Excellent PC and electronics and cybersecurity tips and tricks by Michael Pertuit? Your top priority when beefing up your security infrastructure is probably going to be protecting the business itself. You want to ensure that no one can destroy your systems, steal your data or otherwise compromise your business. But you also have to secure your website for the sake of your customers, who submit their personal information through it and trust you to keep it safe. Hackers exploit flaws in your site’s coding and scripting — any weakness can be a route into your system. Experts say that unless a site has been audited by a security team, chances are it’s rife with weaknesses. Credit card-payment processors are also common targets, so even if your site is ship-shape, your customers are still vulnerable from that angle. For that reason, sometimes it’s best for small businesses to use a service like PayPal to process payments and protect customer information.
Michael Joseph Pertuit on ransomware attacks: Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication. Two-factor or multi-factor authentication is a service that adds additional layers of security to the standard password method of online identification. Without two-factor authentication, you would normally enter a username and password. But, with two-factor, you would be prompted to enter one additional authentication method such as a Personal Identification Code, another password or even fingerprint. With multi-factor authentication, you would be prompted to enter more than two additional authentication methods after entering your username and password.
Michael Pertuit on internet security: All employees should be trained on the use of passwords. Examples of such training would include: Making sure employees do not write passwords down (where they can be stolen). Ensuring employees do not share passwords over any online communication, unless the communication is encrypted. Having employees create strong passwords and use a company password manager. Making sure employees do not re-use passwords for multiple company applications, or between personal and company use.
Michael Pertuit on data breach: A Malicious Insider. This person purposely accesses and/or shares data with the intent of causing harm to an individual or company. The malicious insider may have legitimate authorization to use the data, but the intent is to use the information in nefarious ways. Lost or Stolen Devices. An unencrypted and unlocked laptop or external hard drive — anything that contains sensitive information — goes missing. Malicious Outside Criminals. These are hackers who use various attack vectors to gather information from a network or an individual. Since malicious data breaches result from cyberattacks, you should know what to watch for.
The obvious security and privacy advantages of a VPN come when you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Depending on where you are, Wi-Fi could be widely available at coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and on school campuses. There’s no way to know what kind of security is available on these networks, though. Some can even use these public connections to snoop and steal your data. As a rule of thumb, never do anything like online banking when connected to such networks without a VPN. All your data is encrypted when using a VPN, so that’s a security plus as well. Some services even offer extra security features like protection from malware, among others. Find even more information on Michael Joseph Pertuit.
