1. Do not open any emails that are from someone you don’t know.
This is your #1 rule to stick to!
2. If you feel secure with an email or curious enough to want to open it, do not click on any links in the email.
That’s rule #2 and stick to that – You will notice grammatical errors and huge hyperlinks in most bogus emails, simply hover your mouse over the link to see but DO NOT CLICK!
3. NEVER store any password(s) on your computer!
Yes, I know it’s hard to remember 20 something passwords, it might be hard for you to type your password each time you check your email, maybe 7 times per day, but this rule is worth being strict.
Hackers love to check your keystrokes, and most email clients have a key-stroke logger. Hackers often have a key-stroke logger recorder, this will download your past keystrokes instantly, and within 10 seconds of hacking your computer, their key-stroke logger can start to analyse your patterns. This means they will get your screen names and passwords etc. To guard against this, be diligent in not visiting any new websites you aren’t familiar with.
4. Curiosity doesn’t only kill the cat but will kill your device! Potentially your business!
Don’t be curious! Never visit a hacker’s site! The most likely consequence is they gather lots of information from your computer, the most destructive result is a complete loss of business!
I know it’s hard to distinguish which sites are best to visit but you need to be very selective. Don’t be curious, don’t go to a site that has your product unless you know it’s a safe site or you really need the product.
When you visit web areas not known to you, you are opening up your computer to, or inviting, these phishing expeditions. Also, going to uncommon websites can cause you to receive more emails with phishing links included that you should not be clicking on, as they track your online movements with their cookies.
5. Be sure to back up all your personal data (in the cloud, for example) if you want to keep it.
A hacker can destroy your computer after phishing or hacking and you may have lots to lose…
If you would like to know more about how to protect your business or would like to arrange an IT Review on the health of your systems, please get in touch.