One small step for the individual, one giant leap for cyber security!
Sophos Cybersecurity, Zukunft, Sophos, Malware
Cyber security is important! Because every case of cybercrime not only affects the individual victim, but potentially all of us - with fake orders, emails, lies, data theft. By now, most people know the most important rules, but the famous thinking outside the box is often still missing. The many small things that individual users can do on their laptops, PCs or smartphones without much effort can help. to contain cyberattacks throughout the entire Internet. The perfect occasion to take a look at oneself is the European Cybersecurity Month ECSM.
In the early malware years, computer viruses were primarily used to show off to friends or were simply a destructive pastime of IT geeks. But cybercrime was never funny or harmless. It developed enormously fast and from showmanship it became a big criminal business in a very short time. A "milestone" in cybercrime took place around the year 2000, when cyberfraudsters finally figured out how to not only cause damage with software, but also make money from it illegally.
Lots of money. Masses of money.
First it was fake charities that victims were supposed to send their money to for a good cause. Then the criminals started stealing bank passwords and credit card numbers. Today, they extort ransom money for hijacked or encrypted data on a large scale - keyword ransomware. The most serious aspect is that cybercrime affects everyone. No matter how unimportant one may feel in the digital economy, or how small an individual's possessions are thought to be - personal data of any kind is always worth something to fraudsters. The fatal thing about the criminal machinations is that the gangsters make unsuspecting people their accomplices, unnoticed and perfidious. An example: When fraudsters scam passwords and abuse online accounts that the owner doesn't care about, or has simply forgotten, the damage is done to many. Because whatever breach of the law the criminals commit, they do it in the name of the primary victim, when other people are deceived with the help of the hijacked account.
This October stands for "Raising Awareness of Cyber Dangers".
European Cybersecurity Month (ECSM) was first initiated in 2012 and is based on Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which was established in the United States in 2004.... One might think that it is always the same advice that is propagated annually by specialists and published in the media because no one can think of anything better to say. However, repetition does not per se equate to unimportance: Cybersecurity principles remain valid and relevant. Every individual could upgrade a little more in cybersecurity - even in their private lives, and with little effort and no cost. Every measure that makes it harder for fraudsters is a small victory.
The recommendation today
Some circumstances change, but the basic security advice has lost none of its effectiveness over all these years - it is sensible, workable and tried and tested. These include. Use strong passwords or even a password manager Using good protection solutions on all computers and mobile devices (e.g. the trial versions and free tools from Sophos) Immediately apply all available updates to computers and mobile devices. Be careful when using the internet, e.g. don't open emails or attachments from strangers without thinking, and never give out personal data to strangers. And even if you are already using all the protective measures, you should always ask yourself: are your family members, friends and colleagues doing the same? Everyone's attitude can ensure that everyone's security is improved. With this in mind: Take a small step in using online services - and enable a big leap for cyber security!