Top Five Ways to Increase Your Cybersecurity

[Audrey McNeil <audrey () riskbasedsecurity com>]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/roger-keenan/increase-your-cybersecurity_b_8070634.html?ir=UK+Tech

It's official - digitisation has taken over our lives. With there now being
more mobile devices than humans on earth and even fridges and kettles being
connected to the internet, it's sadly inevitable that malicious
organisations will attempt to access our data.

Although the majority of hacks are aimed at businesses and large public
bodies - just look at the hacks Ashley Madison and Carphone Warehouse have
suffered this month alone - consumers need to step back and take stock of
their cyber footprint.

With the amount of data we produce continuing to grow, below are five
simple steps consumers can take to increase personal security.

1. Manage passwords
Astoundingly, despite all the expert warnings, the most commonly used
password in the UK today is still "password". It does not take a genius
hacker to crack that, so if you're sat at a machine which uses this
password, the time has come to take the leap and change it. A hacker's
first approach to cracking a password is probably going to be a dictionary
attack, in which every word and common phrase in the English dictionary is
tried repeatedly.

With that in mind, "London" or "data centre" are not passwords I would use
and nor is "London data centre". The more character sets there are and the
longer the password, the more secure it is. So including numbers instead of
vowels for example is a simple way to increase the strength of your
passwords at home and in the office. Just make sure it's memorable - the
worst thing you can do is write your passwords down on a post-it note next
to the machine for anyone to use.

2. In-house privacy
The average household is now home to 7.4 internet devices - on a side note,
you have to feel sorry for the guy with 0.4 of an iPhone. It's now quite
common that sharing networks are established, and although this is fine in
the family home it can be disastrous in more open settings.

Using a shared open network while commuting to work or in student
accommodation can leave devices open to breaches from even the least
experienced of hackers. It's therefore vital consumers alter their device
settings to ensure their files aren't available to anyone on the same
network.

3. Evaluate your digital footprint
As the connected world continues to evolve, so do consumer needs so it's
unsurprising certain websites fall by the wayside. Social media goliaths
such as Myspace and Bebo, although still live, have fallen to the likes of
Twitter and Facebook. Our digital footprints can't be completely erased but
leaving personal data on stagnant profiles is asking for trouble.

Consumers must analyse their digital footprints, taking stock of any sites
which host secure information which they don't use anymore. So whether it's
shutting down your old accounts or removing details from online retailers
so your card details aren't stored unnecessarily, it's an important step to
take.

4. Download security patches
Although often irritating to see pop up on your screen at seemingly the
worst possible moment, software patch updates are vital for consumer
security. Ignoring the latest updates leave people vulnerable to data
breaches as hackers are always on the look out for new ways in to popular
software. This is especially true for operating systems, as leaving an age
old OS on your laptop which has reached end of life could end in disaster
as any potential weakness won't be repaired, leaving consumers open to mass
breaches. It's key consumers get in the habit of installing updates at the
earliest possible opportunity to combat the issue.

5. Backup your data regularly
This may seem like common sense, especially from someone who works in the
data centre industry, but backing up your data is key. Using encrypted
backup services makes it increasingly difficult for hackers to do any harm,
while ensuring you are not at risk of losing precious data.

Having your data stored on a physical hard drive as well as in the cloud,
like the hybrid cloud services offered within the data centre industry,
will further secure your music, photos and personal information. After all,
if it's good enough for the likes of Netflix and Facebook then it's good
enough for consumers too.

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