Tip of the Week: 5 Foundational Pieces to Computing Securely

Every so often, it can be good to get back to basics for a bit of review. That’s why we’re going over five ways that you can improve your security through basic best practices for this week’s tip!

1. Keep Your Computer Protected, Inside…
Your device, whether it’s a workstation or something more mobile, relies on software in order to function. Malware and other threats will seek out vulnerabilities in this software. To ensure the security of your system and files, you need to make sure that you are proactive in applying software patches and installing antivirus, antimalware, and firewalls to your device. Utilizing encryption tools will also assist you in keeping your private data as it should be… private.

2. ...And Out
Of course, many people tend to focus on threats that are delivered digitally, but some cybercriminals do things the old-fashioned way. You should never leave your computer unattended and unlocked, especially if you’re working remotely and are out of the office environment. Who’s to say that someone wouldn’t snatch your work laptop in your favorite coffee shop as you walked to the counter to pick up your freshly-made beverage? Even if they don’t try and access your data, that’s still a computer gone... good luck explaining that one.

3. Be Smart
Other attackers will try to fool you, and convince you that they’re someone else to gain your trust before exploiting it to their own ends. Phishing, where an attacker will send an email doing just that, has been the driving force behind many of the more successful recent cyberattacks. Including a malware-riddled attachment to deliver the payload, the attacker will leverage their victim’s misplaced trust to their advantage. A similar tactic is often used with free, online downloads. Remember, few things in life are truly free, and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

4. Keep A Backup
Stuff happens. Whether you get bamboozled by a phishing scam or one of your employees leaves their laptop open at that coffeeshop, there’s a chance that you’ll have to start fresh and wipe your network and/or device to get an unwelcome entity out. However, without any of your data surviving the wipe, you’re almost in a worse position than before… unless you maintained a backup solution in keeping with best practices. Your data should frequently and automatically be saved to a remote location, safe from cyberattack and the odd act of nature, to hopefully go unused.

5. Stay In The Know
Cybersecurity is far from a static, unchanging thing. New threats are constantly in development and familiar ones are always being improved upon. Therefore, you need to stay apprised and up-to-date not only in your solutions, but also in your knowledge of the state of cybersecurity. Otherwise, you’re apt to be blindsided by some unforeseen issue. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to managing your information technology.

We’re here to help. Keep checking back to our blog for more assistance with your IT, including security concerns, best practices, and other useful tips. For more help, reach out to us directly by calling (832) 295-1445.