It seems like every day we hear stories about a significant cybersecurity breach. In 2019, huge names like Apple, Capital One, the US Customs and Border Protection Agency, Fortnite, and many others suffered major hacks. But what you should worry about is the vast number of cyber-attacks that don’t make the news. Every 39 seconds, hackers perpetrate a new hack. Most of these occur to small businesses and individual users. They are often easy targets because of their limited security measures. What security measures can you take to protect your data? You can start with encryption.
What is Encryption
Encryption is a process of securing your data by using methods of cryptography. It makes the data unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the password. With so much personal and business data shifting online and into the cloud, it’s become more important than ever to make sure you encrypt your data. Otherwise, cybercriminals may gain access to it either on a remote server, while it’s in transit, or even on your computer.
Why are Hackers Interested in Your Data
To be clear, it’s not only hackers who want your data. Governments, internet service providers (ISPs), network administrators, advertisers, and companies want to access it too. In the modern economy, data is valuable. It contains all kinds of interesting information to different parties. For example, Google may notice that you store many photos in the cloud and market that information to advertisers who try to sell you a camera. In this case, it’s not even the contents of the files but the file types themselves that people want to know about.
What Happens When Data Falls Into the Wrong Hands
You might be thinking that advertisers trying to sell you a camera isn’t that big of a problem. But put aside the privacy implications for a moment. If you consider the security vulnerabilities of unencrypted data, you can see where the danger lies. Nowadays, hackers target files through ransomware attacks which have doubled in 2019.
Hackers know how to hit you where it hurts as well. They may target personal photos and videos, important work files, or just about anything that has value to you. In one of the biggest attacks of 2019, 250 million Fortnite users suffered a ransomware attack. It locked files on user computers until they paid a ransom. And Fortnite is only the beginning, as millions of internet users are at risk of cyber-attack.
How Can Cyber Criminals Attack You
Data breaches aren’t limited to your computer. Hackers often target cloud storage providers like Google Drive and Dropbox. They can also hack connected devices. That includes USB sticks, flash memory cards, external hard drives, etc. Or create malware that infects not only desktop computers but mobile phones and tablets as well. Anything that connects to the internet (or plugs into a device that connects to the internet) is susceptible to cyber-attacks.
Why Encryption is the Best Way to Protect Yourself
Like other criminals, hackers often prey on easy targets. They don’t want to waste time trying to decrypt files or guess passwords. That’s why they usually send out mass attacks that focus on the most vulnerable users. Thus, you can protect yourself by taking advantage of encryption technology.
- Begin by using a file encryption service like Nordlocker. Nordlocker uses the latest security technology to protect your files. It encrypts the data (photos, documents, media – you name it) and makes them unlockable only with a password.
- After you’ve encrypted your data, secure your internet connection with a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN encrypts your internet connection. Thus, it protects your privacy and security from anyone eager to observe what you do online. There are many great options on the market with a variety of features that can fit into any budget.
- Finally, make sure you run frequent virus scans to ensure your computer is free of malware and viruses. Having antivirus software always running in the background doesn’t hurt either.
Encryption: Your Key to a More Secure Digital World
More and more of our lives move online. That opens the doors to the vast number of threats to our security and privacy. From attacks on popular companies like Apple and Google down to personalized malware targeted at you. The potential for danger is everywhere, but often you can protect yourself by using encryption.
Encrypt your files, your internet connection, and educate yourself about cybersecurity. You never know when a potential security threat may appear. It’s better to be safe than sorry.