In such uncertain times, we are thinning how secure we are in any aspect. Many people decide to take life insurance, home insurance, and many other protection measures, but do we really think about our security online? The truth is not many, and often we neglect our cybersecurity, but this can hide as many risks as anything else. And even more. Keep reading to find out more about cybersecurity and why do you need it.
What is cybersecurity?
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Cybersecurity is not only using a strong password or using a private browser. Cybersecurity is every activity you do to keep your network and all the devices connected to it safe. This can be using an anti-virus system, VPN, or anything else you can imagine to protect yourself and your data better while being online.
And cybersecurity is not something that is important only for when you browse on your laptop. Any device connected to your network can be hacked, and from there, the attacker can access every other device in it. With the rise of the Internet of Things, almost any utility in our home is now a smart one that can be connected to the internet and expose us to any cyberattack.
For example, if you have Fire TV, this is already connected to your Amazon account in which you store personal information like your address and payment methods. This is why you shouldn’t neglect the protection of any device in your network. Setting up a VPN for your Amazon Fire TV Stick is not just recommended but mandatory. Your protection is, of course, the main reason for it, but there are other benefits like you having access to geo-restricted content and keeping your activity anonymous. Using a VPN on your Fire Stick TV or other device connected to your network or directly on your router is something you should definitely do as soon as possible.
Why is cybersecurity so important?
A lot of people might think that they will never become a victim of a cyberattack just because they are not significant enough and they have no important information to hide. But this is a very big misconception.
The truth is that “regular” people become victims of hacker attacks even more often because it is much easier. People or companies that take measures to protect themselves are harder to attack, which is why most hackers prefer easier victims.
Imagine if a skilled hacker would take like 1-2 hours to gain access to the network of 1 “regular” user, and they can get around $3 000. If they do that 3-4 times a day, they can end up with quite a good profit. Or they can hold your passwords and personal information as “hostages” and extort you for even more money. This will be so easy for them. Indeed, they might be able to take 10 000 if they hack a bigger company, but this will mean they need to put more effort, and the security measures those companies have might make it even impossible, so they lost time for nothing.
There are many different cyberattack types, and some of them are easier to execute than others. Depending on the skills of the hacker and their goals, they can plan an attack for months. Or they can not attack immediately after they get access to your network and data. They might wait for the perfect moment and perform a couple of small purchases or withdraws without you even noticing. It will be too late by the time you do, and they will have already deleted every trace. Don’t ever think, “This will never happen to me,” but take some measures to protect yourself just in case.
How should you protect yourself?
There are some simple things you can do to keep yourself protected and make sure that you are giving a hard time to anyone that is trying to hack you. Below you can find some of the measures you can take:
- Use a VPN;
- Don’t use the same password everywhere;
- Use hard to crack passwords;
- Avoid open WiFi networks;
- Don’t click on unknown and suspicious links and emails;
- Back up your data;
- Use a strong anti-virus and never ignore the warning;
- Keep every piece of software up to date;
- Use 2FA whenever possible and others.
Wrapping up
You can take many measures to protect yourself, but starting with the ones we mentioned is a good beginning. Don’t neglect the protection of any of the devices connected to your home network because, as we said, hacking a TV could lead to stealing your whole data. Cybersecurity nowadays is as important as any other security and insurance you might take. It is always better to be safe than sorry.