4 Basic Cybersecurity Mistakes Criminals Love To Take Advantage Of

Simple solutions can stop complex problems.

According to Security Magazine, a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds somewhere on the web. Even then, that number is probably on the conservative side.

Most criminal activity occurs because people leave themselves vulnerable to attack through general carelessness or because they don’t realize how even small things can lead to big problems.

You have options when it comes to protecting your personal and business data. You can create threat prevention plans, data backups and recovery, network monitoring, and more, but your cybersecurity is only as strong as its weakest link.

It’s that weak link that cybercriminals are poised to take advantage of.

To help keep your data safe — whether business or personal — look at these four common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.

Easy passwords

How many times have you seen a movie in which a computer or network is “hacked” by someone guessing the password within three attempts? Sometimes the password is “password” (the laziest option for both users and Hollywood screenwriters), or it’s something strongly associated with the password owner, such as the name of a pet or child.

It’s a problem that’s not limited to Hollywood. Too many people select easy-to-guess, simple, or short passwords that leave their computers, networks, banking accounts, and more open to attack.

Short and simple passwords may be simple for people to remember, but they also allow cybercriminals to conduct brute-force attacks with more ease. A hacker will systematically try many password possibilities until they locate the right one. Sometimes this is done with a dictionary. Sometimes this is done with a database of popular passwords and password variants.

To make a brute-force attack less likely to succeed, follow these safety guidelines:

• Make sure your password is at least eight characters long. Ten would be better.
• Create your password from a combination of letters, numbers, and special symbols.
• Avoid significant dates or names.
• Consider using a password generator to create completely random passwords.

Repeated passwords

A recent report by NordPass says that the average person has between 70 and 80 online accounts that require passwords. Therefore, it’s no surprise people repeat passwords. Who can remember that much login information?

And hackers know this.

Cybercriminals operate under the assumption that if they’ve gotten hold of your banking password (say, due to a data breach) that it could very well be the same password you use for your credit cards or Amazon account. Yes, many institutions and businesses require two-step authorization or have additional security measures in place, but what about your online utility accounts like water or electricity? Or your Xbox account? Do you have payment information saved at either of those sites?

You see the problem.

How should you address it? Here are some safety measures to try:

• Avoid using the same password on multiple sites. Mix it up as much as you can reasonably handle.
• Use a password manager program to keep track of various accounts.
• Change your passwords regularly.
• Use unique, non-repeated passwords for accounts that hold the most sensitive information.

Reckless use of public Wi-Fi

While convenient, public Wi-Fi can be risky when it comes to keeping your data secure. If you can connect to an unsecured Wi-Fi network, that means practically anyone can. This leaves you vulnerable to:

Malicious hotspots: These are localized Wi-Fi networks disguised as legitimate networks that, once you connect, allow hackers to monitor and record your online activity.

Man-In-the-Middle attacks: This will make use of malicious hotspots or, sometimes, more sophisticated eavesdropping devices which allow hackers to track your data as it moves across the Wi-Fi network from your device to the website or other service you’re accessing.

Unprotected Wi-Fi networks: Ideally, the public Wi-Fi you’re connecting to has encryption in place so that only allowed users can interact with your data. That said, because you don’t know who set up the Wi-Fi, you don’t know if encryption is being correctly applied. In short, use any public Wi-Fi with caution.

The most effective method for keeping your data secure is to not use public Wi-Fi at all. If you must connect, avoid interacting with websites that deal with sensitive information. As an alternative, look into using a VPN to communicate while on the road.

Sharing too much information online

You’ve probably seen things like this on Facebook or Instagram: “What’s your Downton Abbey name? Take your mother’s maiden name and hyphenate it with your first pet’s name.” You might come up with Jones-Hamsteak. What fun! Why not share?

Why not? Because you’ve just revealed the answers to two common security questions websites use to make sure you’re you.

Many of these quizzes seem fun and whimsical, but hackers also use these as tools for gathering data. It’s a shame that one has to always be suspicious — even of meme-based quizzes. If you can’t resist finding out your Downtown Abbey name, then have fun. But don’t share the answers online.

More than just data is at risk. Property could be targeted as well. Be aware of what’s in the background of your shared photos. Does it show easily accessible porch doors or windows a burglar could use to break in? Are you sharing a vacation photo of the whole family, thus revealing that your house could be empty? Have you recently posted a picture of your new gaming console beside a wide-screen TV?

This is all valuable information for criminals.

Being aware of these common mistakes vastly improves your approach to cybersecurity. Much of it comes down to basic common sense. Look over the above suggestions and see if you can’t start applying any of them at this very moment.

You’ll save yourself time, aggravation, and money by making your online activity as secure as possible.

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