Notes

Heimdal Online Security: 15+ Online Habits That Are Compromising Your Online Safety

How many tabs do you have open in your browser right now?

Go ahead and count. We have time.

You might be wondering what the purpose of this seemingly useless exercise is, so I’ll get right to it. While looking to enhance your productivity or just for some fun, you will most likely overlook a key issue: your online safety.

Cyber security is usually the thing you never think about, unless your computer becomes infected. And it’s not just you, of course. Most Internet users share the same indifference towards information security, in spite of it being on the news weekly, if not daily.

Don’t you think it’s strange that we take so many precautions to keep our home and physical belongings safe, but invest so little resources into securing our digital lives, even though they have a huge impact on our revenue, reputation and relationships?

The fact of the matter is that we, as Internet users, are simply not doing enough to keep safe online. And there’s no scarcity when it comes to cyber threats and cyber attacks that come in all shapes, sizes and outcomes.

Just as the software you use is making your computer vulnerable to cyber attacks, so are your online habits. Let me line up just a few examples.

Do you have any of these compromising online habits?

1. Adopting a new app without checking its safety features

How many times have you downloaded an app without even thinking twice about how secure it is or how it handles all the data you put in it?

Maybe you read about it somewhere, maybe it’s a cool new startup that everyone’s talking about or maybe you were looking for an app that can help you organize your task list better. Irrespective of your purpose or intent, we’ve all done this.

The problem with this habit it that it’s not as insignificant as you may think it is. A good app is not only supposed to be easy to use, but it should also protect your information and your privacy. But the trust is that very few actually do, no matter if the companies are big or small (and don’t even get us started on the matter of privacy).

Friendly tip: Before installing an app on your phone or your laptop and giving it rights to access your private information, at least go to the software maker’s website and check the details. See if they seem legitimate, if they offer enough information and if their website at least uses https (a protocol that encrypts communication to keep it safe from prying cyber criminals’ eyes). Don’t just blindly let it into your digital life. It could be rogue, for all you know, or it could become a huge security risk if attackers would compromise it.


2. Lacking the cyber security knowledge and skills to know what to look for

Should you have the very honest intention of following up on the advice above, you may be confronted with a key issue: not knowing what to look for in terms of cyber security.

While it’s true that most aspects related to information security require technical knowledge, it’s also true that understanding the basics is something that everyone can do. Taking a Cyber Security for Beginners course can be a first step, but also reading a few articles on the subject can help.

You don’t need to become an expert to keep your computer and data safe. You just need to pay more attention and listen to the specialists’ advice. It’s often as simple as using strong passwords, the right security products and keeping a generally cautious attitude.

3. Never locking your computer while stepping away from it

You probably hate remembering passwords as much as the next person (and me as well), but they’re necessary. So I hope you’ll incorporate this healthy habit into your routine: set a password for your PC account (ideally a guest account, not the administrator account) and close the lid or put in on stand-by every time you walk away from your computer.

I know you’ve hear this about a million times, but cyber security advice only sounds redundant because too few people actually apply it.

Doing this small thing can keep you safe from malicious attackers who may even have a friendly face, such as a colleague’s. Don’t rule out any possibility. Keeping safe online requires a certain dose of (healthy) paranoia.

4. Systematically ignoring updates

How many times have you rolled your eyes when being prompted to update your Adobe Flash Player, Java or any other application you have installed?

Mhm. But here’s a not so fun fact: 8 applications are responsible for making 99% of Windows-running PCs vulnerable to cyber attacks. And you are currently using at least 3 of them.

Keeping your software up to date can protect you from 65% of cyber attack vectors, closing security holes before cyber criminals can exploit them.

Now, you’re most certainly going to think that you just don’t have time to do that, as there are more important items on your to-do list, but here’s a top tip: there are products that can update your software for you, automatically and silently, without ever interrupting your work or your flow. And that’s all for free!
One more problem solved.

5. Multitasking

Cyber criminals loooove multitaskers!
Why?
It’s rather simple: because they’re in a hurry to get more done and because they don’t pay adequate attention to every detail. Cyber criminals can use very creative ways to infect your system, from rogue websites, to infected banners and public Wi-fi networks set up to collect information about everything you do online while using that network.

If you’re all about getting things done, no matter how, maybe you should reconsider. Being cautious and learning to spot potential threats will become a key skill in the coming years.

Of course, “human detection” is not enough. You still need the right tools to catch threats and filter them out before they reach your system, which is something you can’t do manually, so don’t shy away from trying different security products to see which fit your needs better.

6. Using weak passwords and reusing them

This particular piece of advice should be plastered on every website and application ever!

Every data breach in the past 2 years has revealed, systematically, what weak passwords the compromised users had chosen. Passwords such as “123456” or “password” are at the top of the list every single time. You may have used these passwords yourself or maybe you’re still using them, which I hope you’ll change.

A poor choice of passwords is a big security threat to your data. Cyber criminals have the tool to hack NASA, so how long do you think it would take them to crack your security when your password is “password123”?

Stop reusing passwords! Here’s how to protect your accounts from being hacked:

But there’s something that makes this situation even more dangerous: reusing passwords. So not only are you setting weak passwords, but you’re using them for multiple accounts as well.

Let’s see how this would play out in a cyber attack scenario:

* The cyber criminal employs an automatic system to detect vulnerabilities in your system
*Once the infection happens, it will try to crack your passwords
* It will probably take less than a few seconds to find out you’re using “12345678” as your passwords
* The attacker will then try to see if you’re using this password for other accounts
* When he finds out you do, all your accounts sharing this weak security measure will be exposed, with the attacker being able to gather all the data you have stored inside in a matter of minutes.
Read More