Unfortunately, we live with the constant threat of cyber breaches and stolen data. Individuals are at risk for the loss of personal data & financial loss. If you’re a business owner, there is a real risk of someone gaining access to your network through an employee’s careless click. Ransomware is a real threat, with an estimated 493 million attacks worldwide in 2022.

Passwords

This is a great place to start, as 80% of hacking-related breaches are linked to passwords. A 2019 Google study found 67% of people use the same password for all or at least multiple accounts. This is a huge risk, as one stolen set of credentials could expose multiple accounts.

• Review passwords and at least have different passwords for high-threat accounts like banking, brokerage accounts, etc.
• Replace passwords on high-risk accounts with longer unique passwords with phrases and special characters. It takes 62 trillion times longer to crack a 12-character password than a 6-character one.
• Don’t use birth dates, spouses, or children’s names in a password
• Top three most common passwords per Nordpass – password, 123456 and 123456789

Multifactor Authentication

Enable and utilize multifactor authentication whenever available. This means you have to complete two or more steps to gain access. For example, logging into your bank account requires a username and password – then, a code is texted to your cell phone, which must then be entered before you can access it. This is very important for email. Microsoft studies report that your account is 99.9% less likely to be compromised if you use multifactor authentication.

Free WIFI

Using free airport or coffee WIFI to stream a movie is likely fine, but not for business emails, electronic banking or other sensitive data. Use a hotspot instead.

Keep Software Updated

Stop ignoring software updates. When a software company fixes a bug or glitch (hopefully before a hacker finds it), you need the latest versions on your phone and computer.  Sometimes the updates are simply enhanced security.

Cyber threats can never be eliminated entirely, but taking a few precautions reduces the risk.