Gone Phishing? How to Avoid a Cyber Attack

Within the past year, cyber-attacks have become an increasingly scary reality for almost every individual and organization. Regardless of the victim, whether it be an individual person, small business, or multi-million dollar enterprise, the rising threat of hackers on a mission to steal your information is real. However, just as fast as hackers are working to hack into your database, security companies are working diligently to keep up-to-date technology and strategies available.

On average, 37% of all computer users fall prey to internet pirates each year. Whether your information is stolen for ransom or is sold on the black market for a pretty penny, that percentage is not something you want to be a part of. To avoid the massive headache accompanied by this dreaded scheme, here are seven tips you can use to avoid a hack-attack:

• 1. Use strong passwords

  Using passwords that contain multiple different characters such as, "! * -" capital letters and numbers create strong passwords that are hard to guess. You should be sure to stay away from common words and modern slang, as these are the easiest passwords to guess.

• 2. Don't click on the links

  Phishing schemes are one of the top hacking strategies because many people fall for them. An employee of a company can innocently click on the link of an email suggesting their bank account has an error. This link is a perfect replica of the bank site, however, all the information entered is captured by hackers. The entire company is now at risk.

• 3. Watch your bank accounts

  Checking the status and transactions of your bank account as frequently as twice a week can help thwart thieves by catching them early.

• 4. Stay updated

  Cybercriminals are constantly adding new technology to their attacks and in order to keep up, software companies put out updates for their products to help block the attacks. If you have been delaying the updates on your phone or computer, you are allowing unblocked holes making your systems more vulnerable.

• 5. Back up your files

  No one can prevent every attack, but you can still be proactive. The best way to bamboozle a hacker who attempts to hold your most important files ransom is by backing up every file you need on a cloud server or separate hard drive. BOOM.

• 6. Use a professional monitoring service

  Professional companies monitor your information and help with cleaning up hacking messes. If you have a large amount of assets at risk, it may pay to add a cyber security team to your protection.

• 7. Encryption

  Sensitive information is always at risk if it is online. Encrypting the information helps keep many hackers out of your business. Even if they get their sticky hands on your files, they cannot read them.

Bottom Line: The threats in the cyber world cannot be entirely avoided, but it is easy to put these seven tips into practice to minimize the chance a hacker can gain access to your information. A wise man once said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."