Cyber attacks and data breaches are not going away. Security specialists are constantly playing cat-and-mouse with cyber criminals to limit the number of attacks and the harm they cause. While this might sound like bad news, the upshot is that the steps below will help keep you protected. Satsumaloans have teamed up with leading expert on cyber security, Jessica Barker to bring you these top tips:
1. Change your password if you think someone's got hold of it. If a data breach hits the news and your details could be exposed, criminals might be able to access your data and use it to steal your money, your identity or target you with sophisticated phishing scams. You can check whether your details have been caught up in a data breach by visiting Have I Been Pwned.
2. As passwords are the key to our private information, you need to make them strong and unique for each online account. If you rely on memory for recalling passwords, try using passphrases instead. A passphrase is a collection of words that's easy to remember, but hard to guess. They're a good alternative to long, complicated passwords.
The National Cyber Security Centre has lots of useful information on how to generate secure passphrases. Research suggests we all have more passwords than we're able to remember, so password managers can be a handy solution. Check out Vice for quality advice on password managers.
3. When we lock our doors at night, we usually rely on more than one lock. We should apply the same idea to our online accounts. Use two-factor authentication wherever it's available; most major sites offer 2FA.
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts and makes them much harder for attackers to crack. You're also likely to be notified if someone hacks your password. If your phone pings with a 2FA code and you haven’t requested one, you'll know someone else has. Check out Turn On 2FA for guidance on what 2FA is and how to set it up.
4. Be careful when you're downloading apps, especially if you're on Android. Anyone, including criminals, can make and distribute Android apps. Once a dodgy app's installed on your phone, it can potentially access all your data, even your camera and photos.
Only download trusted apps and make sure the app you're downloading isn't a fake impersonating a real app (e.g. Whatsapp in 2017). iPhone apps go through more security tests than Android apps, but scams still slip through the net. Whatever device you use, it's worth taking the time to check out an app before you install it.
5. One of the main ways criminals steal information or money online is by manipulating people rather than technology. It's a practice known as social engineering with many different scams, including phishing emails and fake technical support. If you've been targeted, you should contact the police straight away as they take these matters very seriously. You can read more about different social engineering techniques and the steps you can take to protect yourself in this useful download from the National Cyber Security Centre.
1. Change your password if you think someone's got hold of it. If a data breach hits the news and your details could be exposed, criminals might be able to access your data and use it to steal your money, your identity or target you with sophisticated phishing scams. You can check whether your details have been caught up in a data breach by visiting Have I Been Pwned.
2. As passwords are the key to our private information, you need to make them strong and unique for each online account. If you rely on memory for recalling passwords, try using passphrases instead. A passphrase is a collection of words that's easy to remember, but hard to guess. They're a good alternative to long, complicated passwords.
The National Cyber Security Centre has lots of useful information on how to generate secure passphrases. Research suggests we all have more passwords than we're able to remember, so password managers can be a handy solution. Check out Vice for quality advice on password managers.
3. When we lock our doors at night, we usually rely on more than one lock. We should apply the same idea to our online accounts. Use two-factor authentication wherever it's available; most major sites offer 2FA.
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts and makes them much harder for attackers to crack. You're also likely to be notified if someone hacks your password. If your phone pings with a 2FA code and you haven’t requested one, you'll know someone else has. Check out Turn On 2FA for guidance on what 2FA is and how to set it up.
4. Be careful when you're downloading apps, especially if you're on Android. Anyone, including criminals, can make and distribute Android apps. Once a dodgy app's installed on your phone, it can potentially access all your data, even your camera and photos.
Only download trusted apps and make sure the app you're downloading isn't a fake impersonating a real app (e.g. Whatsapp in 2017). iPhone apps go through more security tests than Android apps, but scams still slip through the net. Whatever device you use, it's worth taking the time to check out an app before you install it.
5. One of the main ways criminals steal information or money online is by manipulating people rather than technology. It's a practice known as social engineering with many different scams, including phishing emails and fake technical support. If you've been targeted, you should contact the police straight away as they take these matters very seriously. You can read more about different social engineering techniques and the steps you can take to protect yourself in this useful download from the National Cyber Security Centre.
