Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 21, 2016
Corporate Networks are responsible for a lot these days, handling e-mail, 1000's of browser sessions, anything that requires the Internet, unfortunately those networks are at risk of being hacked. Hackers and spammers are always trying to find new ways to trick their victims into clicking a malicious link or downloading malicious software.
What can be done to not become a victim?
Don’t get suckered in by emotionally charged baits. Instead of clicking the link provided in an email or popup window, use a web browser or search engine to visit the company website instead. When making charitable donations online, always research the cause and the foundation to make sure they are legitimate before becoming a statistic. Many hackers even impersonate legitimate, well-known companies to attract their victims, so make sure to visit official sites. Use antivirus software that includes web protection and use good web practices when browsing. Control over vendor websites is impossible, but protecting your own network is crucial.
Here are 5 additional easy tips to protect your life online:
1. Be aware of what to share
Don't go deleting Facebook or Twitter accounts, but posting birth dates, graduation years, or mother’s maiden name - often used to answer security questions to access accounts online or over the phone makes a hacker’s job even easier.
2. Pick a strong password
It can take a hacker only ten minutes to guess a password made up of six lowercase letters. Passwords with uppercase letters, symbols, and numbers typically work well.
3. Use 2-step verification
Facebook and Gmail have an optional security feature that, once activated, requires two passwords to verify ownership a password plus a code that the companies text to access the account. Definitely worth the trouble if the alternative is getting hacked!
4. Use Wifi hot spots sparingly
T-Mobile and ATT, the largest providers of free public wireless internet (the kind often available in coffee shops, airports and hotels), don’t require encryption of data traveling between laptops and the internet, which means any info (email password, bank account balance, etc.…) is vulnerable to hackers. In windows, right click on the wireless icon in the task bar to turn it off. On a mac, click the wifi icon in the menu bar to turn off wifi.
5. Back up data
Hackers can delete years’ worth of emails and documents from a network in minutes. Protect digital files! In a nutshell, if at all possible, don’t shop or use personal email/social media at work. It could be introducing massive amounts of unnecessary risk to the corporate network environment. Downloading games or apps to a company computer is almost always not a good idea, and for good reason! Many are infected with malicious code, even if the application appears to function normally. Use work assets for work, period.