WHY PERSONAL EDUCATION IN CYBER SECURITY IS IMPORTANT?
Educating yourself about cyber security cannot be stressed enough, because the more you know and understand about the subject, the better your chances of staying protected are. Your cyber IQ is essential to your safety and privacy on the Internet. Cyber security is two-fold. Obviously, you need Internet security software, but it can’t protect you from 100% of the threats on the landscape. Knowledge of the threats that antivirus can’t catch, coupled with best practices of safeguarding your information online can be just as crucial as software.
"BECOMING EDUCATED ABOUT THREATS AND THE BEST PRACTICES AGAINST THEM WILL MAKE IT IMMENSELY HARDER FOR A CYBERCRIMINAL TO ACCESS YOUR DATA."
As previously mentioned, there are threats online that are impossible for security software to detect. Becoming educated about threats and the best practices against them will make it immensely harder for a cybercriminal to access your data.
START WITH SECURE PASSWORDS.Antivirus on your computer can’t protect accounts that are online, so in this instance, you are the first defense in security. Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols and numbers and make sure they are at least eight characters long. The more characters and symbols your passwords contain, the more difficult they are for cybercriminals to try to crack. Never, ever reuse the same password on multiple sites.
DEFEND AGAINST DATA BREACHES.The first step in defense against data breaches is being aware. Monitor your financial accounts on a regular basis, change your password semi-annually and educate yourself about all of the implications of a data breach and what can be done in the event that you fall victim to one. They say that the best defense is a good offence, so instead of thinking in the terms of if, think when. That way when disaster strikes, you’ll know exactly what to do.
STOP IGNORING SOFTWARE UPDATES.Performing software updates as soon as they become available is key to a good offence. They are available for both our operating system and individual software programs. Hackers love exploiting weaknesses, or “holes” in popular software programs. Performing these updates will fix security holes that have been discovered.
STEER CLEAR OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING SCAMS.Internet security software can’t intercept social engineering. Cybercriminals use human-to-human interaction in order try to trick users into divulging sensitive information. It’s part scare-tactics, and part manipulation of people. Social engineering uses a wide variety of tactics to try to lure its victims in. Phishing via email, instant messages, social media scams, even phone calls are just a few varieties of attacks scammers use. The end goal is to try to trick the user into downloading malware or clicking a link leading to a compromised website that hosts malware.
It is also important to remember to implement these defenses in your work life and even device usage, as everything is vulnerable to being compromised.
Hackers are people too, and they’re constantly trying to come up with new ways of trying to get to your data. They depend on users being uneducated, because those are the easiest targets. But you have the ability to defend yourself against these threats.
Source:https://us.norton.com/mostdangeroustown2/bonus/why-personal-education-in-cyber-security-is-important
