Hi! Welcome to our blog post on Cyber Security New Year Resolutions For 2024!
Do you use the same simple password across all your online accounts?
Have you clicked on links in suspicious emails without thinking twice?
If these scenarios sound familiar, your cybersecurity habits are ripe for a refresh. With damaging data breaches making headlines far too often, 2024 is the year to lock down your online presence.
Here are some recent statistics that paint a grim picture on the importance of Cyber Security New Year Resolutions For 2024.
- Over 1.2 million cyberattack victims are defrauded each day worldwide.
- The average cost of a data breach has climbed to $4.35 million.
- Home users and businesses alike are being targeted with increasingly sophisticated schemes aimed at stealing credentials, data and money.
- No one is immune from cyber threats.
What Does This Blog Cover?
This article will overview important CyberSecurity New Year Resolutions For 2024 to vastly improve your cyber safety and security. We’ll cover the following;
- Strengthening your passwords,
- Enacting multi-factor authentication
- Keeping devices and software updated
- Leveraging antivirus tools
- Spotting phishing attempts
- Securing home networks and backing up precious data.
With heightened awareness and proactive precautions, you can dramatically lower your risk of becoming just another cyber statistic this coming year.
Follow these resolutions, spread awareness and develop sensible precautions for you and your loved ones for a more secure online landscape for all in 2024.
Strengthen Passwords
Using strong, unique passwords across all of your online accounts is one of the most fundamental cybersecurity best practices. Unfortunately, far too many internet users continue to make themselves vulnerable by relying on easily guessed passwords.
According to survey data, the most common passwords worldwide continue to be simplistic and risky options like “123456”, “password” and “qwerty”. Cybercriminals can easily breach accounts protected by such weak passwords via brute force attacks.
Even more concerning is the prevalence of password reuse – a 2022 Google survey found that 52% of people rely on the same password across multiple sites. This means that just one breached password can put all of your accounts in jeopardy.
To thwart cyberattacks, every internet user should resolve to create strong, unique passwords for all important online accounts in 2024. What constitutes a strong password? Experts recommend a minimum of 12 characters including upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
Avoid any dictionary words or personal information that could be guessed or uncovered with basic research.
Tips for creating strong passwords
- Use 12-14 Characters or More
Length is key when it comes to password strength. Experts recommend using a minimum of 12-14 characters, though longer is ideal if a site allows. The more characters there are, the harder it becomes for cybercriminals to crack your password through brute-force attacks.
- Include Numbers, Symbols and Mixed Case
Strong passwords should use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Adding just one number or symbol to the end of a word can strengthen it. Using this type of complexity ensures greater entropy and unpredictability.
- Avoid Personal Info and Dictionary Words
Never use a word that can be found in the dictionary, nor any personal information like your name, birthday or address. This information is either searchable online or easy for those close to you to guess.
- Don’t Reuse Passwords Across Sites
One of the biggest password mistakes is reusing the same credentials across multiple sites or accounts. If that password ever becomes exposed in a data breach, all accounts with the same password become compromised. Unique passwords everywhere are essential.
- Use a Password Manager
Manually generating and remembering strong, unique passwords for every account is extremely challenging. That’s where dedicated password managers like Google Password Manager, 1Password and LastPass come in very handy. These tools securely store strong, random passwords for every site and log you in seamlessly.
Following these simple tips will ensure your online accounts are guarded by robust passwords that thwart cybercriminals. Don’t let weak, repetitive passwords lead to avoidable account takeovers.
The benefits of using a password manager
Here are some of the key benefits of using a password manager:
- Generates and Stores Strong, Unique Passwords
A major advantage of password managers is convenience. These apps randomly generate passwords with the robust length, complexity and uniqueness experts recommend for every account. All these strong credentials are then stored securely as part of the password vault.
- Enables Password Auto-Fill
Password managers can integrate with web browsers and mobile apps, allowing for convenient auto-fill of your login credentials into forms across sites and services. This saves you the hassle of manually typing out long, complex passwords. The best password managers even work offline for continued access.
- Helps Prevent Password Reuse
Since a unique password is generated for every site, password reuse is never an issue. With a robust credential vault, you eliminate this dangerous habit that threatens account security.
- Option for Two-Factor Authentication
Most password managers allow users to enable two-factor authentication as an extra layer of protection on the vault itself. This requires providing another factor like a biometric or one-time code when authenticating. It prevents unauthorized vault access.
- Secure Password Sharing
Many password managers include a password-sharing feature. This allows you to temporarily share individual credentials with other trusted users, rather than revealing the master password. Very helpful for providing logins to friends or family members.
