Headline-making hacks are quick to create chaos in the lives of consumers and businesses alike. From stolen financial information to hacked email accounts, chances are that you have already experienced the harm of this type of criminal activity. But while it seems like hackers are getting smarter every day, there are several things you can do to protect yourself and your data. Here are 3 tricks to fight off data hackers and keep your information where it belongs.
Use Red Herrings
Red herring data is a fun but functional trick to distract and monitor the hackers who have their eyes on your organization. To see who bites, Spread a little bit of fake data to where it makes sense that a hacker might be drawn to, and let them take the bait. This strategy operates under the assumption that it’s very hard to stop every data leak and equally hard to search for all data in a way that doesn’t result in too many false positives. By using a red herring, you can monitor your internal networks for a very specific leak, and take swift action when your fact data shows up on any external sites.
Use Stronger Passwords and Multi-Point Authentication
It’s amazing how many data breaches are caused by poor password choice. There are several common password mistakes that can have serious consequences when it comes to protecting online information. The repeated use of passwords across multiple different accounts and the use of easily guessed passwords are still the top entry points for hackers. To make a password that is both difficult to guess or hack but easy to remember, try using a phrase style password, but only use the first letter or number of each word. The key is to avoid creating passwords with recognizable words as those are easy to guess or hack.
Also consider using multiple authentication processes, such as fingerprint scans, a phone call or text message to your phone to confirm that the user is who they say they are. Watch this space for exciting new technologies around identity authentication, such as facial recognition and more.
Travel Smart
Rarely are computer users more at risk than when they are working on the road. Banking and shopping while on an unsecured internet connection can easily result in stolen credit card information, account information, or other losses of data security. Public wifi hotspots are notoriously vulnerable to hackers and may even be created with the purpose of giving hackers easy access to your data. To increase your security while traveling, make sure all your security software is up to date before you go, avoid using public hotspots when conducting sensitive business (such as accessing a corporate network, or doing your banking), and be especially careful when opening suspicious emails or browsing the web. When it comes to travel, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of security.
For more tips on how to keep your data where it belongs, connect with the team at Happy Faces Records Management.
