How to Keep Your Device Secure in 2022
Mar 11, 2022
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With a modern society that is so focused on being connected and using a device of some form, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t use a device such as a smartphone or a laptop. These technological marvels have taken the world by storm.
While this technology has brought a ton of ease and convenience to our lives, it also comes with some risks. As technology has developed over the years, so has cybercrime, and it has now become so common that no one is safe from the threats of the internet.
In this day and age, it is so important to stay safe against cybercrime, but how exactly do you do that? Keep reading to find out all you need to know about cybercrime and how you can protect your devices against it.
Why is Cybersecurity so Important?
Cybersecurity is crucial these days, especially following the Covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown that the world experienced during the past few years. Due to the lockdown, many people have started using their devices more often, whether it’s working from home or keeping themselves entertained and keeping in touch with family.
This increase in screen time has also caused an increase in cybercrime. With more people spending time on their devices, there is a better chance for cybercriminals to catch out unsuspecting victims.
However, cybercrime is nothing new, and people have been falling victim to hackers’ schemes since the dawn of the internet age. From malicious software to phishing scams and many more, the tactics used by cybercriminals are always evolving, and staying on top of the trends can be difficult sometimes.
What Cybersecurity Measures do You Need?
There is a huge variety of cybersecurity tools to choose from. For the average person, it can be extremely overwhelming to research all of these tools to understand what each one does and why it is important. Below you can find a quick breakdown of some of the most important cybersecurity tools on the market.
Antivirus software
One of the most dangerous methods of attacks used by cybercriminals is malicious software in the form of viruses. The best protection against this is premium antivirus software. Antivirus software will constantly scan your device for any viruses, and if any type of virus has been detected on your device, the antivirus can take action to remove them.
Firewall
Many people might think that a firewall is the same as antivirus software, however, there is an important difference between the two. Antivirus software can detect and remove viruses from your device, whereas a firewall can block “suspicious or unknown packets” (data and traffic) from entering your device through the internet. However, a Firewall does not make the antivirus software redundant. In fact, if you want maximum security on your device it is recommended that you use both of these tools in conjunction with one another.
VPN
A VPN or virtual private network is important for your device’s privacy and security. A VPN is able to encrypt your internet connection, making it safer to use. An internet connection that is encrypted will mask your location and what you do on your device. This means that no one will be able to track your location, monitor your internet traffic, or snoop through your browsing history. Not even your internet service provider will be able to keep track of your internet traffic.
Password manager
The most important aspect of keeping your accounts safe is using strong and unique passwords. This means creating passwords without using any of your personal information. If you’re following these rules and creating strong and unique passwords for your accounts, they might become difficult to keep track of or remember. Don’t use the default password manager on your smartphone or internet browser as these can be breached by a cybercriminal who will then have access to all your login credentials. Instead, use a premium third-party password manager. These are locked by a master key that only you have access to.
Make Sure to Use Premium Cybersecurity Tools
You may have noticed that we keep mentioning “premium” cybersecurity tools throughout this article. This is done for a very good reason because you must avoid free cybersecurity tools at all costs, and there are a few different reasons for that.
The first is that free cybersecurity tools have several drawbacks that might affect the privacy and security that your device gets. Free software often has limited features, for example, time limits for how long you can use them or limited features.
Another important factor to consider with free software is the possibility of installing fraudulent software on your device. This software is a fake cybersecurity tool that has been developed by cybercriminals that help them to infiltrate unsuspecting victims’ devices.
While the victim believes that they are installing software on their device that will protect them, they are actually putting their device even more at risk. Once rogue software has been installed on your device, it will install several different types of malware on your device.
The Importance of Software Updates
Once you've installed all the cybersecurity tools you need and your device is as safe as possible against cyberattacks. However, it’s not all smooth sailing from there on out. There is one more thing that you can’t overlook when it comes to your cybersecurity tools.
Software updates are often sent out by developers to fix potential flaws that have been found by users. These flaws could help hackers to bypass the security features offered by the tools, so it is important that you update your software to fix these issues.
Oftentimes software updates will also be used to add new security features that will prevent hackers from using new tactics to bypass your security. Make sure you always turn your automatic updates on.
However, the same goes for your operating system, and you need to make sure that your device’s software is also up to date. Your device’s operating system plays an important role in the overall performance and security of your device, and installing software updates as soon as they are released is always the best way to stay on top of it.