The world is more connected than ever before, and people are spending ever-increasing amounts of time online. While this does have its obvious benefits — it’s amazing to instantly video conference with friends from across the globe, or to order a pizza online only to be delivered minutes later. But along with this convenience also come some risks. Attackers are constantly on the lookout for your mistakes, and they can swoop in and cause you grievous social and financial harm. But what you can do is be prepared. Here are 5 important tips to keep yourself safe on the internet.
Upgrade your firewall. The best firewalls also provide security services. If you’ve settled for the basic option that comes with your internet, take the summer to research and make an upgrade. Companies that are already ahead of the game and using a firewall that features additional security can check to ensure their passwords are strong and/or updated.
Change up your passwords. A good password is a mix of upper- and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers. If you’re having trouble coming up with something secure enough or you’ve been using the same password across platforms for a number of months, utilize the Mnemonic method to create a new one. This allows you to create a difficult password that’s easy for you to remember. Take, for instance, your favorite quote. That can become a hard-to-crack password that you’ll never forget. Simply use the first letter of each word in the quote, preserving the case and including punctuation:
Example: “The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things.” – Lewis Carroll
Password – Tthc,tws,ttomt.
If your system requires a more secure password, use the Mnemonic MotoMem method. This uses the same password formulation with the addition of `1q” at the beginning and “|}?}{P> at the end of the passphrase, creating a super secure password that could take up to 44,000 years to crack.
Backup your data (elsewhere). Everyone knows having a backup is vital to any operation. If your system crashes, you can restore it quickly and easily. What many people neglect to consider is having a backup that lives elsewhere, too. Multiple backups in multiple locations ensure you’ll never be without your data, even if the data on your main storage is compromised. Whether you have an off-site backup or you’re implementing one, test it this summer to ensure everything is working properly.
Update your anti-virus. If your summers are slow, it’s the perfect time to update your PC and laptop’s anti-virus software. While you’re at it, apply any patches or updates to your computer software. A mid-year update gives your computer a chance to remain protected, as updated software will be privy to the latest viruses.
Have email encryption software installed. Any of the information passed through your business should be kept confidential. Encrypting your emails makes that easy. Your information and attachments are protected as they pass through the internet, preventing data breaches and the like.
Keep your business running smoothly this summer with these quick IT fixes, brought to you by Exigent, a managed IT services company in NJ.