The world is a frightening place right now. With a pandemic still raging across the globe, major political crises, and a recession all hitting at the same time, keeping your finances and livelihood safe is more important than ever. However, there are also more cybersecurity threats than ever.
We are online all the time, and our data is therefore always at risk of being stolen. You can use The Best VPNs for 2020 to protect yourself from threats. A VPN is the first line of defense, and without one you are putting yourself at constant risk.
But even with a VPN on your devices, there are some new cyber security challenges you need to know about.
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is certainly the newest avenue into the future. Technology is developing to the point that everything is connected to the internet and can be controlled easily from one central place. This is true of everything from fridges to curtains to cars.
Unfortunately, while this provides plenty of benefits, it also makes every individual thing a potential security weak spot. You might not think much about your fridge’s cybersecurity, but although there is likely very little data to be stolen from your fridge, it lets hackers get into everything else.
It is vital that you are aware of the cyber threats when it comes to the IoT. Using antivirus software and a VPN on even the simplest devices should be a priority.
Phishing Fatigue
Phishing is nothing new. If you are not sure of the terminology, phishing refers to the practice of using an imitation website or email to trick you into giving away your login information. It has gotten many of us into trouble in the past, and unfortunately it is not going away.
The problem is not just that hackers are getting better at duplicating popular website logins. It is also that we log into websites and fill in forms so regularly that we get phishing fatigue. Instead of focusing every time we are asked to fill in our info, we simply do it.
This is a typical case of human nature proving the weak spot in internet security. One way of avoiding the problem is by using strong passwords suggested by your browser or a password manager. This way, you can’t manually enter your own password, and will never accidentally give your details away.
Logging in with Facebook
Creating an account for a website or app with your Facebook account is incredibly tempting. Instead of having to fill in your information, choose a password, and verify your email address, your Facebook account does it all for you. Unfortunately, this leaves all your accounts open to hackers with nothing more than your Facebook info.
Avoid the temptation to log in with Facebook. There is a very real threat of that being the weak link that allows hackers in. There is also the problem that it makes closing down your Facebook account very difficult, even once you have finally given up on the platform.
