How to Protect Yourself Against Cybercrime

By Libby on 21/01/2022 12:24

Cybercrime is an ongoing threat with the never-ending advancements in technology. Cybercriminals are evolving just as fast as the technology we use, finding new ways to hack into your devices to steal your personal and financial information.

Cybercrime is any crime that happens online or primarily online. Cybercriminals commit crimes by targeting computer networks or devices. Cybercrime can range from personal information to security breaches. Commonly known crimes include harassment, bullying and cyber-stalking.

Keep Updated

Cybercriminals often take advantage of flaws in your device's software to gain access to your system. Keeping your software regularly updated and patching up any flaws can make it less likely for you to become a cyber threat target.

Use Strong Passwords

Everyone wants an easy password that they won’t forget; therefore, people choose memorable dates such as birthdays or anniversaries. The problem with this is that you could be putting your devices and finances at risk.

Your memorable dates are easy for hackers to find online. We usually have them scattered across our social media profiles. Therefore, it is crucial to design a password that has eight characters, usually including a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.

Apple devices have now designed a program where they can create a strong password that is hard to hack, the issue with this is they are usually extremely hard to remember. Therefore, they enable you to save the password to your device so you don’t have to remember them, though it might be worth jotting it down somewhere, just in case.

Manage Your Social Media Settings

Though social media is a great way of keeping up to date with your friends and followers it is also a playground for cyber frauds. Therefore, it is important to ensure your private and personal information is locked. Keeping your posts public for everyone to see is never a good idea. Social engineering cybercriminals can easily gather your data from your social media profiles, so the less you share the better.

As mentioned above, personal information such as maiden names and pet names can expose the answers to common security questions, so make sure you only share them with the people you trust on the internet.

Things to Take Away

Finally, and most importantly, if you find you have become a victim of a cybercrime, inform your local authorities and they will dispatch their cybercrime unit on the case. It is vital to call your local police, even if it is only a small crime. After you have informed the police, start calling the banks and companies where the fraud has occurred, place fraud alerts and ask for your credit reports.

Internet security is always a good investment for keeping your information safe against a cybercrime attack.For instance Norton Security, can detect any irregular activity and potential security holes on your device or software and will alert you when it thinks a cybercrime attack has occurred or is about to.

Looking to upgrade your broadband? Here at broadbandmoneysaver.com, we have all the current best offers for you to choose from. Use our broadband comparison tool to find the best broadband for you!