Quarantine has been putting the world inside for a year now, but the world is far from stopping – people still have needs. Everyone still has to buy goods and services, use health and public services, fill in documents, manage their accounts, etc. The crucial difference is that nowadays, this is all done online. This is why cyber security is more relevant than ever!
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security is the process of protecting systems, networks, or devices from attacks and intrusions. It also includes recovering data lost in an attack.
What kind of cyber-attacks are there?
- “Ransomware: attacks where malware is activated on a server or files and “locks” them. Typically, attackers in such cases demand money for “unlocking”.
- “Phishing: These are attacks where criminals pretend to be someone else in order to obtain people’s personal information such as passwords or credit card details.
- “Spyware: these are attacks where a criminal installs software on a computer that saves browsing history, passwords, bank logins, and so on.
- Social networking attacks: where attackers log into a business’s social profiles to send malicious messages to customers.
- DoS attacks: these are attacks where criminals try to “jam” a server to slow it down.
Why is Cyber Security so important?
Criminals are well aware that people are now highly dependent on the internet, they are also tired and may not always be very careful in protecting their data, making them easy victims. Companies of all sizes, small and large, are exposed to cyber-attacks every day. Even large companies such as eBay and LinkedIn have suffered major attacks in the last few years. So it is now more important than ever for individuals and companies alike to take care of their cyber security. Below we list the main reasons why cybersecurity is so important:
- Cyber security is important to avoid breaking the law. Governments around the world understand the damage a cyber-attack can cause, so if companies fail to protect their data and a damaging attack occurs, the government can fine them.
- Cyber security ensures that a business will not be stopped by an attack and suffer significant losses. If a business were to be exposed to an attack, the break in the handling of the damage could be as long as two months, resulting in extremely large losses.
- Cyber security not only protects the business but also the customers, as customers often provide their personal data when registering and a ‘leak’ of personal data will significantly reduce the trust in the business and could lead to a number of legal concerns.
How to protect yourself from cyber-attacks?
- Always check your security processes to make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Have a plan for what to do if you experience a cyber-attack.
- Keep your software up to date.
- Businesses should train their staff on how to avoid attacks.
Cyber security, therefore, helps both businesses and individuals save time and money, and feel safe in a wide virtual world.
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