Phishing is one of the most common forms of cyberattacks, and why it has a huge success rate is because it can be presented in a myriad of different ways. It can be a pop-up on a website or a link in an email, etc.
So, when it comes to phishing, identifying is half the battle won. But, even if you have truly learned to identify phishing activities, you can still fall prey to them. And in such a case, it is wise to follow certain cybersecurity practices that will help you stay secure online.
You can easily find tutorials online for identifying phishing. Here are some tips that help you beyond that.
1. Install Add-Ons For Your Browser
Most browsers have a number of anti-phishing apps available which can be installed as an add-on. The best part is that most of these add-ons don’t charge you anything. So, if you are dealing with any form of data that is sensitive, always have an anti-phishing browser add-on installed and you will get an instant warning.
2. Always Notice The URL
Most sites you visit on the internet will start with the usual ‘HTTP’. But, there are certain sites that will not have it, and this can be a potential security risk. While this does not mean every site without HTTP’ is running phishing scams; best practices would state that you never provide your information on such a site. And if you have to, always have a firewall on.
3. Install Security Patches
Newer types of phishing scams are being discovered every day, and that is one of the reasons why you keep receiving updates for your OS. If you keep ignoring these updates, the security standards of your OS will not be up to date, and this can leave you vulnerable to phishing scams.
4. Data Security Tools
These tools help the system react instantly when a phishing attack is encountered. It immediately blocks the source of the attack and ensures that your data is instantly backed up. For organizations, having a data security tool is of absolute necessity in today’s cyberattack-ridden world.
5. Password Safety
The oldest trick in the book – keep changing your passwords every fortnight or every month. This will ensure that even if someone steals your data, they will not have access to it for a long time. If you are using multiple online accounts, make sure that their passwords are never the same. Not only does this protect you against phishing, but against a number of other attacks as well.
Summing Up
No matter how smart and tech-savvy you are, there is always a chance that you will encounter a phishing scam. Hackers are becoming more innovative, and while cybersecurity measures are also increasing, thousands of phishing attacks still occur every day.
So, use these tips to keep yourself and your organization protected. Always try to aim for the best possible security protocols, and your data will remain safe from scammers online.