OUTSIDE THE BOX
Internet Safety Basics: Keeping Cyber Thieves at Bay
by Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig
There used to be a time when being safe online only meant making sure kids stayed away from sites that were inappropriate for their age. Now, we need to make sure that what is shared on the internet is accurate and that both children and adults are not bullied. A 2024 study of adolescents across 44 countries published by the World Health Organization found that while school bullying remained steady over the past 6 years, instances of cyberbullying have risen.
Another aspect of being online is knowing that we have to safeguard our finances and personal information. “The number of reported data breaches in the U.S. rose to a record 3,205 in 2023, up 78% from 2022 and 72% from the previous high-water mark in 2021, according to the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center. Trends are similar in other parts of the world,” The Wall Street Journal reported in March. One reason for the increase is that “[r]ansomware gangs are on the rise, allowing even criminals with minimal computer knowledge to get into the game.”
BREACH VS. CYBERATTACK
Before writing this, I didn’t realize there was a difference between a data breach and a cyberattack. IBM defines a data breach as:
any security incident in which unauthorized parties access sensitive or confidential information, including personal data (Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, healthcare data) and corporate data (customer records, intellectual property, financial information).
IBM defines a cyberattack as:
any intentional effort to steal, expose, alter, disable, or destroy data, applications, or other assets through unauthorized access to a network, computer system or digital device.
IBM makes the distinction that “[t]he terms ‘data breach’ and ‘breach’ are often used interchangeably with ‘cyberattack.’ However, not all cyberattacks are data breaches. Data breaches include only those security breaches where someone gains unauthorized access to data.”
Malware attacks and password thefts are two common ways to gain access that people hear about—and they are known to damage, destroy, and disrupt. In recent years, these threats have spread fear and uncertainty among individuals and businesses alike. “The average cost of a data breach is USD 4.35 million,” according to IBM. “This price tag includes the costs of discovering and responding to the violation, downtime and lost revenue, and the long-term reputational damage to a business and its brand.” So, what can be done to ease anxiety about cyberthreats of all kinds? Here are two important ways to help you take steps toward protecting yourself—or re-evaluate the ways you already do—while embracing our digital world.
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
Not only is it important to install antivirus software, but making sure you keep it updated is a must. Three of 2024’s top-rated (by various publications) options include:
- Norton—offers access to LifeLock identity protection services with its subscription and real-time cyber-protection
- Bitdefender—takes up minimal space and comes with a VPN, safe banking tools, and a firewall
- Avast One—hides those pesky pop-ups, reminders, and other distractions
All three provide several plans and features for PC, Mac, Android devices, and iPhone/iPad.
PASSWORDS
If you are one of those people who uses predictable word or letter combinations; birthday or anniversary dates; a sequence of numbers, names, street names, cities, etc., connected to you or someone close to you; and/or the words “password” or “admin” (both are still choices that are among the most common, per AARP) to access your online accounts, then you need to read this tip.
Hackers are experts in determining passwords. All it takes is one cyber-thief to figure out your email login, and many of us are liable to unknowingly hand over bank account, credit card, and/or other information because we wanted to have passwords easy enough to remember. The National Institute of Standards and Technology recommends using 12-character passwords at minimum—the longer the better.
Use two-factor verification, which will allow the account you are accessing to send an email or text to you with a code or option to confirm it is really you. There is also multifactor authentication, which means you must use two out of three different forms of authentication: something you know, you are, or you have.
Using a unique password for every login sounds next to impossible. However, if you choose the suggested password for every login that offers one, opt to reset it, and slightly tweak the original suggested password to be closer to your preferred password, that may help. You can also Google to find a password generator—typically free—and answer the prompts, then tweak the result to your liking.
Special characters (punctuation marks, dollar signs, asterisks, etc.) are a great way to get creative when choosing a password. Instead of the letter o, use a zero, or use an exclamation mark instead of the letter i. So the password to your favorite pizza place, for example, could become “d0m!n0’$p!zza” for Domino’s Pizza.
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