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With the increased dependency on computers, smartphones and tablets, cyber security has gained considerable importance for business firms in Dallas, TX. Hackers are continually using viruses, spyware, phishing, malvertizing and other attack vectors to gain access to an organization’s sensitive information. Though implementing a cyber security policy is important, employees should also be proactive and comply with the company’s risk management strategy.

Listed below are some cyber security do’s and don’ts that need to be followed:

Do’s

• Follow Good Password Practices: Make sure you create strong and hard-to-guess passwords for all your official accounts. It should be of 6 to 10 characters comprising a combination of alphabets, numbers and symbols. Create different passwords for all your official accounts and do not share them with anyone.
• Stay Vigilant Against Phishing Scams: Do not open emails or download attachments you receive from unknown senders. Hackers often send spam emails, claiming to be from a legitimate source, with an aim of tricking users to execute a file or visit a fake URL. If you receive any such email, you must delete it and inform the IT division of your organization.
• Protect Your Information: Keep all the important data and files protected with regular backup on an external hard drive. Personal, financial as well as other sensitive information should be stored in an encrypted format. Thus, even in the event of a data breach, the hackers will not be able to decode the information.

Don’ts    

• Leave Your Computer Unlocked: You should lock your computer system whenever you leave your seat. This is important to make sure your files and email accounts are protected against unauthorized access.
• Download Unnecessary Software: Avoid downloading and installing unrequired software on your computer, particularly from third party sources. These may contain a malicious code to infect your system and can steal, modify or delete confidential information. Always download software that is licensed and released by legitimate vendors.
• Plug In Portable Devices: Do not plug in any removable media, such as hard disk, CD or pen drive, without the permission of the IT department. These devices may contain malware and infect your computer system upon connecting. Make sure you run a thorough scan to detect and remove any virus in these devices.

We, at Centex Technologies, provide cyber security solutions to business firms across Dallas, TX. For more information, feel free to call us at (972) 375 – 9654.

Web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge should be configured securely in order to protect against cyber-attacks. Failing to do so may lead to various computer problems including installation of a malicious spyware or making your computer system vulnerable to a data breach.

Here are some tips to secure your web browser against attacks:

• Keep Your Browser Updated: You must frequently update your web browser to patch any security vulnerabilities. You can either enable automatic updates or regularly check for newer versions of the browsers you use. Make sure you download software updates from credible sources only.
• Block Third-Party Cookies: Though cookies are important to run various web-based applications, hackers can use them for malicious purposes. Disabling cookies from all websites may hamper your internet browsing experience. However, you should update your browser’s settings to block third-party cookies and prevent hackers from tracking your online activity.
• Enable Click-To-Play Plugins: Enabling click-to-play plugins option in your web browser will help to save your computer’s battery power and CPU cycles. It will also reduce the loading time of websites on the browser. As you restrict the plugins to run automatically, the hackers will not be able to exploit minor security flaws in your web browser.
• Turn On Popup Blockers: Pop-ups not only impede your web browsing experience but can also inadvertently download and install malware or use social engineering to make the user click on a spam website link. You should make sure that you enable pop-up blocker in your web browser.
• Delete Unused Plugins: Uninstall any plugins that you do not use. For instance, Java and Microsoft’s Silverlight are not used by many websites and can be uninstalled. If needed, you can re-install a plugin any time if you come across a website that needs it.
• Disable Auto-Fill Feature: The auto-fill or autocomplete feature saves your search terms, financial information and login credentials for different websites. Enabling this feature can pose a serious risk if your laptop is stolen or infected with malicious software by cyber criminals.
• Use Browser Extensions Carefully: Though extensions can help to personalize your browsing experience, they can also be potentially dangerous if not used cautiously. Certain malicious extensions can capture your keystrokes, track online activity, insert spam advertizements into web pages etc. As far as possible, try to limit the number of browser extensions that you need.

For more tips on securing your web browser against attacks, you can contact Centex Technologies at (972) 375 – 9654.