10 Tips for Personal Protection of Information on the Network | Free Antivirus

2017 was one of the most difficult years for all cybersecurity professionals and not a very pleasant year for ordinary Internet users, you and me. Rapid and shocking attacks by WannaCry, NotPetya and GoldenEye / Petya malware, suspicions that a global cyberwar is unfolding between states, large-scale theft of Internet users' databases, numerous hacker attacks demanding ransom payments, and a huge number of cases of online fraud, including phishing scams, tinder scams, and more. All of this serves as a good reason to take up the issue of ensuring your own IT security in 2018.

The number of reasons for concern is growing uncontrollably every year. Internet security experts are trying to inform people about possible risks and threats, as well as about the urgent need to create a new solid foundation for personal cybersecurity, which is essential in our current daily life. Despite the fact that the field of Internet security is developing at the same speed as the performance of computers, the question remains whether ordinary users are aware of possible methods of their own protection and whether this knowledge is applied in practice.

To summarize, modern cybersecurity can be viewed as a set of methods, methods and tools to protect the security of Internet connections, safety and integrity of data. In our age, when hackers "jump out of their pants", every day inventing new methods of malicious influence, when the number of developments in the field of artificial intelligence systems is growing rapidly, it is obvious that the number of risks and potential threats to any person is increasing many times over.

For example, according to experts' forecasts, more and more automated and non-targeted attacks will occur in the near future, so it would probably be nice for each of us to prepare to repel the "enemy" and prevent damage from unforeseen dangers.

10 tips for personal protection of information on the network 

1. Remember phishing attacks

If you want to protect your information, then, firstly, do not be too gullible, do not fall for the phishing "bait". Phishing attacks are as old as the Internet itself, after the creation of which they were invented, and this type of cybercrime is unlikely to disappear in the foreseeable future. While this method of fraud is still very popular among cybercriminals, it is an easy way to make money. Typically, attackers are very creative in this process, using all sorts of innovations when developing new phishing techniques. In this case, the best way to protect your own security is to try to constantly keep abreast of events, because new types of attacks appear every day.

Be careful, think before you hover over a link and follow it to an unfamiliar site. This click can be fatal if you open a link from spam or private messages. There are some signs indicating that the link is leading to the clutches of scammers, to check this just hover your cursor over the link and look at the URL where it should lead. If you do not do such a basic check, then by opening an email sent to you by a legal company and clicking on the link, you can get to a page that looks like two peas in a pod similar to the real website of this very company but is still fake. fraudulent. The site will require you to enter your personal data, but before you do this, at least check if this letter is addressed to you personally.

Another form of phishing threats is pop-ups, which may look like a legal part of a site, but are actually a disguised phishing attack attempt. Keep in mind that it is better not even to click on the "Cancel" button, as this is usually a special move by scammers to trick you into clicking a suspicious link. Just click on the "X" button and close the suspicious window. These unsafe attacks can be easily prevented by using a pop-up blocker, which you can install as a plugin in many popular browsers, and thus only allow windows to be shown on trusted sites.

It is equally important to install a good free antivirus that can protect you from suspicious sites, just remember to update it regularly.

2. Biometric identification

Along with the increase in the technological capabilities of devices and the needs of users, the number of potential threats also increases. Every day, cybercriminals invent more and more new ways to obtain personal information, and cybersecurity specialists - the ability to ensure the safety and inviolability of information to any Internet user.

Privacy of information means that only the person who has been granted permission can have this access to computer systems or to certain data.

Biometric identification systems developed in the recent past are based on the use of biological characteristics of a person to identify his personality since it is these specific characteristics that are unique for each person.

Experts in this field are constantly expanding the list of unique identifying indicators and integrating them into devices in order to create reliable systems to prevent identity theft. Currently, the most used method is the recognition of a person's personality by a fingerprint, with the development of artificial intelligence systems, recognition by the iris and retina of the eye, by the face, by the hand and even by the gait, the concept appeared - behavioural biometrics - scientific research that analyzes individual gait, specific body movements of a person to establish his identity. With the introduction of such identification measures in public places, for example, at passport control at the airport, at the entrance/exit to certain buildings, and finally in our own car or house, we, unnoticed for ourselves,

In the future, such identification methods will increasingly be used to verify identity on personal devices such as mobile phones. The latest models of the iPhone X from Apple and Huawei Honor 9, which have fingerprint sensors and face recognition, are already on the market today, and now these functions are already being actively implemented in many other Android phones.

Asian developers have been working on iris scanning devices for several years now, and now the first smartphones are emerging using an iris scanner as the main method of identification.

You may not even suspect that the future is much closer than you think. In order to keep up with life and become part of this stage of technological evolution, moving to devices with biometric identification, you should definitely take all possible security measures to protect yourself and your family online.

