Security is inseparable from any kind of sensible interaction in cyberspace. Our every move is a possible hacking opportunity for someone – something which could potentially lead to financial, commercial or personal ruin if not handled properly. Not just our actions but our passive online presence such as a dormant and forgotten social media account can constitute a ruinous security breach.
Although antivirus software and virtual private networks (VPNs) are now in common use, many people who are otherwise conversant with cyber-technology are still alarmingly unaware of the security risks they face.
Here are some myths you need to stop believing if you want to be safe from online fraud or security breaches. The only way that we are going to be able to reduce the levels of data breaches and money and data stolen is if we get very real with ourselves about the risks that we face and the security steps we need to take.
“I have no data anyone would want to steal”
If you use the Internet, there is someone out there who could use and/or sell your data. If you’ve ever purchased anything on Amazon, your credit card details could have been stolen by covert key-logging software that records everything you type on your keyboard. This can also record all passwords you type in, giving access to all secured accounts you use.
Banking and financial transactions are obviously the biggest concern, but even more mundane information has monetary value on the Dark Web. Access to a Twitter account can be sold for between 10c and $3, while your Gmail account details can fetch between 70c and $1.20.
If you run a business, theft of information about your customers or employees can lead to expensive lawsuits, regardless of its direct financial value.
This is why you need to take the correct steps to secure your business. Not only does this mean the data you hold yourself, but you also need to choose third-party relationships with an extreme amount of care.
Whether you hire an accountancy firm to take care of your books or you use a UX research platform for insights into your customers, you need to ensure that you select a company that is reputable and has a clear security policy in place.
“If someone hacks my data, I’ll know about it and prevent any damage”
Locking the stable door after the security horse has bolted is the resort of the ignorant and naive. 68 per cent of identity theft victims don’t know how their data was stolen in the first place, while 92 per cent don’t know who were the thieves or hackers who stole it.
If you don’t have adequate security, someone you’ve never heard of could be taking out loans and obtaining credit cards in your name while you’re still blissfully unaware there is a problem.
Cyber-criminals have perfected ways of silently accessing your computer and stealing your most valuable details without leaving any visible evidence of their activity.
If you do a bit of research online, you will see that a lot of the big businesses that have already been hit by data breaches did not know about it for a considerable amount of time, which makes the damage get worse and worse!
“I’ve nothing to fear if I only visit reputable websites”
While you’re generally safer clicking on well-established sites of legitimate companies, this may develop into a false sense of security.
If your computer has been infected with some kind of data-stealing software such as a key-logger, your most sensitive information such as credit card details may be being stolen as you’re typing them, regardless of how good the site’s own security is.
“My computer already has its own protection”
Operating systems such as Microsoft have built-in security that gives some protection against hacking and viruses, but this is only a minimum to prevent serious damage at the hands of hackers and criminals.
In fact, it has long been a rumour that you do not need any security products if you use Apple devices, as they are already secure. Yes, their security is superior, but this does not mean that you should leave your systems exposed.
Anyone serious about online security needs to look at commercially available anti-virus software, along with VPNs that will protect and encrypt their online communication with other devices.
However, adequate security is not prohibitively expensive either, and potential buyers should beware of security packages sold with far-fetched claims at extravagant prices.
“I only need to secure my financial data and passwords”
If you think you’re safe once you’ve secured your credit card and bank account numbers, PINs, etc., then the criminals are a long way ahead of you. The more of their lives people choose to post online, the more opportunities they offer thieves and other unscrupulous people to rob, defraud or blackmail them.
Social media sites like Facebook are a goldmine for criminals when those who use them are careless about what information they publicly reveal. Think of the pleasant surprise a burglar gets as he reads a social media user’s announcement that she and her family are taking a two-week break, leaving an empty house with its contents there for the taking. If you must share potentially damaging information on social media, at least make sure it’s only available to a selected group of trusted friends.
Many people have moved into the information age without thinking of the potentially damaging compromise of privacy that comes with it. Once upon a time, many thought it was a good idea to remove their names from the telephone directory, believing that enabling a stranger to ring their number posed the risk of an unacceptable breach of privacy.
Nowadays, these same people are happy to post personal details online several times a day. There is no going back to the pre-Internet age, but people should at least be conscious of the devastating damage they can cause by not taking security precautions.
