This may seem exaggerated to you, but... your preparation for cyber attacks is essential to reduce the impact of an incident, even in domestic environments.
Throughout the year, cybersecurity specialists repeatedly repeat four basic tips for your digital security: strong and unique passwords, two-factor authentication (2FA), the need to be on the lookout for phishing attacks, and regular updates of your devices to ensure that the latest security patches prevent cybercriminals from exploiting known vulnerabilities.
If you already know and apply these recommendations, here's how to move up a gear.
Avoid unpleasant surprises: get ready.
We often hear cybersecurity professionals say, "The question is not whether you're going to be hacked, but when." In other words, you have to prepare for the worst and minimize the impact of the incident, which will inevitably take place.
Whether you are acting as an individual, for your family or just to protect the home computer, there are a few preparatory steps that can be followed:
Regularly save your data: stress the importance of regular backups to avoid data loss in the event of physical attacks or breakdowns. If possible, use both local and cloud-based backups, and regularly test these backups.
Raise awareness and educate your children and family members: let them know about the latest threats, even if it's just a well-designed phishing email that you've spotted this week. And make sure they know how to react in the event of an incident.
Set a plan to respond to incidents: the plan must describe how to respond to a cybersecurity incident, which contacts and the steps needed to mitigate and recover an attack. It can be as simple as "call a parent or the reference person on family technology."
Stay up-to-date: check cybersecurity news at least once a week. It is essential to know when devices need to be corrected. To do this, the cybersecurity industry frequently publishes content when there is an urgent need for updating. You can find our family content here on SAFER KIDS ONLINE, or more generalist articles on esetngblog.
Discuss suspicious activities: encourage everyone to discuss suspicious activities or security incidents. This prevents an incident that could be serious over time (e.g. an alert received by e-mail).
Keep an eye on all your devices: big companies usually catalogue their assets and manage them continuously. Understanding where all the devices are at home will help you keep them up to date.
Frequently monitor accounts and access. Any connection from a device using a service to which you are a subscriber must also be investigated - this could mean that your password and your personal information have been stolen.
Have the contact details of all financial accounts, telephone operators, Internet service provider, etc. If an incident occurs, you may need to contact some of these companies to block the cards, disable SIM cards or any other activity to limit other abuses.
Large companies have well-defined cyber resilience plans and policies to minimize disruption and loss of business and reputation. It's just as important at home. Less impact, less stress for the whole family :)
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