CYBER SECURITY: WHY DO YOU NEED IT?
With the advent in technology in recent times, our once simple lives have become more and more complicated as we integrate all sorts of technology into our lives and routine to make it more facilitative and comfortable. Whether we are storing our pictures, doing our assignments, booking our flights, doing online shopping, or hosting an entire company’s data on the cloud, the internet is a vast sea of possibilities. We are not the only ones, however, making use of these facilities.
AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT
The truth is that no one is safe. These hackers, who invade computer systems to access sensitive data and personal files, have figured out innovative ways to enter systems through different mechanisms, especially the internet. With most of our data and devices connected and hosted on the internet, it becomes extremely susceptible to crypto virus attacks. Hackers use the interconnectivity and easy accessibility of the internet to plant malicious bits if code called viruses into digital systems
WHAT IS CYBER SECURITY
Cyber security refers to protection against hackers and malicious codes called crypto viruses so as to prevent the loss of data or it falling into the wrong hands. Cyber security measures include practices such as installing firewalls, antivirus programs, cautiousness from sketchy emails and links, and backups amongst other solutions.
IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING DATA FROM CRYPTO VIRUSES
Crypto viruses are malicious bits of code that enter the computer system and sabotage it in some way to take over part of the data or the system as a whole. This includes breaches in security, personal data, private information, bidding and trade details, stock market exchanges, company secrets, and other sensitive information that when given access to someone else may cause severe damage to the individual or enterprise. Not only do these cause privacy issues, but may also lead to great financial and commercial loss depending on the type of data lost to a virus attack.
Crypto Viruses are uploaded or downloaded onto computer systems either physically though USBs or hard drives, or online, through a scam email or website link that, once clicked on, uploads a copy of the virus which then wreaks havoc on the respective system. With crypto virus attacks such as the Petya attacks having become so prevalent, cyber security measures have become essential.
IMPORTANCE OF VALID AND TESTED BACKUPS
Putting in place regular valid and tested backups is a common practice to protect data against loss due to cyber attacks. Backup means that copies of all data stored on the system are made and stored at another safe site to ensure that the data is not completely lost and can be recovered in the case of system failures or cyber attacks. These copies must be made consistently so as to ensure constant updates along with regular testing to ensure that the database is capable of recovery at all points.
With the rate at which cyber crimes are spreading and happening, attacking large enterprises as well as personal computer systems of individuals like you and me, it is salient that we invest in proper cyber security measures to ensure that our data and sensitive information remains hidden an safe for our eyes and use only. Using some of the tested and trusted measures mentioned above, the integrity of personal data can be protected and future attacks, which have become an inevitability at this point, can be nullified as well.
