近来，网络安全对于个人和企业来说都是一个不可忽视的问题。每个建立了网络连接的用户都面临着一个真实存在的危险 — 被黑客攻击，比如受到数字病毒的感染或某种形式的数据盗窃。然而说来也怪，在大多数情况下，威胁网络安全的始作俑者并不是计算机本身，而是使用互联网的用户，因为人们总在犯一些看似微不足道，却常常很关键的错误。

 

It's a dangerous world out there in cyberspace¹. Hackers², viruses, and malware, among others, all exist and are very real threats. A 2017 UK government cyber-security breaches⁴ survey showed that in the preceding 12 months, just under half of the companies asked had identified an attack or breach³. That could have been disastrous⁵.

 

The problem is not the computers, firewalls or encryption - it's us. People are bad at following good cyber-security protocol⁶ – such as using an effective password. We're also pretty dumb when it comes to clicking on links and downloading content we shouldn't, Ian Pratt, co-founder of cyber-security firm Bromium told the BBC. With that in mind, here are three tips to keep you 'cyber-safe'.

 

Passwords are a weakness. The ideal password should be at least eight characters long, and contain upper and lower case letters, symbols and numbers. And don't use a common word such as 'password'. "This makes you vulnerable to a scrape attack. This is where hackers take the most common passwords and try them on millions of accounts," Thomas Pedersen from OneLogin, an identity and access management company, told the BBC.

 

Keep your equipment up-to-date by installing the latest security updates for your computer - obviously. Less obvious perhaps, is doing so for other technology also connected to the internet – such as your router. A recent study carried out by the American Consumer Institute Centre for Citizen Research found that "five out of six routers are inadequately⁷ updated for known security flaws." These require software updates, too. And don't forget your other smart devices, such as your smart TV!

 

Finally, consider enabling multi-factor authentication⁸ for your accounts. That's where a mobile phone or dongle is used to verify access to a device. If your password becomes compromised, no access can be obtained without your second authentication device… so don't lose your phone!  In the future, biometrics such as voice and fingerprint⁹ may make this easier.

 

The internet is wonderful, but security threats do exist. Fortunately, with a little common sense and forethought, you can be secure from the majority of cyber-security threats.

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