Internet security habits

If you're reading these articles, you already know cyberattacks are coming for you. You need to defend yourself. Unfortunately, having only the best gear and the best security isn't enough — even though it helps.

If you're reading these articles, you already know cyberattacks are coming for you. You need to defend yourself. Unfortunately, having only the best gear and the best security isn't enough — even though it helps. The whole integrity of your cybersecurity rests, fundamentally, on one thing: the human factor. Up to 95% of all successful attacks are caused by human error. So how do you prevent them as much as possible? You have to build habits that defend you almost in your sleep.

Don't trust, always verify

One of the first habits is not trusting anyone or anything online until you verify it — preferably more than once. From personal experience, I've fallen for fraudulent shops a few times, and we had a case in the company where one client received a perfectly crafted phishing email mimicking an invoice for some services. The only thing changed was the bank account number. Luckily they had a rule that any payment to an unknown account number required confirmation, and that saved them hundreds of thousands of crowns. So when you're sending money, triple-check the account number! And for online shops and other smaller matters, find out beforehand whether they actually exist.

Security

As always: have strong, unique passwords (passwords), update everything you can (updating), and use MFA (MFA).

It doesn't end with you

Unfortunately — whether you have a company, kids, grandparents, or others around you who get lost online — you'll have to bring them up to speed too. Because security is only as strong as its weakest link. So if you have the chance to enrich these people even a little, please do it. You'll save time and trouble for them and for yourself. And if you're a business owner, I have an article that helps you teach cyber habits to your staff HERE.