Covid-19 has brought lot of changes in our lives forcing us to live in a way which we did not wish ever. I was never comfortable wearing a mask before, unfortunately wearing mask is mandatory when you go out of your house. I had to do to avoid hefty fines and possible jail sentence. As I am forced to wear it on, I got used to wearing it on without any itchy sensation and suffocation I used to have before. Similar to this, there are so much negligence in our habits using computers, phones or other smart devices. Similar to the habits that I adapted to ensure my health; I am putting an effort to maintain good habits to cyber security hygiene.
Protect Your password - While new contact less authentication techniques are ready to see a near future of with no passwords, we have to follow the simple rules
Change the default passwords immediately – E.g. When you have a new modem installed in your home
Strong Password – Yes, I know the pain., we have to ensure it is hard to guess or crack by brute force attack. Some tricks are
Use a phrase and incorporate shortcut codes or acronyms
Avoid writing password on sticky notes.
Avoid auto saving username and password which you set it for the sake of your laziness
Teach your brain to remember not the computer or google.
If forgotten we have the option of resetting.
Use Multi factor authentication to login that enables you to verify code that you receive on your phone.
Keep changing password regularly if you can manage to do so.
USB stick : An Ambush
Do not use USB stick you found somewhere, as plugging such USB stick in your device can inject keystrokes and run malicious scripts at background letting hackers to access your devices and network.
Please note that even antivirus tools fail to detect and block the USB stick because it will be recognised as a keyboard or mouse.
If You Find A USB Stick DO NOT Use It: Beware of the Rubber Ducky Attack we can accidentally install scary malware on our computers. It is called Rubber Ducky Attack, and it is more serious than it sounds. It comes in the form of a USB stick. Know more details about it.
Here I have provided a few tips to stay safe against cyber-attacks, I strongly recommend you to change the bad cyber hygiene habits and normalise good cyber hygiene habits in the same way we made wearing masks as a normal part of our daily lives to keep ourselves and community safe from corona virus transmission.