If you have a business or a personal computer system, you must protect it from cybercriminals round-the-clock. Simply having passwords is not enough. You must protect your computer systems from virus infections, phishing, malware, and other security threats that you might be unaware of.
However, despite being aware of the importance of cybersecurity for their computer systems, many businesses and people commit mistakes whose consequences are often dear. These mistakes are mostly due to a lack of awareness and knowledge. Most businesses and people overlook and turn a blind eye to the importance of cybersecurity for their computer systems and only wake up when the damage has been caused.
So, what are these cybersecurity mistakes that businesses and people commit?
This post will look at the three most common cybersecurity mistakes that make your computer system an open playground for hackers and cybercriminals. Go through them one by one to learn how simple mistakes can be heavily risky to your computer systems and businesses.
Three common cybersecurity mistakes for your computer systems to avoid-
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Weak and vulnerable passwords
Cybersecurity experts state that strong passwords do not protect most computer systems. Businesses often have lax practices for passwords, and this is one of the key factors for inviting cybercriminals to your computer systems. Note that PINs or personal identification numbers and other letter and number-based codes are the first defense for business and private computer systems as well as mobile devices.
Weak passwords have always been a problem since the first user of computer systems decided to use the password 123456789 or qwerty for their supposed gateway for security. Similar unwise options for passwords can be the names of family members, pets, date of birth, and even the location of a place that can be easily associated with you are weak passwords. Good cyber hackers often break into two-thirds of passwords that are present in the online world today in just some minutes.
Solutions-
Experts in the field of cybersecurity recommend that you should use complex passwords for your computer systems. They should combine letters, symbols on the keyboard, and numbers. Even in order to remember your password and keep it closely associated, you can randomize it with numbers along with symbols so that it becomes hard for hackers to crack. For instance, hamburgers can become “8&5$@9!K*#.”
Again, cybersecurity experts state that using the same passwords for all of your computer system accounts is definitely not recommended. Even if the password is a strong one, if a smart hacker can crack even one of your accounts, it will be easy for him to crack the rest. It is like having a single key that opens all your doors.
Passwords often become vulnerable when you store them in the wrong manner. It is obvious that you might find it difficult to remember complex and long passwords so writing them down in a memo right on your desk is a foolish thing for you to do. Some people go to the extent of sticking their passwords on post-it notes on their computer monitors. If you have the habit of doing the above, it is equivalent to having no password for your computer systems at all!
Today, you will find many desktop and mobile apps that randomly generate, manage, and store difficult and complex passwords. They are a much safer option than the post-it notes that you leave clearly in the sight of others. At the same time, these apps give you the opportunity to change your passwords often, as experts in cybersecurity advise.
Professionals from esteemed Salesforce solutions company, Flosum recommends that You should enable multi-factor authentication where it is available, for instance, services and websites that need a password and some form of authentication like a one-time code for security that is sent to the inbox of your phone is a prudent step.
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Gullible and lax email practices
Cybersecurity experts regularly warn people not to click on unsolicited text messages, emails, and links that contain/open to attachments, however despite the repeated caution, people still commit this common mistake and fall prey to the menace of phishing, smishing (Phishing of SMS text and all sorts of social engineering scams.
Most of these emails contain false offers for jobs, warnings, and threats from tax, law, or bank authorities, complicated cons, and investment opportunities that actually seem too good to be real. You will find all of the above in present messaging systems, and they have evolved when it comes to sophistication and targeting specifically gullible people. New sources of data are often a trap that thieves, fraudsters, and other cybercriminals layout for you.
In order to stay alert, apply common sense and diligence. Your keys to 24/7 protection against cybercriminals stay intact when you avoid-
- Emails that look or sound too good to be real.
- Looks or even sounds suspicious; you need to verify the source by contacting the sender via phone, face-to-face, or any other credible means.
- If the text message or the email is unsolicited, do not click on any of its links, nor should you open any attachment that comes with the email.
- Never react with emotion as these emails are drafted in such a way to invoke a sense of enthusiasm, greed, fear, or urgency.
- Pause and think.
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Poor network or system administration
There should be a competent and secure network present for users of computer systems in corporates and institutions. The facility must have a skilled system administrator that protects the infrastructure against the onslaught of cybercriminals. Effective administrative skills are responsible for installing and enforcing stringent security policies and the best practices that keep applications, processes, and users protected.
Unfortunately, there are instances where administrators fail to secure their network devices correctly like, for instance, they use passwords and default factory settings, or validation procedures, etc. They often do not give permission for data encryption and ignore monitoring user activities and privileges. This often invites cybercriminals and hackers to gain access to network assets and credentials.
Therefore, companies and individuals must keep the above three mistakes in mind if they do not want to compromise their computer systems’ security and avert potential online attacks. Businesses should have qualified and competent network administrators to identify loopholes and promptly safeguard computers from cybercriminals around the clock!
