3 Quick Tips to Avoid Being Hacked

With hacking becoming more prevalent in today’s world, large corporations such as Google or Facebook are changing how users can log in to their online accounts to protect their customers. While you may not be an expert on IT security or privy to coding vulnerabilities, you can definitely help to protect yourself simply by changing your own behaviors.

There are many ways to reduce the chances of being hacked, but for now, here are 3 quick tips to bear in mind.

Use a Managed Service Provider

Choosing a Fairfax IT company to take care of your IT security is becoming more and more popular, given just how prevalent phishing and hacking scams are.  

Managed service providers offer cost-effective, professional IT security that will ensure your systems are up to date and that your processes and IT security strategies are as strong as they can be, ultimately safeguarding you from legitimate threats of hacking. 

Continuously working on your behalf, your IT security will be one less of a headache when it comes to cybersecurity. Not only will it release you from cybersecurity vulnerabilities, but you will achieve smooth and resilient business operations as your managed service provider will continuously work to ensure that business continuity is one of your top priorities.

Couple your managed service provider doing most of your IT security by ensuring your staff is self-aware of their own internet behaviors. By ring-fencing every possible opportunity for cybercriminals, you have solid foundations for hacking protection. 

Multi-factor Authentication

You’ve set up your password with special characters, numbers, and letters – including capitals. But, unfortunately, it’s been rejected because it contained part of your username or email address, and you become increasingly frustrated. 

Finally, you’ve set that password and attempt to log in when all of a sudden you have to wait for a text message with another code before you can progress. Again, this isn’t done to annoy you or push you away as a customer; this is all about your protection and avoiding being hacked. 

With cyber-crime universally recognized as a widespread and real threat, multi-factor authentication adds a layer of protection during your online experiences. 

Should you find yourself receiving a notification with a code to continue the log-in process, but you haven’t attempted to do so, it is a clear indicator that you are a potential victim of active hacking. You should immediately inform the business that it wasn’t you trying to log in and change your passwords straight away. 

Keep On Top Of Updates

Whilst it’s tempting to postpone any update requests on your smartphone or laptop, it is of crucial importance that you accept them as soon as possible. 

Often, updates result from bugs and glitches found in current versions of software that you utilize daily. By accepting and running updates, you minimize the chances of those bugs opening you up to hackers trying to obtain your personal data. 

A managed service provider by way of IT security can not only be cost-effective but also act as a buffer in that any updates your systems may need to prevent phishing scams will be taken care of on your behalf. 

It pays to be careful when working online, and whilst you can never be certain that hacking won’t take place, you can reduce your chances of falling victim by implementing your own healthy cyber behaviors. Such as utilizing a managed service provider for your IT security needs, ensuring multi-factor authentication becomes second nature within your business, and always keeping on top of updates from mobile phones to laptops and desktops; you’re on your way to becoming as secure as possible.