Ransomware, phishing, Trojans… We live in a world where cyber threats are increasingly common and sophisticated. Data theft, damage to your reputation, extortion, espionage, data destruction… We can no longer ignore the risks we face every day. You really do need to take action to protect your computer from hackers. We’ve put together some essential tips you should consider to learn how to protect your devices and keep them safe. Don’t worry: you don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to understand our simple security hacks.
How do you protect your computer and/or your smartphone or tablet from hackers?
First of all, we want to highlight the importance of the physical security of your devices. Lock your computer or smartphone when you’re not using it! It goes without saying that the first step in protecting your device is to never leave it unattended.
Also disable lock screen notifications and Bluetooth
Thieves could use these to break into your device’s system. Protecting your device from physical theft is just as important as the tips below.
#1. Connect to a secure network
Being connected to the internet could allow attackers to gain access to your computer. So make sure you connect to all websites using SSL/TLS, and harden devices that come with overly permissive default factory settings, for example IoT devices, routers, etc. – and make sure you secure them.
#2 Enable and configure a firewall
A firewall is a device that controls the flow of information between your computer and the internet, just like a router. It prevents your personal data from being exposed by creating a gateway. It also warns you if malicious people try to break into your computer system.
Most operating systems include a built‑in firewall (Windows and macOS both have their own), and the majority of home routers do as well. So you shouldn’t need to worry about installing one, as your device is already protected. But you can strengthen your computer’s security by creating a strong password that will lock your firewall against any attempt to disable it (check your Wi‑Fi provider’s guidelines for more information).
#3 Use antivirus and anti‑spyware software
Installing antivirus software and keeping it updated is a crucial step in protecting your computer. Likewise, install an antivirus app on your phone. Make sure they are always up to date. However, antivirus is not a magic tool that can wipe out every threat. In fact, this software relies on a database of already known malware, listed in an internal register (most of the time, antivirus updates are aimed at adding new entries – that is, newly discovered viruses – to this register).
Follow our steps and learn how to protect your computer and other devices
This means they are unable to recognise brand‑new malware. So bear in mind that using antivirus software is not a miracle solution. It doesn’t remove the need to apply other preventive measures.
Spyware is malicious software designed to monitor what your employees do on their computers in order to gather clues that can be used to steal data. The software aims to spy on the business to obtain important confidential information such as patents or contracts. Antivirus tools from most major cybersecurity brands usually include anti‑spyware. If yours doesn’t, get one to stop hackers stealing information.
#4 Remove unnecessary software
Intruders can attack your computer by exploiting software vulnerabilities. Therefore, the fewer programs you have, the less vulnerable your computer will be. So remove any unnecessary software once you’ve made sure it’s safe to uninstall. Likewise, disable non‑essential services and switch off unnecessary default features to remove several possible attack routes.
#5 Follow the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)
In most malware infection cases, the malware can only run with the rights of the logged‑in user. To protect your device and minimise the impact malware can have if it does manage to infect your computer, consider having two types of user accounts:
- A standard account with the minimum features needed for everyday activities;
- An administrator account with full system privileges that you only sign into when you need to install or remove software, or change your computer’s system settings.
#6 Use a secure web browser
Web browsers installed on new ordinateurs usually don’t have secure default settings. So securing your browser is a vital step in improving your computer’s security, as more and more attacks exploit web browsers. Make sure you use a reliable browser (why not DuckDuckgo?) and avoid unnecessary plug‑ins/add‑ons.
#7 Update regularly
Most software vendors release updates to patch or fix vulnerabilities, flaws and weaknesses (bugs) in their software. And very often, software hacking exposes these flaws. To prevent hacking, it is therefore crucial to download updates as soon as possible.
