Another Cyber Incident? Here Are Some Ways To Avoid Being The Next Cyberthief's Victim

The now infamous cybersecurity incidents heard around the world such as WannaCry and NotPetya are becoming more and more ordinary. We know they’re happening as far away as Russia and as nearby as your phone or laptop. Earlier attacks like Target, Ashley Madison, and JP Morgan Chase once shocked Americans. Now, entities like Verizon and LinkedIn are reporting attacks with ransomware and other malware frequently. The unsettling conclusion remains that if it happened to a big company like FedEx, it can certainly happen to you.

Whether your information is out there due to a company hack or a heist on your personal device, supply and demand for your private details is alive and well. Pilfered information on the internet sells for a very reasonable price and remains a lucrative temptation for thieves. For less than $250, names, addresses, credit card, and social security numbers are easily attainable. With prices like that, there’s no shortage of nefarious need. Businesses are fighting to keep ahead of cyberthieves who often seem a step in the lead.

Necessity and invention are fighting it out in cyber space and we want the good guys to win.

Other than crossing your fingers, how does the everyday user respond to the growing threat of hacking and fraud? Fortunately, there are steps to live by in the war against cyber info-snatchers. Implementing these safeguards help thwart cyber threats and are at the forefront of basic cyber smarts.

• No matter your operating system, keep it updated with the latest security and critical patches.

• Use automatic update features for programs, apps, and operating systems on all devices whenever this feature is available.

• If you see a dialogue box informing you of an available update, go directly to the product website to verify its authenticity before just clicking away the box.

• Beware of pop-up windows appearing as legitimate update notices. Hackers understand the temptation to click without much thought and readily infect the pop-ups with malware.

• Always make sure your devices have anti-malware installed and it is always kept up-to-date.

• Watch out for phishing and vishing attempts. If you receive an email with an attachment or link that is unexpected, from an unknown sender, or just seems suspicious, err on the side of caution and just delete it. If you receive a phone call from someone fishing for sensitive information, just hang up. Legitimate organizations will try other ways to reach you and government organizations, such as the IRS will always initiate communication via the U.S. Mail.

In addition, every once in a while, reboot your device. This will allow updates that appear during startup to become available and help reduce the insecurity about installing them too.