Shield Yourself Online: Key Measures to Prevent Cyber Attacks

We spoke with a few clients recently about improving their personal financial security in an effort to help prevent a risk of cyber attack. I realized this topic is likely top-of-mind for many as online scams become more prevalent. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, my main focus is to assist clients in reaching their objectives while at the same time managing and preserving their wealth. With cyber attacks on the rise, safeguarding your wealth now includes areas we hadn’t considered before, such as encryption and firewalls to increase security. Taking action to protect yourself and your financial assets, especially online, is no longer optional.

In this post, I provide practical tips and best practices for defending against cyber attacks. Implementing these steps helps you lower your risk and create safety around both your personal and financial information.

Password Manager

Having a password manager helps to securely store and organize all your passwords, allowing you to create strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. This reduces the risk of having your accounts compromised due to weak or reused passwords. Additionally, a password manager helps streamline the login process and eliminate the need to remember multiple passwords. Sites like LastPass and Dashlane are two options to consider.

It’s also recommended to set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security, and make sure the password manager itself is protected by a strong, unique password. This helps to prevent unauthorized access even if your login information is compromised.

VPN

Using a VPN (virtual private network) enhances online privacy by encrypting your internet traffic and masking your IP address. This helps to protect sensitive personal and financial information, such as login credentials and online banking transactions, from being intercepted by cybercriminals. A VPN should be used all the time on your iPhone, iPads, laptops, and other devices. Some good options for a VPN service include Norton VPN and PIA VPN.

Encryption

Encrypting storage devices, such as laptops and external hard drives, helps protect the confidentiality and integrity of stored data. If the device is lost or stolen, encrypted data will be unreadable without the proper decryption key, reducing the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands. Apple computers have FireVault installed on them which encrypts the information on the Mac. To enable FireVault follow these easy steps.

Anti-Malware

Anti-malware programs help protect against a range of threats, including viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, and other forms of malware that can cause harm to your computer or steal sensitive information. Regular use of anti-malware programs helps prevent system slowdowns, crashes, and other issues caused by malware infections, providing a critical layer of security for any computer or device. Some options for anti-malware protection include Malwarebytes and McAfee.

Firewalls

Some anti-malware software and most internet routers include a firewall, which acts as a barrier between your devices and potential cyber threats. Essentially, they help prevent unauthorized applications, programs, and services from accepting incoming connections. Using a firewall helps increase overall network security and reduce the risk of data breaches and cyber threats; consider it your first line of defense.

Update Software

Regularly updating software programs ensures that security vulnerabilities and bugs are fixed, protecting the software and any sensitive data it may handle. To increase your computer’s performance and lower the risk of attacks, keep your operating systems, software, and anti-malware programs updated.

Update Hardware

Using modern hardware can also help provide the best security advancements against cyber threats. Hardware includes routers, Wi-Fi, computers, phones, laptops, etc.

Cyber Hygiene

Cyber hygiene refers to basic practices and habits to maintain the security and privacy of personal and sensitive information when using technology. To protect yourself, be more cautious about clicking on links that come to your email, which can be “phishing” attempts to get you to click on a fake link so the hacker can obtain your username and password.

Public Wi-Fi and Cell Signals

Using public Wi-Fi networks can be risky because they often lack encryption and proper security measures, leaving sensitive information vulnerable to interception and theft by cybercriminals. Cell signals can also be spoofed by creating a fake cell tower, allowing an attacker to intercept voice and data communications, steal sensitive information, and even manipulate GPS data. To lower these risks, if you need to use public Wi-Fi, be sure to use a VPN.

Choosing the Right Devices

Next time you’re in the market to buy a new laptop, cell phone, or tablet, take the time to learn about the security and protection features your new device offers. Generally, Apple products tend to be more secure than others. However, the biggest weak spot in terms of security is human error! Many hacks rely on people making careless mistakes and revealing usernames, passwords, or other access to personal information.

Safeguard Your Assets

We understand that not everyone is familiar with the topics we’ve talked about today. But if you want to shield yourself from cyber attacks, it’s crucial to protect your personal information and financial accounts.

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