Don't Slack: Continue Improving Cybersecurity
HOLIDAY NEWS: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. While awareness is critical in our increasingly dangerous cyber landscape, threats to organizations and individuals are growing in scale and sophistication, which is why taking action is now paramount.
Recent research shows that 95% of IT leaders believe that cyberattacks are more advanced than ever, largely due to the accessibility of AI technology. Worryingly, this threat will only continue to grow.
Awareness serves as a starting point for a safer digital world in cyberspace, but it is critical for everyone to take proactive measures to protect themselves online. These steps don't have to be monumental – often, returning to fundamental practices is the best approach.
Important habits, such as strong password security and regular software updates, remain important regardless of the sophistication of the threat.
Strong Passwords: Simple but Important
Password security is often overlooked, even though it is a major entry point for cybercriminals. The importance of creating strong passwords and maintaining good password hygiene cannot be overstated.
A strong password should consist of at least 16 characters, incorporate a mix of special characters, upper and lower case letters and numbers, and be unique for each account. However, many people around the world recognize poor password practices, such as writing them down or sharing them insecurely with others, and password reuse remains a significant problem.
In a world where individuals often juggle multiple credentials for personal and professional use, it's no surprise that 62% of people globally feel overwhelmed by password management. This stress can lead to complacency, as remembering multiple unique and long passwords can be a challenge.
One effective solution is to use a password manager, which can store passwords securely and generate strong, unique passwords for each account. Additionally, audit your credentials and proactively update any passwords that may be inadequate—don't wait for a breach to act.
Extra Defense: The Importance of Multi-Factor Authentication
Cybercriminals are motivated by ease of attack. AI has accelerated the ability to brute force access into systems using leaked or easily guessed credentials. If an account is only protected by a weak password, or a password that has been leaked in a breach, cybercriminals can exploit it with little effort. This is why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is so important.
While it may seem easy, ensuring MFA is enabled on all accounts significantly improves security. MFA methods may include using an authenticator app or receiving a one-time password via a mobile device each time you access an account.
Many sites are starting to require users to opt in to MFA, and some large organizations now require it. For example, Microsoft recently announced that MFA will be mandatory for all Azure users – an important step for cybersecurity. Review your account and proactively enable MFA; Now it's time to prepare.
Update Your Software Regularly
Software updates are often associated with new features and capabilities, but they are also important for security. Regular updates: patch vulnerabilities and resolve bugs. According to research, many people delay updating their devices for various reasons, such as not knowing how to do it, inconvenience, concerns about performance impact, or mistakenly believing that an update is not necessary.
In fact, updating devices is one of the simplest ways to maintain cybersecurity. Check for updates regularly and act immediately when available. Many devices offer automatic updates, so it's best to enable this feature whenever possible.
Stay alert to phishing attacks
Lastly, it's important to recognize the signs of phishing emails. Research shows that phishing is the fastest growing attack vector for organizations. AI is making it increasingly difficult to identify phishing attempts, as generative AI tools improve the generation and targeting of malicious communications, making them appear more authentic.
To spot phishing emails, look for signs of poor grammar and spelling, hover over the sender's name to review the email address for subtle inconsistencies, be wary of pushy language and avoid clicking on links – although this is not a complete list. Always be careful when interacting with unknown senders. If you receive an unexpected email from a colleague asking for urgent help, confirm it by calling them.
Taking it a step further, reporting phishing attempts can contribute to broader public awareness of emerging threats.
Action!
Taking action doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, sometimes the most effective strategy is to go back to basics. By ensuring fundamental security practices are implemented, we can build a stronger cybersecurity culture. Awareness is valuable, but action is important.
(Darren Guccione, CEO and Co-founder of Keeper Security)
Jangan Kendor: Terus Tingkatkan Keamanan Siber
HOLIDAY NEWS: Oktober merupakan sebagai Bulan Kesadaran Keamanan Siber. Meskipun kesadaran sangat penting dalam lanskap dunia maya kita yang semakin berbahaya, ancaman terhadap organisasi dan individu tumbuh dalam skala dan kecanggihan, itulah sebabnya mengambil tindakan sekarang menjadi yang terpenting.
Penelitian terbaru menunjukkan bahwa 95% pemimpin TI percaya bahwa serangan siber lebih maju dari sebelumnya, sebagian besar karena aksesibilitas teknologi AI. Yang mengkhawatirkan, ancaman ini hanya akan terus berkembang.
Kata sandi yang kuat harus terdiri dari setidaknya 16 karakter, menggabungkan campuran karakter khusus, huruf besar dan kecil dan angka, dan unik untuk setiap akun. Namun, banyak orang di seluruh dunia mengakui praktik kata sandi yang buruk, seperti menuliskannya atau membagikannya dengan orang lain secara tidak aman, dan penggunaan kembali kata sandi tetap menjadi masalah yang signifikan.
Di dunia di mana individu sering menyulap banyak kredensial untuk penggunaan pribadi dan profesional, tidak mengherankan jika 62% orang secara global merasa kewalahan dengan manajemen kata sandi. Stres ini dapat menyebabkan rasa puas diri, karena mengingat beberapa kata sandi yang unik dan panjang bisa menjadi tantangan.
Salah satu solusi efektif adalah dengan menggunakan pengelola kata sandi, yang dapat menyimpan kata sandi dengan aman dan menghasilkan kata sandi yang kuat dan unik untuk setiap akun. Selain itu, lakukan audit kredensial Anda dan perbarui kata sandi apa pun yang mungkin tidak memadai secara proaktif—jangan menunggu pelanggaran bertindak.
Meskipun mungkin tampak mudah, memastikan MFA diaktifkan di semua akun secara signifikan meningkatkan keamanan. Metode MFA dapat mencakup penggunaan aplikasi autentikator atau menerima kata sandi satu kali melalui perangkat seluler setiap kali mengakses akun.
Banyak situs mulai mewajibkan pengguna untuk ikut serta dalam MFA, dan beberapa organisasi besar sekarang mewajibkannya. Misalnya, Microsoft baru-baru ini mengumumkan bahwa MFA akan diwajibkan untuk semua pengguna Azure – langkah penting untuk keamanan siber. Tinjau akun Anda dan aktifkan MFA secara proaktif; Sekarang saatnya untuk bersiap.
Pada kenyataannya, memperbarui perangkat adalah salah satu cara paling sederhana untuk menjaga keamanan siber. Periksa pembaruan secara teratur dan segera bertindak jika tersedia. Banyak perangkat menawarkan pembaruan otomatis, jadi sebaiknya aktifkan fitur ini jika memungkinkan.
Untuk menemukan email phishing, cari tanda-tanda tata bahasa dan ejaan yang buruk, arahkan kursor ke nama pengirim untuk meninjau alamat email untuk ketidakkonsistenan halus, berhati-hatilah terhadap bahasa yang mendesak dan hindari mengklik tautan – meskipun ini bukan daftar lengkap. Selalu berhati-hati saat berinteraksi dengan pengirim yang tidak dikenal. Jika Anda menerima email tak terduga dari kolega yang meminta bantuan mendesak, konfirmasikan dengan menelepon mereka.
Mengambil langkah lebih jauh, melaporkan upaya phishing dapat berkontribusi pada kesadaran masyarakat yang lebih luas tentang ancaman yang muncul.
(Darren Guccione, CEO dan Co-founder Keeper Security)
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