Password managers provide unparalleled convenience and security.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) refers to using more than one method to verify your identity when logging into an account. Where single-factor authentication relies solely on one factor like a password, MFA requires an additional factor for access making account takeovers vastly harder.
The Key Benefits of MFA
The key benefit of implementing MFA everywhere possible is an exponential boost in account security. Requiring an extra layer of identity confirmation beyond just typed credentials ensures that cybercriminals face immense difficulty accessing your accounts even with an exposed password.
How to Enable MFA
Many online services now enable users to switch on MFA as an option for enhanced protection. Common forms of secondary factors include texted one-time passcodes, biometrics like fingerprints or face recognition, USB security keys and Google/Authy app codes that refresh constantly.
For optimal security, enable two-factor authentication on crucial accounts like email, banking, investment, e-commerce and social media. Scan your account settings to determine available MFA options offered then activate accordingly.
Key tip;
if given a choice between texted codes or authenticator app codes pick the latter, given sim swap fraud vulnerabilities.
Committing to universal use of multi-factor authentication may seem slightly burdensome upfront. But spending an hour now activating extra login protections across your online presence could save you from identity theft disasters down the road.
As cybercriminals increasingly target personal data and assets, MFA is one of the best defenses.
Keep Software Up-to-Date
Failing to regularly update the software on your devices and apps leaves you prone to serious cyber threats. Developers constantly release patches to fix vulnerabilities and improve security from the latest attack methods.
Using outdated apps or operating systems where flaws remain unaddressed poses massive risks.
Cybercriminals aggressively scan for vulnerable targets and design customized exploits for unpatched software bugs reported publicly. Prominent cases have shown hackers taking over devices en masse when people overlooked critical software updates for weeks or longer.
How to Stay On Top of Software Updates
You should resolve to promptly install all security software and firmware updates as soon as notifications appear in 2024. On computers and smartphones, enable automatic checking and installation of system updates for convenience.
Periodically check for available updates manually as well – on operation systems, key programs, apps, wifi routers and internet-connected devices. Reboot or reset equipment after major updates.
The few minutes invested regularly to get the latest security patches via updates is insignificant compared to keeping your data, identity and devices shielded from intrusion.
Cybercriminals work diligently probing for weak targets so your defensive efforts must outpace them via ongoing software updates.
Do your part in 2024 to deny them easy access.
Use Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software
With malware and virus attacks dangerously on the rise, having rigorous protective software installed is a must. Cybercriminals distribute malicious code designed to infect devices, steal data, encrypt files for ransom and monitor undetected in the background.
Thankfully robust anti-virus and anti-malware tools are available to block threats and remove infections. Leading solutions like Norton, McAfee and BitDefender leverage heuristic scanning plus large-scale threat intelligence to catch new variants.
How to Choose the Right Software
For home users, reputable free antivirus software like Avast or AVG paired with the built-in Microsoft Defender anti-malware suite offers sufficient coverage.
Businesses should invest in more comprehensive, centrally managed endpoint detection and response tools with advanced AI analytics. Proactive scanning, quarantining and threat hunting capabilities are key.
Using Antivirus Tools Effectively
Beyond installation, ensure definitions stay updated and conduct periodic full system scans to catch any dormant infections.
Research virus outbreak news and exercise caution opening emails, messages and questionable downloads.
Combined with vigilance, advanced anti-virus and anti-malware defences on all devices offer indispensable, multilayered protection from the swelling cyber pandemic.
Be Wary of Phishing Scams
Phishing refers to fraudulent emails, texts, calls and messaging that appear legitimate but aim to steal passwords, data and money. These scams have evolved to cleverly impersonate banks, companies, contacts and governments. They can completely be convincing in branding, urgent tones and personal information to get targets to comply.
How to recognize phishing scams
Recognizing the signs of a phish takes vigilance. You can hover over embedded links to inspect URLs for subtleties, watch for poor grammar or spelling, verify digital signatures on docs, check sender email domains and never provide info to unsolicited requests.
Apply extra scrutiny towards stress-inducing lures of unpaid bills, legal threats or account shutdowns.
Tips for avoiding phishing scams
The most vital phishing prevention tactic is slowing down reaction time and not impulsively clicking. Verify legitimacy through secondary channels before responding or acting via quick searches, direct contact or trying login cross-checks. Reaching out to supposed senders about odd comms also helps expose spoofing.
In summary, remain constantly skeptical of all requests through unexpected vectors. Malicious actors become more and more sophisticated with modes of impersonation so our defensive savvy must stay razor sharp.
Mindfully verifying before providing sensitive info or opening attachments limits phishers’ odds of reeling in victims. Their efforts only relent when success rates dip so make sure their tricks continually fail.
