By Information System consultant, Jerry Lim Yishun
Every year on August 1st, people around the globe come together to celebrate World Wide Web Day. This special day commemorates the birth of the World Wide Web and serves as a reminder of the transformative impact it has had on our lives. It is an opportunity to appreciate the incredible power of the internet in connecting people, ideas, and information across the world.
As we celebrate the World Wide Web on this special day, it’s essential to acknowledge the challenges it also poses. Issues such as online privacy, cybersecurity, misinformation, and digital divide still need to be addressed to ensure that the web remains a force for good.
Individuals, businesses, governments, and organizations all have a responsibility to use the web responsibly and ethically. It is crucial to protect user privacy, combat cyber threats, and promote digital literacy to foster a safe and inclusive online environment for everyone.
Absolutely, staying cyber-safe is crucial in today’s digital world. Here are eight essential tips to help protect your online presence and data, including how to recognize threats to your security and be less vulnerable to cyberattacks.
- Use only trusted, secure networks and devices.
Using public computers or free WIFI may expose you to Man-in-the-Middle attacks (MiTM), which can be a serious security risk. Online security is seriously threatened by MiTM attacks as they allow attackers to get real-time access to sensitive information like login credentials, account information, or credit card numbers. - Use a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) ensures your anonymity on the internet by changing your IP address and assigning you a new one from its database. That’s how you become invisible online. By hiding your IP address, you can prevent online tracking, and nobody can follow your IP address to find out how you conduct your activities. - Don’t click on unsafe link
Phishing Attack is a type of social engineering attack where an attacker sends a fraudulent message or email designed to trick you into disclosing sensitive information. You should be careful if you receive a message or email asking for your personal information. Don’t share any details until you check and verify them! - Use strong passwords
Passwords should never be revealed to anyone. Passwords should be long, strong, and unique, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be used whenever it is possible. Passwords should always be different for different accounts and for work and home. Do not allow apps or websites to remember your passwords. - Use a password manager.
When you use a password manager, you only have to remember one master password and it takes care of everything else, enabling you to create strong, unguessable passwords like VjwF(wj]]SH1eeuw for all of your online accounts. It remembers your passwords for you, and it uses them automatically to access your secure sites. - Use Poetic Passwords or passphrase
Be sure to include all four types of characters: lowercase letters, uppercase letters, digits, and symbols. Expanding the number of characters makes cracking the password much more difficult. - Log out after transacting on a secure website.
Remember to log out after completing any transaction on banks, merchant sites, or credit card sites (via the “log out” or “exit” link), don’t just close the browser – log out. By closing the browser, your account is not automatically logged out, which makes it more vulnerable to hacking since subsequent users can access your account information, purchase information, and payment methods. - Safeguard your privacy on social media
Don’t post status updates unnecessary. Posting anything about your vacation while you are still on it is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. While you’re away, the wrong person might notice your vacation post and decide to plunder your home.
Remember that cyber safety is an ongoing process, and it’s essential to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting your digital identity and data.
GICG cybersecurity services can help your organization implement strong cybersecurity solution that reduces your vulnerability to cyber-attacks and protects your critical information systems.
Find out how GICG can support you in your journey to cyber security:
