Halloween ghosts may not be real, but the cyber threats sure are. Learn here how to stay safe online during Halloween.
So, you are all geared up to celebrate Halloween on this 31st October. But October is also the month of National Cyber security Awareness Month or NCAM. The program is observed to make people aware about the safety and security over the Internet.
With October being the month of both Halloween and NCAM, here we have complied the security tips you should imply to stay safe online. Otherwise, the loss of data or hacked website is even scarier than those witches and black cats.
Create Strong Password:
Passwords ensure the security of your accounts and data over the Internet. However, that doesn’t mean you choose predictable passwords like 1234 or ABCD. In fact, most of the accounts are hacked because of these simple keywords.
Therefore, the password should be a mix of numerals, characters and alphabets. One more thing—avoid using the same password across multiple accounts or sites. It will protect your data across the web if one of your accounts is hacked. If you have plenty of passwords to manage, you should use a password manager to keep the track.
And change your passwords frequently. Also encourage your employees and users to create complex passwords.
Don’t Open Suspicious Mails:
You may be getting plenty of Halloween wishes via email. However, you should be careful while clicking at these mails as some of them may be malicious sources. These mails pretend to be from reputed organizations like banks to get the users in their confidence.
Opening such mails not only infect your PC, but also make you a victim of phishing. Here are the tips to avoid falling for such emails:
- Check the email sender and email subject before opening
- Avoid clicking on links that you do not recognize
- Do not provide personal information to an unknown email or site
Avoid Friend Request from Unknown:
Accepting stranger’s friend request is like befriending a werewolf. Why?
Just like werewolf’s transformation from man to wolf, these people seem trustworthy online, but actually have harmful intentions. Adding stranger to your friend list can threat your privacy and information as well. If a stranger happens to be a scammer, then they can post links on your timeline and send messages to other people added to your account.
Don’t Publicize Your Halloween Holidays:
If you are going to celebrate your Halloween out of the town, never share it on Facebook, Twitter or other social media account. It will alert the burglars that you are away from the home. If you can’t resist the temptation, make sure only certain people or reliable people see your post.
Upgrade Your Software Regularly:
Software updates are important to consolidate your cyber security. If an update message pops up on the screen, don’t ignore it. Such updates keep your PC safe as they fix the bugs used by hackers to get the access into your system without your knowledge.
With the help of these cyber security tips, you can avoid the cyber threats which are scarier than Halloween ghosts!
Author Bio: Italia Talley is an author and editor at Secure Technologies, LLC, a leading Information Technology Consulting firm in Maryland.