of phishing attacks
The major reason why data breaches happen is human errors. We sometimes click on some link that we aren’t even aware of. You should beware of the phishing links and emails, and should never open something which you don’t find familiar. Don’t open emails from an unknown source. If you are working with a corporate, the chances of getting such mails are more. If you receive any mail that asks you to open a link and you know that it’s not from your company, don’t open it. Report it to your security department.
- Make a backup
Always make a backup and try not to do it on a cloud service because hackers can get into that as well. Once they have access to your information, it won’t be difficult to get into your cloud account. Make a backup on an external drive and don’t connect that drive to an unknown system. As that can bring the virus into your drive and can destroy the data.
Summing it up
Data breaches are real and many people have been a victim of this. Don’t wait to be one of the victims and take all the necessary precautions.
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