Cybercriminal acts have been around for over two decades and are continuously evolving in this world of developing modern technology. Ransomware has become more of a commodity and an organized crime. This is why cybersecurity is also developing, since protecting cybersystems is no easy tas
Cyberattacks in remote workers and home offices
Since the pandemic, work-from-home employees and online businesses have conquered the modern way of living. Remote work has attracted more cyber hackers as they found more chances to exploit vulnerable employee networks and devices. Home offices are not as secure as the properly established office and organization sites. Offices have more protected firewalls, routers, and access management.
For remote workers, online business owners, and freelancers, it’s enormously important to invest in automation tool chests for greater security since, for most of them, their cybersecurity is not provided by their employers. The same way goes for employers that they should not expect remote employers to have protection easily.
If you’re an online business owner and have different websites you’re working on, your website design service provider should already know the security you need and attend to it. Be sure to communicate with them about this matter as much as possible.
Supply chain cyberattacks
As long as you’re online, there’s always a risk. Established organizations and company offices often use a network that is protected with antivirus software, firewalls, and automated backup features. Malware finds it difficult to access those networks. This is why they target weak devices and networks located in home offices and public Wi-Fi networks.
The goal of cybercriminals is to compromise poor security practiced devices, contractors, systems, and companies. They will start at the weakest device and breach any connected access they can find.
Using long, strong passwords
As a user, this is the least you can do to protect your network and system. While most websites are secure, there’s always a risk someone may try to access and steal your information. Using strong passwords is a way to defend your accounts and data from cyberattackers. It would be best if you came up with a password that’s easy for you to remember yet difficult for others to guess.
Personal information such as family name, birthday, and hobbies are mostly available publicly, so it’s easy for any skilled hacker to get. A strong password comprises symbols, numbers, uppercase letters, and other random words that anyone else will find hard to guess, such as a type of food or random movie titles. If you’re having trouble coming up with one, you can use any password generator and get ideas from it.
It’s also important not to use the same password for different accounts and change them every once in a while. Don’t ignore the two-factor authentication (2FA) and enable it for every one of your accounts.
Zero trust network access (ZTNA)
This cybersecurity trend enables security systems to have continuous real-time checks on who is accessing information and when this is happening. ZTNA is programmed not to trust anyone, and anything and everything that tries to access is treated as a potential malicious threat. Authentication and controls are activated at every moment of entry, and everything marked as important is protected. This is most useful if you have a growing organization and use a centralized cloud, even for your remote employees.
Antivirus and internet security
If you’ve never been a victim of a cybercrime, don’t wait to be one. As an independent worker, this is the next thing you want to invest in next to using a secure password and looking out for updates. Antivirus software has been around as long as cyber threats have, and there are various kinds and brands to choose from.
This is accessible and affordable for individual or small group users. It protects you from cybercrimes that take advantage of security flaws, including malware, spyware, virus, trojans, and phishing scams. It automatically updates to stay active for new and emerging threats.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
VPN is widely used, especially by remote workers provided by the company they work for, if ever they have to use unsecured or public Wi-Fi. With this, websites find it difficult to figure out where you’re located and keep away from your internet provider. It prevents hackers from accessing your activity. This may slow down your internet access, but there are ways to improve it and make it more secure.
It’s okay to be cautious than sorry once you become a victim of any cybercrime. Learning more about cybersecurity, especially in this evolving world of modern technology, is vital to protect your careers and future. While there are continuously developing good technology, cybercrimes are evolving too.