These methods of protecting access to private information have been on the market for several years, but only now, when modern developments of artificial intelligence systems are becoming more reliable and more accessible, these methods are ready to overthrow the previous king of personal protection, whose name is Password, from the throne.

3. Password security

Modern hackers attack everyone indiscriminately, ruthlessly hitting many systems during the attack. Today, even a schoolchild can organize a DDOS or ransom attack, and with the development of new technologies, serious cybercriminals have even faster tools with the possibility of a wider range of attacks available. Unfortunately, the development of artificial intelligence systems will only increase the activity of hackers; in the near future, more massive cases of automated and non-targeted attacks can be expected.

If you are thinking about your own online security or think you might be the target of a planned or unplanned cyberattack, you should heed the advice of experts and protect yourself. But, even knowing about the impending threat, how can you be sure that your password is as secure as possible and at the same time you can remember it?

The basic rules are most likely known to everyone: for example, that you should not use the same password for several accounts, that it is unreasonable to use ordinary words and your personal information in the password, that it is best to use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters in the password. But with the emergence of new cyber threat trends, it's not easy to figure out how to stay on top of today's security protections and at the same time not forget all the passwords you need.

Here are some simple tips for password security:

• Include not only letters or words in your password but numbers and symbols

- For the password to be reliable and complex enough, and the criminals could not easily guess it, it must contain numbers, letters and symbols. But about the tactics of using numbers instead of letters, for example, "0" instead of "O", hackers already know, and they have software that recognizes such tricks, the same applies to symbols. One way to trick or confuse a hacker is to use a symbol instead of a capital letter at the beginning of the password.

• Use an 8-word phrase to create a passcode

- Coming up with a strong password using all of the above tips can be tricky.

You can simply bang your hand on the keyboard to generate a unique password. And the result will be something like 2oiu43t * deg &% j8u, but in this password, there are 16 different characters, letters and numbers, and it really can be a perfect example of a very strong password. But here's the problem: how to remember the password you created by simply slapping your hand over the keyboard.

The advice is this: you can come up with a story, describing it with a phrase that you remember, and thus create a memorable secret code. " When you encrypt the password, you will get Pdvkyazhed948nVu.As3 tr m. This is a rather complex password with 21 characters and all you need to do is memorize these two sentences. This is just one way, so don't be afraid to get creative.

• Don't tell the truth when answering security questions

- It turns out that in this case, lying is very good. Today, when you post a lot of information about yourself on the Internet, it is easy to compose your "portrait" from it, a simple Google search can help an attacker find possible answers to security questions, for example, about your dog's name or the names of your relatives.

• Change your password regularly

- To protect your data from hackers, it is recommended to change your password regularly, at least once every 90-120 days.

• Use a password manager

- To remember all your passwords, it is best to choose password management software such as Dashline or LastPass.

4. Safety of information

The growing wave of headline ransomware attacks can pose a serious threat to both individuals and businesses today (read more on this in Top 7 Reasons Why a Small Business Cyber ​​Threat is often targeted ).

One of the most secure ways to store your confidential information is to keep an external hard drive separate from your computer so that you always have a copy of your information. In the past few years, many cloud-based online storage sites have touted a secure way to store your information. A user who uses these services should understand that data can still be at risk if they use a weak password and the data is not encrypted by modern security protocols. Some experts predict that in 2018, hackers will target cloud platforms, from which they will steal data.

Many users are not ready to risk their data and expose it to the threat of theft by hackers, in which case they take the most serious security measures, including data encryption.

Some users do not consider it necessary to encrypt the entire hard drive, assuming that it is enough to protect only sensitive files and confidential information. The most famous free encryption software is 7-Zip, which offers a lightweight solution with a simple interface. There are many other software solutions for encrypting the entire disk, such as VeraCrypt, Bit-Locker, FileVault 2 and of course DiskCryptor.

Internet security experts recommend using a VPN service to protect your IP address from the introduction of automated spyware hacker programs that can secretly find out everything about you and simply allow a hacker to enter the network under your name. Using a reliable VPN provider like Le VPN can take this headache out of you completely.

5. Mobile literacy

To understand exactly how users are tricked into installing malicious applications and thus stealing data from their mobile phones, experts from F-labs even conducted a series of special experiments.

Google Play is an online app store from which you almost never download malware, as Google specialists work tirelessly to prevent any apps that could infect your device with Trojans from being placed on their store. But, keep in mind that many apps that contain ads can be an aggressive tactic to inject malicious content into mobile browsers in order to reduce bandwidth, slow down the system and create the risk of the device being hijacked by cybercriminals.

