Cyber security for the common man

Nowadays we see almost everyone’s  presence virtually online in the digital world. That online presence can be in the form of your Facebook profile, Facebook photo album, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, various email accounts, banks accounts and at many more online places you have never imaged of yet. If those data compromised and used unethically by rogue elements, it can hurt you financially, emotionally, socially and your identity can be impacted. Once your demographic information such as legal name, birth date, social security number, Adhar card, address and zip (address pin code) go in the wrong hand, then you have to worry more and can give you a sleepless night. Such compromised information can be used against you to harm in many ways. 

The cyber threat is advancing quicker and faster than we can keep up with it. The threat changes rapidly than our idea of the risk. In today’s world hackers are attacking the web sites of all major banking & financial institutions, government agencies and other important places to gain unauthorized access to publics’ sensitive data. By sitting in any remote corner of the world with help of internet, unethical hackers are launching cyber war/attack on these institutions/agencies which are a bloodless war but can have a big impact on the government and on the citizens. Cyber war is happening almost every day. 

Cyber security tips by US CERT (United states, Computer Emergency Readiness Team)

Attacks and Threats:

• Securing Voter Registration Data
• Handling Destructive Malware
• Understanding Hidden Threats: Rootkits and Botnets
• Dealing with Cyberbullies
• Avoiding the Pitfalls of Online Trading
• Identifying Hoaxes and Urban Legends
• Understanding Hidden Threats: Corrupted Software Files
• Recognizing Fake Antiviruses
• Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware
• Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks
• Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
• Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft
• Recovering from Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses

Tips for safe email and online communication.

• Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites
• Understanding Your Computer: Email Clients
• Understanding Digital Signatures
• Using Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely
• Using Caution with Email Attachments
• Benefits of BCC
• Reducing Spam
• Benefits and Risks of Free Email Services

Tips for General Security

• Before You Connect a New Computer to the Internet
• Securing Your Home Network
• IRS and US-CERT Caution Users: Prepare for Heightened Phishing Risk This Tax Season
• International Mobile Safety Tips 
• Keeping Children Safe Online
• Debunking Some Common Myths
• Real-World Warnings Keep You Safe Online
• Understanding Anti-Virus Software
• Understanding Firewalls
• Good Security Habits
• Coordinating Virus and Spyware Defense
• Safeguarding Your Data

Tips for Mobile Devices

• Protecting Portable Devices: Physical Security
• Holiday Traveling with Personal Internet-Enabled Devices
• Cybersecurity for Electronic Devices
• Using Caution with USB Drives
• Securing Wireless Networks
• Protecting Portable Devices: Data Security
• Defending Cell Phones and PDAs Against Attack

Tips for online Privacy

• Supplementing Passwords
• Effectively Erasing Files
• How Anonymous Are You?
• Understanding Encryption
• Protecting Your Privacy
• Choosing and Protecting Passwords

Tips on SafeOnlinee Browsing

• Shopping Safely Online
• Understanding Bluetooth Technology
• Understanding Web Site Certificates
• Avoiding Copyright Infringement
• Understanding Your Computer: Web Browsers
• Understanding Internationalized Domain Names
• Evaluating Your Web Browser’s Security Settings
• Browsing Safely: Understanding Active Content and Cookies

Tips for Software and Applications

• Understanding Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
• Risks of File-Sharing Technology
• Reviewing End-User License Agreements
• Understanding Your Computer: Operating Systems
• Understanding Patches

Cybersecurity for individuals.

Believe it or not, we need to be more concern from defending ourselves of the cyber world than from conventional crime. The cyber crime can harm you more badly than you have ever imagined. As the use of computer technologies becomes more and more deeply and broadly integrated into our daily lives, we then become more and more dependent on it. But this dependency can then makes us more vulnerable if technology can not protect our sensitive information.

Our day to day life, economic and financial exuberance, and national security depend on a stable, secure, safe, and strong cyberspace.

Cyberspace and its underlying systems and infrastructure are vulnerable to a broad range of risk coming from both physical and online cyber threats. Sophisticated and motivated cyber hackers, actors and nation-states exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to both information and money and are seriously developing capabilities to disrupt, stop, destroy, or threaten the delivery of essential daily services.

A broad range of traditional and conventional crimes are now being carried out through cyberspace. This surprisingly includes creation and spreading of child pornography and child exploitation conspiracies, banking and financial fraud, intellectual property violations, and many other crimes, all of which have substantial human and monetary consequences. Our lack of basic computer knowledge and real sensitivity towards the awareness of the importance of protecting ourselves in the vulnerable cyber world is more critical.

Digital Cyber world is particularly difficult to secure due to a many variable and number of factors. The unethical hackers and ability of vicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world can create limitations for law enforcement agencies to catch them and punish them.

Most critical functions, systems, and infrastructure are now managed and integrated through internet and computer systems but at the same time they pose threat from advanced and sophisticated attack and intrusion from these rouge elements and that is the serious risk.

That is why protecting the sensitive information has become a critical job for a government as well as of the institutions. That’s why cyber security is shared the responsibility of everyone. We each have to do our part to keep the internet safe and secure. Hence we all have to collectively take simple steps every day. So at the same time, we too have to do diligence to take care of our own critical information. We too have to secure our home network, wi-fi, routers, home computers so we can avoid such intrusion in our information. We too have to keep our password very strong and keep changing it at a certain interval. We too have to keep anti-virus suite on the computer on and always keep it on real time protection. Set alerts and notification on your bank accounts, credit card(s) account(s) and in other financial accounts, so any suspicious transactions can be notified to avoid any financial loss to you.

Cybersecurity problems are everywhere i.e. It can be in your smartphone, laptop, home network, TV, GPS, power grid, dam, airports, websites, bank accounts, Cars, home security systems etc. Lately, since couple of years, hackers are more active and attacking various important system with more sophistication over and over again. If we are not prepared to defend then our future is worrisome.

Before you connect, post and share anything on the internet,

• Slow down,
• Think

And Then 

• Connect online.

Data doesn’t speak for itself:

Data, if it remains by itself, is useless. But if it is presented right, if you’re willing to listen, same Data will talk to you. Success comes to those who back up their strong case by showing the data behind the case. You don’t win the position just by saying. Right Data give us a clear and convincing voice. 

Data makes the picture more clear, it will force us to notice the things we never expected to see, to begin with. Data can have hidden patterns, many answers, can lead to better decisions, can improve efficiency, can save lives–data can do miracles.

Bits and bytes are just data, then it becomes information when they are arranged. Same information becomes useful knowledge when you systematically organize it. Our wisdom is transcending them.  

Data beats when you put life into, it will express the emotion!