Web Protection: 8 Ways to Protect Yourself Online

Web Protection: 8 Ways to Protect Yourself Online

A cyber attack is a scary thing for any business to have to deal with.

While desktops have always been the main target, cell phones in this day and age are just as likely to be a target as a PC.

Earlier this year, a major ransomware attack crippled tens of thousands of systems in almost 100 countries.

Don't allow yourself or your business to become a victim.

Here are 8 forms of web protection that can help keep your business safe.

1. DDoS Web Protection

Denial of service attacks are no laughing matter and are one of the biggest threats in the cyber security world today. They're popular with hackers and gamer fanatics (World of Warcraft gets DDoS'd multiple times a year).

The worst part is that they aren't hard to pull off and even easier to get away with. Spending the cash on the premium web protection service is the only proper decision. Needless to say that both self managed and fully-managed DDoS protection plans are affordable and only take a few minutes to implement. Just imagine that you could stop worrying about DDoS attacks in under an hour. Sounds good?

2. Use Better Passwords

Password1234 has never been good enough and now passwords that used to be good enough are no longer adequate. Keep different passwords for private and business accounts.

Use multiple step verification whenever possible, especially on social media.

The more characters, the better. For the best passwords, use variation between uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.

3. Anti-virus and Malware Protection

There's some great free anti-virus and anti-malware web protection out there so there isn't a business around that has an excuse not to have any.

Keep these services updated and run them at least a couple of times a month to keep your system free of nasty cyber critters. Don't forget to keep whatever browser that you're using up to date, as these updates often contain tweaked security settings.

4. Keep Private Information Private

So keep it away from social media. 

Don't make information public that could give an enemy the means to attack your business. Anything that can be used for a password, such as your mother's maiden name.

LinkedIn was a victim of a cyber attack in 2012, with over 100 million email addresses and passwords being compromised.

It's a good idea to keep a different password for each social site.

5. Beware of Apps

There are 2 billion smartphones in use in 2017, with over 2 million apps from Apple and nearly 3 million from Android.

Both companies take their security seriously, but even with those measures, 750,000 malicious apps were found on Android devices in 2017.

Don't download apps from shady sources, keep the useful ones updated, and delete anything that isn't being used regularly.

6. Contact Your Bank

Talk to the people who handle your money. Find out how they handle fraud and security breaches.

Do some research on your own and find out what banks are having the most success with security.

Banking institutions that protect online purchases are a great way to go if you have any kind of eCommerce business. 

7. Don't Rely on Banks

Check all financial accounts on a daily basis.

The faster that a business notices something and contacts the proper authorities, the faster that money will be returned and an investigation can be started.

8. Educate

Cybersecurity should be a part of any business.

Educating employees on web protection practices can be beneficial to the business and to the people working for you, they just need to be informed of what the benefits are.

Keep it simple. Let them know how these measures are protection the company, its clients, and how they can use the information to protect themselves.

Protecting clients is a part of the company's job. It's not optional.

If you're looking to update your security or need help or tips with training, contact us to find out what we can do to help.