I have a personal history with cyber-security. Some would call me a “poster child” for cyber-security because of my rather lengthy list of identity theft, credit card fraud, hacking and malware “events” that have occurred to me. Back in late 2009, I answered a blind query on HARO.com (a place where companies, PR, and writers can query for a source for a specific topic). This query was about people who had experienced identity theft, hacking and more. I sat down and wrote an abbreviated version of my experience with a variety of nasty things that have happened to me at that time. I wasn’t concerned about the people writing the query other than to know if they wanted to talk to me. Eventually, I did hear back from an agency (a cross between a production firm and PR) who asked me lots of questions and we traded emails for a few weeks (and then phone interviews) about my experiences in online hacking and credit card theft. After about 2+ months of calls and emails, I “won” the prize of being the person selected to talk about my experiences for a video. I didn’t learn that the client who wanted the video was McAfee! The production crew came down to my house in early December when I was writing up holiday content (see the proof of that in the video on Youtube.com. That video in the final presentation was shown on Monday, March 8, 2010 before the TV show, 60 Minutes! As the consumer mouthpiece for McAfee on the import of fake malware scams, suddenly everyone wanted to talk to me about cyber-security. I was a “talking head” for various TV and radio news stations as well as for online and print writers on that topic. While I was a good to very good spokesperson for the McAfee brand, I wasn’t an expert but merely a messenger for expert like McAfee as well as other companies who wanted consumers and businesses to become more aware of their need for better cyber-security.
Today, you have a REAL expert on the subject courtesy of this post by Vasilii Chekalov. He has written this piece on how you should improve your security situation for your business. While these are perfect suggestions for any business, many of these tips could be applied to personal cyber-security as well!
Keeping Your Business Information Safe
by Vasilii Chekalov
Businesses, over the last few years, in particular, have started to see an increase in cyber-hacking. A common trick of late is where a hacker takes over the business’s system and locks the authorized users out. The hacker then demands a ransom from the business to restore access.
That is only a small trick in their arsenal. They could also access your business records and siphon out client details. These kinds of attacks can be sneaky – they could be in and out and you’d never be the wiser. They might sell this information on to identity thieves or use it to clear out the client’s bank accounts, etc.
Check out the infographic from EveryCloud to find out more about some of the biggest hacks in history and gain some insight in cyber-security best practices.
Even if your business is not worth billions, the repercussions of an attack can be serious. So how do you as the business owner ensure that you do not become a victim? You will need to protect yourself in several different ways.
Control Access
You need to limit access to information as much as possible. Staff should be required to sign into the system using passwords or random code generators. That’s a given. But it should not be all you do. You also need to ensure that staff only have access to information that they need for their job. This can be implemented by having different access and security levels within the company.
Use Your Anti-Virus Software Properly
That means having it installed and protecting you at all times. It also means making sure that it is regularly updated. Run scans a few times a week at least and always ensure that the software’s automatic updates are on.
Create Backups of Your System Regularly
Make sure that you back-up your information on a regular basis and store the backup outside the normal system that you use on a day to day basis. So, instead of backing it up to another computer within your network, have it on an external hard drive, for example.
As with anything, the results that you get from your cyber-security efforts will depend on how much work you are willing to put into it. For optimal results, you need to cover all your bases.
Vasilii Chekalov
Digital Entrepreneur & SEO Expert
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Awesome Cyber Security Facts (2018)
Bio of Vasilii Chekalov
“Vasilii is a computer geek with a great affinity for healthy lifestyle and weights. While not at the gym, my inquisitive mind devours information about digital marketing, outreach strategies, and growth hacks. Master organizer, I know the Α and the Ω of potent and enticing virtual presence.”
Follow Vasilii Chekalov on these social platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VasiliiChekalov
LA-Story.com would like to thank Vasilii Chekalov for this insightful piece on why people need to improve the cyber-security and how to do it!
Hopefully, we can invite him to return with some other tidbits and ideas too!
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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