Make no mistake, cybercrime is undoubtedly a fast moving and growing sector of crime that continues to permeate us due to our heavy reliance on technology and constantly being ‘connected’. With all that said, if you you want your company or firm’s name to end up in the dark headlines of being attacked due to a security breach, you will need to beef up your cybersecurity game.

The following is sort of like a quick cheat guide (if you will) that contain some cybersecurity tips you should be taking now:

Software companies are going to dish out updates not to annoy you but benefit you, which is to add new features, fix known bugs, and upgrade security.

Keep your software across all machines up to date to stay in-line with security features to fend off security vulnerabilities.

Have you ever heard the saying, if you got a bad feeling about something, then more than likely it is something bad? Well same thing for emails. If an email looks fake or sketchy in any fashion, do not open it!

Much like software, hardware needs to be up-to-date. Old  hardware makes it slower to respond to cyber-attacks if they happen. Make sure to use computer hardware that’s more up-to-date. Get rid of the old!

As long as you’re connected to the web, you cannot protect yourself 100%. However, you can significantly reduce your vulnerability by ensuring you have an anti-virus and at least one anti-malware installed on your computers.

For a more secure and privatized network, use a virtual private network (VPN). It’ll encrypt your connection and protect your private information, even from your internet service provider.

Much like emails, if something seems off about a hyperlink rather in an email or messenger or anywhere else, chances are it’s not good. On most browsers, you can see the target URL by hovering over the link. Do this to check links before you click on them.

We have written up articles about this and there are countless videos and blog post on this matter. Remember, abc123 and your dogs name are not secure passwords.

Bluetooth is great but did you know when you have your device connected via it, you are putting yourself at risk since you will be online at that point.

Many platforms now allow you to enable 2-factor authentication to keep your accounts more secure. It’s a layer of protection that helps verify that it’s you who is accessing your account and not someone who’s unauthorized. Some might say this is annoying but trust us when we say, the extra few seconds for logging on will save you in the long run.

Adware collects information about you to serve you more targeted ads. It’s best to rid your computer of all forms of adware to maintain your privacy. Just search for malware removers and you will find some very suitable ones.

When you’re on a website that isn’t using HTTPS, there’s no guarantee that the transfer of information between you and the site’s server is secure. Double-check that a site’s using HTTPS before you give away personal or private information. Def-Logix and Cyber Ops Training Academy both use HTTPS to protect all visitors and registrants’ information.

You are going to need to store your information, so be mindful of where you store it online, you want to keep it in a location that can’t be accessed by unauthorized users.

External storage devices are just as prone to malware as internal storage devices. If you connect an infected external device to your computer, the malware can spread. Always scan external devices for malware before accessing them.

Public networks are great and convenient but truth is, next time you are at Starbucks just use caution, why? Because you’re sharing the network with everyone who is also connected. Any information you send or retrieve on the network is vulnerable. Stay away from public networks or use a VPN when you’re connected to one.

The key to making cybersecurity work is to make sure your employees well trained, in sync, and consistently exercising security practices. Remember all it takes is one foolish move from an internal employee and you could expose your place of business to some severe danger.