,

Is your password strong and secure?

A password is more than just an assortment of characters you’re required to enter in order to access your accounts. It is the first line of defense against potential threats and attacks. A weak password makes it easier for hackers or cybercriminals to gain access to your personal information, such as financial details or sensitive data. But there are many people who are completely misguided about what a strong password actually is.

The importance of secure passwords for your business

While many personal accounts are password-protected, securing your business accounts is equally critical. This applies not just to you but to your entire company. Every employee should use strong passwords to safeguard sensitive business data. Imagine the potential harm a cybercriminal could cause if they gained access to your data and systems. It could tarnish your business’s reputation and jeopardize both your employees’ and customers’ private information.

What makes a password strong? (Hint: It’s not about complexity)

Contrary to popular belief, the strength of a password is not solely determined by its complexity. While including a combination or letters, numbers, and symbols can enhance password security, it’s not as effective as using a longer sequence.

A long password is far stronger because it increases the number of possible combinations that an attacker needs to guess. This means that even if your password contains common words or phrases, it will still be significantly more difficult to breach if it’s longer. In fact, a lengthy passphrase consisting of a series of unrelated words can often be stronger than a shorter password filled with complex characters. For instance, “PurpleBananaSunsetRiver” is not only easier to remember but also more secure than something like “P@ssw0rd1” because of its length and randomness.

Furthermore, longer passwords are more resistant to brute force attacks, which involve using automated programs to guess different password combinations until the correct one is found. The longer the password, the more time and computational power it would take for an attacker to crack it, making it a far less appealing target. So, when creating strong passwords for your business accounts, prioritize length and complexity to bolster your online security effectively.

Educating your team on password security

If you manage a team, it’s crucial to educate them on the significance of strong, lengthy passwords. Ensure your team receives training on cybersecurity practices, including password creation. A single weak password could open the door to a cyberattack, emphasizing the importance of collective diligence.

Simplifying strong password creation

Creating robust and lengthy passwords doesn’t have to be a tedious process. If you struggle to create or remember them, consider using a password manager. This tool can generate long and unique passwords for each account based on your preferences. It will then store them securely so that you only need to remember one master password to access all your accounts.

Passwords are often the easiest to overlook when it comes to online security, but they are also the most critical. If you need further guidance or assistance in enhancing your cybersecurity practices, get in touch with us. Our team of experts is ready to help you navigate the digital world securely.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by

Should you be setting up a guest Wi-Fi network in your office?

Does your office regularly get visitors? Chances are that many of these visitors ask to connect to your Wi-Fi for different reasons. In any case, an improper Wi-Fi setup can lead to a frustrating experience for them, and worse, it can put your sensitive data at risk of falling into the hands of malicious entities. The question is, how can you ensure your Wi-Fi is set up correctly?

Why you should keep guests off the primary Wi-Fi network

While granting guests access to your primary company’s Wi-Fi may appear convenient, it’s a practice you should avoid.

Even individuals with modest technical skills could potentially breach your company’s network security, gaining access to sensitive data. This includes confidential documents, proprietary information, and even customer data. Moreover, in the event that any of your visitors’ mobile devices have been compromised, there is a risk that they could introduce malware to your entire network.

To mitigate these security risks, it’s advisable to establish a separate guest Wi-Fi network that provides internet access while maintaining a strict separation from the company’s main network. This way, guests can enjoy connectivity without jeopardizing the security and integrity of the internal network.

Methods for establishing secondary Wi-Fi access for guests

If your router is equipped with built-in guest Wi-Fi functionality (which can be verified with a simple web search), you have the option to establish a distinct “virtual” network. This approach ensures that guests can enjoy internet access without directly linking to your company’s primary network.

In case your router lacks the capability for multiple Wi-Fi networks, you can opt to deploy a separate wireless access point that operates independently of the rest of your network. This direct connection to the internet effectively safeguards your company’s private data from intrusion.

It’s important to note that guest Wi-Fi relies on your ISP connection, so it’s advisable to impose restrictions on the bandwidth usage within your guest network. If your visitors stream videos while connected to your network, your internet connection can slow down, potentially impacting your employees’ productivity. In relation to this, you might want to encourage your employees to use the guest Wi-Fi on their mobile devices to reduce the risk of them monopolizing company bandwidth for personal activities.

Bear in mind that your guest Wi-Fi should exclusively offer external users internet connectivity and nothing beyond that. While the correct configuration isn’t overly complex, it can be a time-consuming task. So if you require a team of professionals to handle this for you, or if you have any inquiries about optimizing your hardware for improved efficiency and security, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by
,

Why HTTPS is essential for online security

Cybercriminals are relentless in coming up with new ways to steal our personal information and financial data. That’s why it’s more important than ever to take steps to protect ourselves online, and these steps include visiting websites that use HTTPS.

What is HTTPS?

When you visit a website, you may see a padlock icon in the address bar. This icon indicates that the website is using Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), which is a secure communications protocol that encrypts all data transmitted between your browser and the website.

Without HTTPS, all the data you enter or click on is sent in plain text. This means that anyone who intercepts the traffic between your browser and the website can see everything you do, including the information you enter on the website.

HTTPS also verifies the identity of the website you are visiting, protecting you from cyberattacks involving spoofed versions of legitimate websites that are designed to steal your information.

