During the holiday season, it is important to take extra steps for cybersecurity. Imagine you’re doing your holiday shopping online and you come across a website that looks too good to be true. It is important to take proactive steps to protect yourself from cyber criminal activities, such as phishing attacks.
Here are a few tips for ensuring your cybersecurity during the holiday season:
1. Use Strong Passwords
Choose secure and complex passwords for all your accounts – more than 12 characters with a mix of upper-case letters, symbols, and numbers. It’s also important to change your passwords regularly and not reuse them between different accounts. Otherwise, if a hacker gets access to one of your passwords, they have access to all of them.
2. Be Careful on Public Wi-Fi Networks
Public Wi-Fi networks can be hotspots for hackers, so it’s important to use a VPN whenever accessing public Wi-Fi. This will help secure any data that you transmit while on the network.
So next time you’re at a coffee shop or airport, be sure to connect via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) before you access any sensitive data.
3. Avoid Clicking Links
Be wary of clicking links sent in emails or text messages – even if they look legitimate. It’s possible these could contain malicious links that could lead to compromised accounts.
4. Don’t Over-Share on Social Media
Be careful of the information you post on social media, as this can be used by cybercriminals to steal your identity or gain access to your accounts. It’s also important not to share login credentials with anyone else – even family members.
A way hackers get into multiple accounts is through family members accounts. They prey on your trust in that family member that DM’s you for your login info for one reason or the other.
Thwart them by limiting the information you share and not sharing login credentials with anyone.
5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a great way to secure your accounts by requiring an additional code or key after entering a username and password. It’s simple to set up, and can help keep your accounts safe from malicious actors.
You can implement MFA (multi-factor authentication) for most major accounts, including Amazon, Google, financial institutions, and social media networks.
6. Use Antivirus Software
Make sure all of your devices – mobile phones, laptops, and tablets – have up-to-date antivirus software installed. This will help protect your devices from malicious software or viruses that could put your data at risk.
7. Be Wary of Holiday Shopping Deals
The holidays are a prime time for phishing scams and malicious emails, so be cautious when shopping online. Don’t click on any links that you’re not certain about and only shop with reputable online retailers.
Look out for other people around you that don’t understand cyber security as much as you do – make sure they are aware of these measures to protect themselves this holiday season.
By following these simple steps during the holidays, you can help protect yourself from cyberattacks and keep your data secure. Stay safe!