Dismiss them—your IT professional will thank you
Keeping your information secure in an ever-changing technological space can seem impossible. For many, the thought of Internet security never crosses their minds. Many people figure a few necessary security measures are sure to keep them as safe as possible, but IT professionals disagree. Many people are using outdated security measures on their devices that open them up to viruses, identity theft, and other Internet threats. Below you will find a few familiar Internet security myths that all IT professionals would like dismissed. The more you know, the easier it will be to protect your personal information online, whether you are surfing social media or paying your bills.
You Don’t Need to Update Your Firewall
In most home PCs there is a hardware firewall and a software firewall. A hardware firewall is generally installed at the router level, and a software firewall exists within the operating system that is being run on the computer. While these things can keep a network secure, by not allowing unauthorized users onto the network, most home users fail to keep their firewalls up to date. Patches are regularly issued for routers to fix known weak points. In 2014, a worm called “The Moon” infected Linksys routers by exposing a weakness in the firewall. While a patch took care of the issue, many people using Linksys routers never installed the patch, leaving their network vulnerable.
Antivirus Software is Enough to Keep a Computer Safe
Current antivirus software does an excellent job of keeping a computer safe from viruses, but it fails miserably at protecting against ransomware, trojans, and keyloggers, advise experts. A single antivirus software, like Windows Defender, is just not enough to ensure your computer is safe from the attacks that are launched daily. To adequately protect your computer, it is vital to have an anti-malware software installed and running consistently in the background. Experts also suggest running a different program weekly to ensure no malware has slipped through the cracks. Keep virus protection software updated with patches and updates to ensure you have the highest level of protection.
Going Back to Paper Solves Internet Security Issues
In past years everything was done on paper. Many people believe that security threats, especially identity theft was not an issue when everything was done on paper. Actually, that is not true. Going for paper statements, paper billing, and sending checks opens individuals up to an entirely different type of identity theft, and frankly, it is no longer a viable option. Using the Internet, in and of itself, is not a problem. Failing to protect your information with a proper defensive strategy is a problem. Following basic protocol and ensuring your security settings are up-to-date will thwart most attacks on your personal computer. Going back to paper also will not prevent the businesses you work with from storing your data online. Going back to paper, in this way, can actually offer more avenues for identity theft, as your data is stored online, and you are sharing paper information through the postal service or in your trash.
Passwords Provide Enough Security
While passwords are the first line of defense against potential threats online, they aren’t enough to provide full protection. Many online businesses, especially those that store your credit card data, will require a two-point authentication. With two-point authentication, a website will ask for you to provide a code sent to your cell phone, as well as your password, before allowing you to log in from a new device for the first time. Other websites will ask you to answer security questions prior. Although this is helpful, it is not enough to protect you from various online vulnerabilities.
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