Compared to the standard HTTP, HTTPS offers a higher level of security, making it essential for online banking, eCommerce, and any other website that handles sensitive data.

How do HTTPS certificates work?

When you go to a website, your device uses an internet directory (i.e., DNS server) to convert the website’s name into a number (i.e., its IP address). This number is saved in a cache so that your device doesn’t have to look it up again every time you visit the website. However, if your computer gets compromised while using an HTTP connection, an attacker can change the directory so that you are redirected to a malicious website, even if you type in the correct address. Victims are usually redirected to spoofed versions of legitimate websites, where they are tricked into entering their sensitive information, such as their login credentials.

To prevent this, internet directories issue HTTPS certificates that transform HTTP into HTTPS. This makes it impossible for anyone to redirect you to a fraudulent website. HTTPS certificates include data about the website, such as its domain name, company name, and location. They also contain a public key for encrypting communication between your browser and the website.

More ways to stay safe online

Here are a few tips for staying safe online, whether you’re just browsing or doing work-related tasks:

  • Think twice before clicking on a website flagged as “unsafe” by your browser. Proceed only if you are sure that no confidential data will be transmitted.
  • Use trusted web browser extensions, such as HTTPS Everywhere, to encrypt your communication, especially when visiting unencrypted websites.
  • Don’t go to websites that don’t use the HTTPS prefix.
  • Be vigilant. Even if a website has HTTPS, it doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe. For example, amaz0n.com (with the “o” replaced with a 0) could have a certificate, but the misspelling suggests that it’s an untrustworthy site. Cybercriminals use similar spellings of real websites to trick victims into believing they’re on a secure site.

While HTTPS is not a silver bullet for online security, it is an essential measure for protecting yourself online. Reach out to us today to learn more about HTTPS and other cybersecurity best practices.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory SOURCE

/by

How to mitigate remote work security risks

In recent years, remote work has become more popular. While this working arrangement offers many benefits, it also creates numerous security risks. This blog post will provide tips on how to improve your and your employees’ cybersecurity when working remotely.

Create clear remote work policies

Your company should have clear policies in place that outline the security measures that employees must follow when working remotely. This includes using strong passwords, connecting to secure networks, and being careful about what information they share online. Make sure to communicate these policies to all employees and that they understand and adhere to these.

Secure home networks for remote workers

Home Wi-Fi routers are often less secure than business routers, so remote workers need to take extra steps to secure their home networks. These steps include changing the default router password, installing the latest firmware updates, and using WPA2 encryption settings.

Use a virtual private network (VPN)

A VPN is a crucial cybersecurity tool for remote workers, especially when they need to connect to public Wi-Fi networks. It encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, making it harder for cybercriminals to track your online activity or intercept your data.

Use a password manager

A password manager stores all your passwords securely so that you don’t have to remember all of them. It can also generate strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts, so you won’t be tempted to use weak passwords or reuse the same password for multiple accounts. Weak passwords are easy for cybercriminals to crack, and if you reuse them across multiple accounts, all of your accounts at put at risk if even just one account becomes compromised.

Implement firewalls and anti-malware software

Equip all work devices used by remote workers with firewalls and anti-malware software. Firewalls monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic. They can be configured to block specific types of traffic, such as traffic from known malicious IP addresses or ports, or traffic that is associated with known malware. Firewalls can also be used to create whitelists, which allow only specific types of traffic to pass through.

On the other hand, anti-malware software scans files and devices for malicious programs, such as viruses, Trojans, and spyware. It can also block malicious websites and emails, and remove or quarantine malicious programs that have already infiltrated devices.

Keep your software up to date

Software updates often include security patches that address known vulnerabilities. It is important to install software updates as soon as they are available. You can configure your devices to automatically install software updates to make sure you are always protected.

Alternatively, your company can use patch management software to track patches on all registered devices and deploy the most recent updates across all of them.

Back up your data

Regularly backing up your data can help you recover from a data loss event due to device failure, theft, or other unforeseen circumstances. There are two main types of data backups:

  • Local backups: Local backups are stored on a physical device, such as an external hard drive or a USB flash drive. Local backups are relatively inexpensive and easy to set up, but they are also more vulnerable to physical damage or loss.
  • Cloud backups: Cloud backups are stored on a remote server. Cloud backups are more convenient than local backups because you can access them from anywhere, but they can be more expensive and may require a reliable internet connection.

It’s best to use a combination of local and cloud backups for the best protection. This will ensure that you have a copy of your data even if one backup fails.

Be careful of phishing scams

Phishing scams typically involve emails or messages that look like they are from legitimate companies, such as banks or government agencies, to trick victims into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

To reduce your chances of falling for a phishing scam, follow these tips:

  • Check the sender’s email address carefully. Phishing emails are often sent using email addresses that are slightly altered versions of those of legitimate companies.
  • Be wary of clicking on links or opening attachments in emails or messages, especially if they seem suspicious or come from unknown senders.
  • Look for signs of a fake website, such as a misspelled URL or a missing lock icon in the address bar.
  • Don’t enter personal information into a website that you are unsure is legitimate.
  • If you are not sure if an email is legitimate, contact the sender directly to verify its authenticity.

Remote work setups can pose many cybersecurity risks, but you don’t have to address them alone. Our technology experts can provide IT guidance, implementation, and maintenance to help you protect your business and its data. Contact us today to learn more.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by