The best way to keep your mobile device secure is to avoid downloading apps from unofficial online stores and unfamiliar websites, which can be risky. It would also be a very good decision to install a reliable antivirus and VPN service on your mobile phone, thus minimizing the chance of malware infecting your device.

One of the most trusted VPN providers, Le VPN is also available on the Google Play store and is one of the best VPN apps on the market today.

It is especially important to use a VPN service when you connect to a free Wi-Fi network or a public Wi-Fi hotspot, as such unsecured connections greatly increase the security risks of your mobile device.

6. Keep an eye on security on the Internet of Things

There are more and more home appliances on the market that require an Internet connection. In order not to harm yourself, first of all, you need to create conditions for the use of "smart things" without compromising the security of your own home network. You need to evaluate exactly what devices are in use and what potential threat to your digital security they can pose. There are cases when hackers managed to break into a baby monitor, and this was probably the worst nightmare for parents.

This topic requires separate consideration and discussion. The main task for the owner of "smart things" is to make sure that the devices are connected to a secure network, that the port used is secure, in addition, if you do not trust your ISP, you should use a VPN for all devices in your home.

7. Update your operating system regularly

Since this is one of the most routine actions that a user should perform, then, although it has been said a thousand times, updating the OS is still not perceived by people as one of the main measures to protect information security. But new updates and configurations are specially created and launched in order to eliminate the identified vulnerabilities, with the ability to resist new methods of hacker attacks that endanger the safety of your information.

When developers look for new ways to improve the security of the OS, they also work to fix discovered bugs and then improve the system to prevent malware from taking advantage of OS weaknesses.

Microsoft, for example, offers patches and updates specifically to keep hackers on their toes, preventing them from attacking the system.

Windows can be updated automatically with consent with just one click. Set the update settings to the time when this process will be most convenient for you, and you no longer have to worry about the fact that the system started updating at the most inopportune moment.

8. Stay tuned for news of cyber attacks and take precautions right away

The best medicine is prevention because it’s easier to prevent problems when you know them in advance. The fact that you are now generally reading this article is already a clear example of following this rule. We recommend that you follow the news in the field of Internet security, realistically assess the existence of a potential threat to you personally, and, if you have a little free time, read articles on similar topics.

He who is forewarned is armed. Hackers are on the alert, they are waging a dirty war against vulnerable Internet users. When you are aware of what is happening, you are in a better position to be able to protect your data and inform your family and friends in a timely manner, showing by your own example how to take care of personal IT security.

9. Psychological warfare

I would not like to frighten anyone and unnecessarily dramatize the situation, but recently a new threat has appeared, which many of us do not think about, and, therefore, underestimate it. This threat lurked on social media.

Many people do not even suspect that they themselves are helping cyber criminals to get their personal data, which voluntarily encourage attackers to invade their privacy, steal personal information in order to use it for their own selfish purposes or sell it to other companies without our consent. If you participate in Facebook surveys, tests and quizzes that ask for your personal information or that of your friends, keep in mind that this is usually a loophole for targeted marketing and advertising, but internet security experts warn that it can also entail the possibility of introducing malware into your device or your friend's device.

10. Safe online shopping

It is important to understand that those who prefer online shopping to tedious shopping trips, in addition to the visible comfort, also receive a higher risk of loss and theft of personal data, because in order to make an online purchase, the buyer must inform the seller about his credit cards and bank accounts, and this is exactly what all cybercriminals are after. Although the computer systems of major online retailers are not easy to hack, most hackers still carry out constant attacks to steal customer identity. This danger has been talked about countless times with the sole purpose not to intimidate online shopping lovers, but simply to warn, urge to take precautions and think twice before mindlessly leaving your confidential information online.

Sadly, data breaches happen with enviable regularity and cybercriminals are working tirelessly to develop new ways to gain access to your bank account. Sites of this nature must offer strong security measures, such as two-factor authentication, abbreviated as 2FA or TFA. It is the 2FA method that increases the level of security. Sometimes online merchants use SMS confirmation or email authentication or use tokens to prevent cybercriminals from hacking into your account and gaining information about you.

Since there is a huge amount of malware that can match your name, IP address and known financial information, it will not be difficult for a trained hacker to compose your personal portrait, steal your personal data and use it for their own selfish purposes. It just goes to show that you may be in serious danger at home, too, unless you use VPN protection for safer online shopping.

Responsible attitude to the protection of personal data, the safety of finances, privacy, safe and uninterrupted operation of home technological innovations - “smart things”, prevention of hacker attacks and any other harmful effects on your devices and your life is an indispensable duty of every thinking person.

We hope you find these simple but important tips from our experts useful in 2018.

Protect yourself with a VPN to stop worrying about your individual IT security.

The Le VPN service team is always ready to provide you with their highly professional support.