Nowadays, we can’t even imagine a world without the internet. It has become an essential component in our daily lives. Practically, everything in today’s world from working, entertainment, and education have the internet involved in one way or another. The importance of the internet in dire times like these has become even more substantial than it was ever in the past.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made us limited to confined spaces and the virtual environment is being preferred because in-person interactions carry a risk. Even governments and health care agencies are urging the general public to avoid as much interaction as possible and use virtual means like the internet when necessary. This has skyrocketed the internet users in the current landscape.
Wonders of the Internet
In retrospect, this move makes sense, because using the internet as an alternative to personal interactions is not only safe but provides users with ease and convenience as well. Work from home has become a standard term now. Although online working is nothing new, but before it was limited to only a few professions e.g. freelancing.
Now, almost every corporate organization is allowing their employees to work from home no matter the type of field. This has happened because the internet has provided us access to tools like video conferencing applications and collaborative work suites that have removed the need for an employee to be physically present.
Studies have suggested that working from home has not only increased the productivity of the workforce but also has helped cut operating costs of a firm. This is why many organizations are considering keeping work from home as a standard practice even when the situation stabilizes.
On the other hand, we are seeing a surge of online classes. The whole education system has transcended to the virtual space. Lectures, classes, and even exams are conducted online. This all has happened because of the internet. It has become a need of the hour and people of all age groups and skill sets are learning and using the internet for their benefit.
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However, there is another side to this story as well. The increase of the internet’s user base has also increased the threat levels that are associated with cyberspace. Cybersecurity has already been an old problem for corporate organizations for which they spend millions of dollars on security firms and advanced tools to keep their sensitive data safe from unauthorized access.
Why it is Necessary to Ensure Cybersecurity in 2021
However, with the internet’s user base gradually increasing and becoming easily accessible to the general public through Government Aid programs or by special promos like RCN internet plans, access to the internet is getting cheaper for the general public. A huge chunk of this audience is naïve users who are still in the process of exploring this virtual world. These people have now become the primary targets for such criminals who commit cyber-attacks. Especially in 2021, it has become quite crucial for regular users to apply measures to keep themselves safe in this cyberspace.
There are a few essential tips that can help you keep your data secure and we’ll discuss them in detail here.
Types of Cybercrimes
Identifying types of cybercrimes is necessary because most commonly a person doesn’t realize that he’s been a victim of cybercrime unless or until it has already happened to him. Most experienced internet users are sometimes unaware of the actual workings behind a cybercrime. That is why it is essential to have basic knowledge of most commonly occurring cybercrimes and how they work because identifying a threat properly is the first step in combating it successfully.
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Identity Theft
This is already a well-known crime in which private identification material of a person is used by an unauthorized person to conduct unlawful activity under their name. The same thing happens in cyberspace when an unauthorized person intrudes into someone’s personal social media or email account and impersonates that person to commit unlawful activities.
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Financial Theft
This kind of cybercrime is also very prevalent in today’s society. In online financial frauds, a user’s bank account or credit card information is accessed illegally online and then this information is used to drain all the funds from that said account.
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Ransomware Attacks
These attacks are the same as how extortion and ransom work in the real world. The hackers penetrate into a user’s device, typically a laptop or computer, through the web and launch a program that restricts the access of the user to any file or data in that device. The hackers then demand money in order to release those important files.
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Cyberespionage
This is probably the most sensitive type of cyberattack in which a hacker or groups of hackers target essential institutions of a country to hack sensitive data that is essential to a country’s national security. Usually, these cybercrimes fall under the broader category of cyberwars and are conducted by one country against another.
Tips to Remain Protected
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Regular Firmware Update
Device manufacturers regularly roll out firmware and software updates for their devices. These new updates mostly offer security enhancements and patches to fix bugs and security flaws present in the system. Users are recommended to frequently update their software in order to remain protected against external threats especially the ones present in Cyberspace.
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Antivirus and Firewalls
Antiviruses are the programs that detect malware and malicious software in the system and effectively destroy them as well as keeping the user protected. Firewalls are programs that act as a barrier between the threats of the online world and your device. These two programs are essential to help you stay safe on the internet and are probably the most essential and easily accessible tools that are helping combat cyber threats for a regular user.
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Use VPNs
Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are other essential components that help you remain safe in the online world. VPNs act as an additional layer to your physical IP address and mask your actual device and geographical location. This helps the user to safely browse the internet without worrying if their personal information would be compromised. Another advantage of VPN is that it restricts the websites to track users across the internet, thus making them safe from advertisements and unauthorized intrusions in the network.
Conclusion
Every year, cybercriminals steal millions of dollars from consumers. Cybersecurity experts at IBM estimate that $US225 billion is lost to cybercrime every year. Moreover, the number of attacks is growing. In fact, the number of malicious websites has increased by 6% since. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of cybersecurity trends, and educate the masses about emerging threats.
According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, businesses with high cybersecurity standards suffer less than 1% of all cyberattacks. Therefore, it’s clear that investing in cybersecurity doesn’t just prevent attacks; it can save your business money. The need of having vigilant cybersecurity infrastructure today is crucial than it was ever before considering that our whole world has gone online in recent years.
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