Security 101 : How to protect yourself in the virtual world

Cyber crime is like climate change. Everyone reads about it ; some are mildly concerned, some skeptical, a few others paranoid. But at the end of the day, the majority convince themselves that they won't be a victim of either. Sadly, like John Oliver explains here, we cannot have an opinion on facts, and the debate should not be on whether it exists, or if it will affect us, but what we should do about it.

The stats are here for all to see - The estimated annual cost to the global economy from cybercrime is more than $400 billion. More than 600,000 Facebook accounts are compromised everyday. Anywhere between 12 & 18 victims every second - You could fill Old Trafford stadium more than ten times.

As the avenues for data storage, data access and the devices used for these purposes increase, so do the accompanying threats. Attackers are always on the lookout and will take advantage of any momentary lapse on our side.

I've compiled a few basic tips on how to secure ourselves on the cyberspace. While this is by no means an exhaustive list or a fool-proof one, it is definitely a guideline to thwart the routine threats.


1. Passwords - 

One of the easiest ways by which information is compromised is by not setting secure/complex passwords. We tend to choose weak and easily predictable ones. The reasons for this are obvious -

a) We are forgetful. We go with the easy option of "name+birthday+birth year+special characters", instead of setting a complex one and then having to go through the "forgot password" routine.

b) We have a lot of different accounts - email, social media, banking, work etc. Keeping track of all these passwords is cumbersome, and hence, we choose convenience over safety. Given the number of rules in place for setting a password on any account nowadays, we heave a sigh of relief once we manufacture the holy grail - "one password fits all".

However, these are of huge significance. How difficult would it be for an attacker to predict your password, if he knows these details about you?

"Do I write down all my passwords in some place then?" NO.

There are a lot of free tools available online. I recommend KeePass. It is an open source password manager, which helps you manage passwords in a secure way. And you just need to remember one "master password", in order to access the other ones. Give it a try. Don't be lazy.


2. Google yourself -

Not to see how popular you are. But to notice the details about you anyone in this world has access to just by googling your name. You'd be surprised at what you uncover.

Are you comfortable with the information about you that's out there- your mobile number, your house address, the place you last visited, or if you're planning to take a trip abroad? That old pinterest account you signed up for but hardly used? Delete it. Getting reward mails everyday because you once got a discount? Deactivate that account. Unsubscribe from useless email lists.

This extends to what you share on social media as well. Make sure your privacy settings are in order, and only the people whom you intend to share information, are able to view it.

3. Take care of your mobile devices -

While there is an increased awareness of secure practices when we use our desktop computer/laptop, the same doesn't translate to our hand-held devices like mobiles or tablets. For example, almost everyone would have an antivirus installed on their personal computers, but not on their mobile devices. We don't log off from apps/websites as we would on a desktop, nor do we think twice before downloading/uploading content on them or storing data on them (credit card information, passwords).

What's worse is the risk associated with mobile devices is higher, considering they are easily lost/stolen and are more susceptible to attacks, when accessing content on public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

I use an app  called Thief Tracker, which captures a photograph of a potential thief trying to unlock your mobile device, and sends you an email. There are plenty of free antivirus apps available as well, I like Avira. Also, avoid shopping or banking transactions when you are on a public network.


4. Spam -

E-mail spam filters have had tremendous improvement in recent years, with remarkable accuracy and very less false negatives. Spammers, though, have turned their attention to social media, and related content. We sign into many apps using our social media accounts, and are caught red-faced and unawares when the app posts content on your behalf, enticing your friends to click on them as well.

There is also another form of attack known as Clickjacking, which occurs quite often when we are redirected to websites away from Facebook/Google+. Ever noticed when you try to click on a play button on a video, it opens up a lot of tabs insteead? (Yes, I'm talking to you streamhunter and stream-tv users). Even if you are sharp-eyed enough to spot the tiny "X" mark, to close those hidden frames, it is a bit of a challenge to actually close it, especially if you're on a portable device.

However there is an easy way to get the hidden frames to surface. Just bookmark the link given here and run it on any suspicious page and Tada! The sneaky rats come out.

Again, take a look at your privacy settings and log out of any app which uses your permission when it shouldn't. And remember, no one will give you a free iPhone or a mobile recharge.



I might have missed out on a few other things , but I think these are essential for any user. Ultimately it boils down to how proactive you are in keeping yourself and your data secure. Give the attacker sleepless nights, instead of having them yourselves. And do not dismiss this post, like you do with every other article.