After the May 12th ransomware mayhem, it is more important than ever to protect your personal information on your PC.
This recent cyberattack known as WannaCry infected over 200,000 computers and it appears that there is more where this came from. This ransomware locks your most commonly used files and requests a payment for you to get them back.
Since these attacks are so malicious and becoming more frequent, it is imperative that you get to your files before they do. (“They”, meaning anyone who has access to your files that does not have permission; a hacker, a corporation or even the government).
Luckily, there are things you can do to protect your PC. Check out these 10 steps to secure your system:
1) Protect your text
Downloading apps like WhatsApp, KIK, and Signal will help keep your texts from getting into the wrong hands. The app Signal is available for iPhone and Android and makes communication safe and simple by encrypting your data. WhatsApp uses Signal’s software to encrypt its messaging making sure your messages are for your eyes only.
2) Secure your sources
This recent malware attack, WannaCry, spread like wildfire mainly through email attachments and links. This could be prevented if people double checked where they get their content from. These sources should be trusted.
WannaCry slipped through the holes of Microsoft by infecting computers that had not been updated recently. That is why you should update your software and its anti-virus software regularly. These updates are made for things like this and will save you from a cyberattack.
Other anti-virus sources that can be trusted are Bitdefender or Malwarebytes.
3) Protecting your hard drive isn’t hard
It is important to protect and backup your personal information and you can do this using FileVault or BitLocker. Your phone may have a lot of information but your PC probably has your passwords, which are easily accessible if your files become unencrypted.
Apple and Windows have a feature that automatically encrypts your information if you turn it on. Apple’s FileVault can be enabled in the Security and Privacy System Preferences. Windows users must be running Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 8. 8.1, or 10 to enable BitLocker.
Just as important, backup your data before it is too late. This will protect your pictures, documents, and any other precious personal information that you don’t want to lose.
4) Your passwords are probably poor
One of the easiest ways to protect your data is by choosing a difficult and different password for each site you use. To manage these passwords you should use the help of password managers like 1Password, LastPass, and KeePass.
These passwords should be as random as it gets, like an object near you. However, don’t stop there. You should scramble the letters and add a touch of special characters. As long as you are using a password manager you will not have to worry about memorizing these complex characters.
5) Two-factor authentication is important
A common target for hackers is email. One way to stop this is by protecting your email and other important accounts with two-factor authentication. When someone signs on to your account from an unrecognized device they have to go through another layer of security: a code that gets sent to your phone as a text.
It is wise to do this for any account you have but especially for email accounts because that is where password resets go and hackers are well aware of it.
6) Use HTTPS plug-in everywhere you go
By using this browser plug-in you are ensuring that you are using the secure form of websites. This means your connection and information while using the site will be encrypted and you will be protected from hacking and surveillance.
Also, it is worth it to make sure the Wi-Fi network you are connected to is secure. Watch out for networks without security keys.
7) VPN’s are valuable
By investing in your own Virtual Private Network, you are able to shield browsing information, encrypt the data coming and going from your device, and keep your location private.
Although incredibly useful, Wi-Fi is scary because you do not know who is on the other side of it. By getting your own VPN no one else can make sense of the data on your device.
8) Incognito does not equal invisible
Just because you go on an incognito tab does not mean no one can see you.
Things this feature does:
Keeps your computer from keeping a record of where you go
Things this feature doesn’t do:
Stop sites from tracking your data
Protect your privacy or security
9) Try things other than Google
There are other search engines than Google, especially if you are looking to do a sensitive search. One reason Google is so accurate and helpful is due to the fact it collects and analyzes massive amounts of information about searches from other people. This is something to think about.
10) Put tape over your webcam
It is important to be safe rather than sorry, so putting tape over your webcam is a way to stop spying if your computer is already compromised.