5 Most Important Cyber Security Tips

Posted by unbox how on September 12th, 2019

National Cyber Security Awareness Month was established to strengthen the weakest point of any security solution: humans. No matter how effective—or expensive—the security tools protecting your network are, there’s no way to predict the damage caused by a single careless user. The war against cyber criminals is fought each time a user decides to click an unfamiliar link or open an attachment—and just a single mistake could be the reason for massive data loss.

To help out IT security managers during this Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’ve compiled a list of things your users should be thinking about whenever they’re using the Internet. They’ve probably heard many or all of these tips before, but repetition doesn’t spoil the prayer. If you take security seriously, you’re already using Umbrella by OpenDNS to protect your network from malware, botnets, and other advanced threats. And if you’re smart, you know that there’s no substitute for educating your users. Share this list with your users, this month—and every month. Read our Top Ten Cyber Security Software Tools Tips below:

1. You Are A Target.

Realize that you are an attractive target to hackers. Don’t ever say “It won’t happen to me.”

2. Eight Characters Is Not Enough.

Practice good password management. Use a strong mix of characters, and don’t use the same password for multiple sites. Don’t share your password with others, don’t write it down, and definitely don’t write it on a post-it note attached to your monitor.

3. Lock It Up.

Never leave your devices unattended. If you need to leave your computer, phone, or tablet for any length of time—no matter how short—lock it up so no one can use it while you’re gone. If you keep sensitive information on a flash drive or external hard drive, make sure to lock it up as well.

4. Practice Safe Clicking.

Always be careful when clicking on attachments or links in email. If it’s unexpected or suspicious for any reason, don’t click on it. Double check the URL of the website the link takes you to: bad actors will often take advantage of spelling mistakes to direct you to a harmful domain. Think you can spot a phony website? Try our Phishing Quiz.

5. Beware Of Browsing.

Sensitive browsing, such as banking or shopping, should only be done on a device that belongs to you, on a network that you trust. Whether it’s a friend’s phone, a public computer, or a cafe’s free WiFi—your data could be copied or stolen.