Secure Your Network
The router and network devices like computers, mobile and smart home gadgets in your home comprise an ecosystem. These are systems that cyber attackers aggressively attempt to infiltrate.
Lax default configurations paired with weak wireless encryption standards continue to be common reasons or weaknesses that allow unauthorized access from malicious actors. These malicious actors aim to steal bandwidth, and data and conduct illicit surveillance.
How to secure your network
Refreshing network security begins with changing default admin passwords on the router itself to lengthy, complex credentials. Enable WPA3 Wi-Fi encryption or the strongest flavour offered while disabling outdated varieties like WEP.
For extra protection consider hiding your wireless network name from public view. Evaluate adding more advanced measures like firewalls, VPNs, subnetting and monitoring for larger businesses.
Tips for maintaining network security
Ongoing network hygiene involves methodically applying security patches and firmware updates as released by vendors to counter emerging wireless exploits.
Scan connected devices to purge unnecessary open services, ports and permissions that offer footholds.
Finally, reuse credentials across the network minimally and segregate guest networks completely.
Though frustrating to set up initially solidifying network foundations prevents unsavory activity neatly out of view. Align to leading guidelines, and new standards and monitor traffic levels as part of smart network design and ownership.
Surfacing indications early allows rapid response to shore up vulnerabilities and prevent extensive damage.
Back-Up Your Data
Among the most devastating and traumatic cyber events is ransomware. This is where crucial files and folders are encrypted until families or businesses pay up. Even with encryption cracking tools and law enforcement assistance only 3 in 10 victims recover their original data.
However, those aided by recent backups endure limited disruption.
As incidents accelerate, comprehensive, redundant data backups should represent one of your very first cyber priorities entering 2024.
Where exactly should important personal and work data be backed up? The recommended destinations include;
- Physical external drives,
- Secured cloud storage services like Dropbox, one drive or Google Drive
- Private backup solutions like acronis, carbonite and backblaze.
To determine backup needs take inventory across household members and business departments detailing these; key file locations, sizes, sensitivity levels and retention duration.
This assists in designing fail-safe recurring copy jobs to selected destinations. The essence is to restore Noble folders, which proves seamless if disasters strike. Many tools automate scheduled backup workflows for ease. Be sure to actively test actually restoring from backups too periodically.
With hackers aggressively wielding data destruction and denial through ransomware, make sure your backup foundations stay consistently up-to-date.
Only those who proactively safeguard precious memories and pivotal company information can defy the demands of cyber extortionists and sleep soundly if misfortune befalls them. Get started fortifying your preparations today.
How to backup your data using cloud, External drives
Here are details on how to back up your data using cloud storage services and external drives:
How to Back Up Data to Cloud Services
- Sign up for a secure cloud backup provider like Backblaze, IDrive or Acronis with adequate storage for your needs.
- Download and install the backup software application on each computer holding important data.
- Configure the details – choose file types, folders, schedule and opt for continuous backups to catch edits.
- Run initial full backup uploads to the cloud which may take hours or days depending on total size and internet speeds.
- Ongoing incremental backups will sync only new changes to the cloud much quicker in line with the set schedule.
How to Back Up Data to External Drives
- Purchase one or more external hard drives with double or higher capacity than the data needing backup. Solid-state drives are the fastest.
- Connect the external drives via USB, Thunderbolt or SATA ports using included cables and power up.
- Use the built-in backup utilities in Windows, Mac or Linux to schedule recurring copy jobs of key files and folders.
- For multi-PC backups, attach each computer according to the chosen rotation to capture all source data periodically.
- Store at minimum one drive offsite like a bank safe deposit box to protect from physical disasters.
Leverage the combined convenience, security and reliability of layered cloud and external drive backups.
The Benefits of Cloud Storage Backups
Backing up data to secure, reputable cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive provides unique advantages including:
- Accessibility from anywhere with the internet
- Data mirrored across multiple resilient servers
- Version history – restore previous drafts
- Some free storage amounts included
- Advanced authentication options
Combined with local external hard drive backups, cloud data backups provide versatile redundancy. Just be sure to use reliable providers that offer robust privacy, permissions and cybersecurity to safeguard backups against remote data breaches.
Adding regular cloud data backups to traditional external hard drive processes covers more restore scenarios across both on-premise and off-site data repositories. This multi-layered approach delivers ideal insurance should disaster strike.
Conclusion
Commit to upholding your Cyber Security New Year Resolutions For 2024 and spread the word so together we construct barriers too daunting for criminals to penetrate. Here’s to a more secure digital landscape this coming year!
