Staying one step ahead of the hackers
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 03/25/2015 06:19 AM
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It use to be that all one needed was a good AV program and a good firewall to be protected. But times have changed and so has the nature of malware.
Cybersecurity threats are a lot more sophisticated than they used to be. Cybercriminals use techniques pioneered by government intelligence agencies. Malicious websites infect anyone who lands on them.
Not only are antivirus products and firewalls still the primary — and sometimes the only — security tools that many people deploy, but too many users neglect essential security practices that don't directly involve their desktop or laptop computers.
Today, users need to protect their information and system more aggressively.
Joe Ferrara, president and CEO of Wombat Security Technologies, a security-training firm based in Pittsburgh said: "The explosion in mobile-device use and mobile networking has exponentially increased the number of security threats [that] individuals face on a daily basis."
"It can be very difficult for people to understand the immense risks associated with their mobile devices, because they've developed a false sense of comfort and security," he added.
If end-user devices such as your smartphone or PC are compromised, attackers can leverage them to collect usernames and passwords and then attack the companies you work for and bank with.
Best practices include being vigilant about securing all your online behavior.
Jonathan Trull, chief information security officer for Redwood Shores, said: "Everyone needs to configure their operating systems and software to auto-update for security vulnerabilities, and to always surf the Internet and read email with a non-privileged account" that can't install or modify software.
The second step is to focus on protecting your data. Two easy ways to protect the data are to set up two-factor authentication (i.e., a strong password and a code sent via text) to access email and social-networking services, and to encrypt sensitive data on phones, tablets and PCs. Don't forget to lock your phone's screen with a passcode.
Source: TomsGuide
Cybersecurity threats are a lot more sophisticated than they used to be. Cybercriminals use techniques pioneered by government intelligence agencies. Malicious websites infect anyone who lands on them.
Not only are antivirus products and firewalls still the primary — and sometimes the only — security tools that many people deploy, but too many users neglect essential security practices that don't directly involve their desktop or laptop computers.
Today, users need to protect their information and system more aggressively.
Joe Ferrara, president and CEO of Wombat Security Technologies, a security-training firm based in Pittsburgh said: "The explosion in mobile-device use and mobile networking has exponentially increased the number of security threats [that] individuals face on a daily basis."
"It can be very difficult for people to understand the immense risks associated with their mobile devices, because they've developed a false sense of comfort and security," he added.
If end-user devices such as your smartphone or PC are compromised, attackers can leverage them to collect usernames and passwords and then attack the companies you work for and bank with.
Best practices include being vigilant about securing all your online behavior.
Jonathan Trull, chief information security officer for Redwood Shores, said: "Everyone needs to configure their operating systems and software to auto-update for security vulnerabilities, and to always surf the Internet and read email with a non-privileged account" that can't install or modify software.
The second step is to focus on protecting your data. Two easy ways to protect the data are to set up two-factor authentication (i.e., a strong password and a code sent via text) to access email and social-networking services, and to encrypt sensitive data on phones, tablets and PCs. Don't forget to lock your phone's screen with a passcode.
Source: TomsGuide
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