How to Ensure that Your Data is Protected Online
Any time you submit data to an online agency or organisation, you’re running a risk. The body in question might sell that personal information to the highest bidder, or they might find themselves victim to a cyberattack. You might even find yourself targeted directly, via a ransomware attack, or a trojan horse virus.
What should I do if I’ve been Impacted by a Data Breach?
If you find that you’ve been affected by a data breach, then it’s time to do some digging. It may be that you’re entitled to data breach compensation. Contact a solicitor who specialises in affairs of this sort.
Prevention, however, is better than cure. Let’s take a look at a few simple measures which might spell the difference between blissful data security and a significant headache.
Install and Update an Antivirus
An antivirus is a special kind of program which will trawl your file system for fragments of malicious code. If it discovers anything that it knows is a virus, then it’ll quarantine and destroy it. It does the same with all of the web pages you’re browsing.
An antivirus can only function thanks to the list of definitions. These tell the program what to look for. Since the nature of the threat is constantly evolving, so too must the list of definitions. It’s therefore critical that an antivirus is kept updated with new definitions – if it isn’t, it’ll be next to useless.
Use a Password Manager
If your passwords are guessable, then they won’t offer much protection for your accounts. Ideally, you’ll want to use a special program called a password manager, which will compose complex passwords on your behalf. Google provides a service like this, but there are others available, too.
Use Two-factor Authentication
A password is just one kind of authentication: something that you know. You might also use something that you are (ie. a fingerprint), or something that you have (ie. a mobile phone). Sensitive accounts, like email accounts, and anything that’s able to take money from your bank account, should be protected in this way.
Encrypt and Backup
If you regularly backup your data, then you’ll be less vulnerable to data loss as a result of ransomware (or, for that matter, any other kind of attack). Store your backups at a remote location so that they can be retrieved once your machine is free from viruses.
Install a VPN
A VPN is a program that diverts your internet traffic through a special server, along with that of many other users. This makes it effectively impossible to attribute your browsing behaviour to you personally.
