6 Cyber Security Bad Habits You Must Avoid

Whether you are a company, an institution, an individual, or a website, there are bad cybersecurity habits that you might be involved in and which you should avoid and replace them with good habits. Everyone wants to take an eternal break from bad habits that might be affecting him negatively. Bad habits in the real world, could be procrastination, overspending, smoking, drinking alcohol, biting fingernails. In one way or the other, these bad habits can harm your life. Cybersecurity is similar in a manner. With cybersecurity, bad habits could be poor password practices, failure of using multi-factor authentication, poor disaster management, and backup strategies, using Wi-Fi hotspots, poor password storage. This is why investing in a well-built network security design is important. Just like in real life, such bad habits expose you to cybersecurity threats that come with serious repercussions. This article has figured out six bad cybersecurity habits you should desist from the word go.

1. Password bad habits

If you still use ‘amateur’ login credentials, then you are not doing any favor to yourself. Password is the key that separates your accounts from being accessed by hackers. Hackers will always try to access the password to make the shortest route your route. A 2017 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report shows that over 80% of all data breaches are a result of weak passwords. Here are some of the bad habits or mistakes related to a password that could put you at risk: – Using easy to guess passwords such as using your name for a password. – Using an obvious password such as 12345 or abcde – Poor password storage- storing your password on your browsers or writing the password on a piece of paper – Using a single password for all your accounts – Using a password for a very long time – Using a very short password To be on the safer side, make sure that you do not make the above-mentioned poor habits.

2. Failure to embrace multifactor authentication.

It is a bad habit to use a single authentication procedure. Passwords are the simplest ways hackers use to crash into systems. Multifactor authentication such as two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your security credentials. Primarily, the more layers of authentication put in place, the lesser the possibility for a hacker to get into your account. Multifactor authentication improves the weaknesses of the first mode of security. These additional factors could be facial recognition, fingerprint reader, voice recognition, or use of security that is usually sent via email or text message. Once the other security protocols are successfully verified, the user is allowed access. Embracing multiple authentications as a security activity will help you beat the possibilities of an attack. Avoid using single passwords as the only security, change it to the good habit by using multi-factor authentication.

3. Failure to secure your Website with SSL.

SSL is the acronym for a Secure Socket Layer. It is SSL that makes secure websites distinct from the rest. An HTTPS rather than HTTP marks an SSL secure website. The extra S at the end of HTTPS shows that the site is SSL protected. SSL certificates help to keep your website data safe and free from sniffing and MiTM attacks. They also comprise of the domain name they are covering for, the authority that issued the certificate, the dates the certificate was issued, and the expiry date. SSL as well ensures that your clients are talking to your correct servers; in addition, SSL improves your site’s image, makes it become more trusted, and improves its position on search engines. Obtaining valid SSL is vital. SSL certificate preferably Multi-Domain SSL Certificate allows you to secure multiple domains of your websites with only a single SSL certificate. Such kind of encryption makes it easier for you to secure all your sites with SSL security. An SSL certificate security is all you want to play the encryption role. Make it a good cybersecurity habit, purchase a multi-domain SSL certificate for all your websites. SSL certificate security will help you a great deal in dealing with any insecurities.

4. You are not training all your employees on cybersecurity measures.

It is a bad habit never to take your employees through cybersecurity measures. When a cyber-attack hits your website because of cybersecurity by any of your employees, you will be solely to blame. It is human errors or gross violation of cybersecurity measures that yield into a successful cyber-attack. You must avoid this bad habit by regularly training all your employees on cybersecurity measures. Through cyber literacy, you will be able to teach your employees on the importance of staying vigilant while conducting their tasks online the site. Your employees could induce malicious files into the company’s networking through downloads. This malware can slowly leak confidential business profiles. Is this not a threat from your very own employees? Investing in cyber training is the solution against bad cybersecurity habits that may lead to cyber-attacks because of your group’s cyber illiteracy. Therefore, by investing in training your employees on good cybersecurity habits, you will have taught them to master technological advancements that come with improved cyber threats and how best they can deal with the risks. To keep your website and company safe and sound from a cyber-attack, make it a habit to regularly conduct a seminar to provide your employees with knowledge on good cybersecurity habits.

5. Failure to back up your data and having a data backup system.

You certainly have a copy of all your vital credentials, which is the birth certificate, academic papers and identification card. Those copies are a backup of your original documents. Lack of a data backup is a dirty habit. Where do you run to when suddenly something happens that would lead to loss of very vital data? The most appropriate way to avoid post-attack data traumas is to have a backup for them. Security protocols may never be enough to shield you from a cyber-attack fully. Regularly backing up your data is a healthy cybersecurity habit. Avoid the bad habit of not backing up your data by developing a data backup system.

6. Using Outdated Cyber Security Technologies

Outdated cybersecurity technology cannot stand a chance to stop a new form of cyber threat. The software can hardly last forever; they always will require updates night and day, just like inferior quality food that later becomes poison, outdated software poisons the cybersecurity of your website. It is a bad habit and unfortunate for anyone to use old cybersecurity software to fight the latest technologies of cyber threats. Outdated software is very vulnerable to a cyber-attack; it puts you to a substantial loss of data. With bags of sophisticated viruses, malware, and other threats, you will need state of the art security software. These are updated firewalls, antiviruses etc. Using outdated cybersecurity technology is a bad trait. Update your software to the latest version to help in combating possible cyber-attacks..

CONCLUSION

Bad habits may lead to thinking you are doing yourself justice. Bad habits associated with cyber security will put you at the brink of a cyber-attack. This article has outlined six habits deemed bad that you should change. There may be more than them, but for a start the six are too crucial to understand. It is worth noting that securing your network with an SSL is a good cyber habit. Hopefully, this article helps you change from the cyber security measures you are doing wrong to those that are right. Stop all the bad cyber security habits and take up good cyber security practices.