4 Steps To Greater Computer Security

As businesses and individuals become more dependent on computers and the Internet, cybercrime has become an increasingly big problem. Hackers and cyber criminals are more threatening than ever and they can seriously damage your computer system, disrupt your network and steal all your data. 

There are many steps to ensure computer security, and in this article, we will focus on four steps that will help you to enhance and protect your network and computer security.

1. Patching

Cybercriminals are masters at exploiting vulnerable points, also known as bugs, from old software that was installed on a computer. This is one of the most common ways that computers are hacked, and it is also the reason major companies pay a lot of money for IT specialists to find any flaw in their system. These specialists identify gaps in security and patch them up before a cybercriminal can take advantage of them. 

Usually, a business’s IT provider will ensure updates and patches are done as soon as they are released to prevent any cyber attack. If you are an individual user or a home business owner without an IT provider, you can simply turn on Automatic Updates for your software in the settings option; this will make sure that all software is kept up to date. 

2. Data Transmission Protection via VPN

When your system’s network is connected to the Internet, your systems face the risk of being exposed to a potential attack. It is important to do your research and find the most secure VPN as this can help enhance your computer security as it creates an encrypted and safer connection. This means that it encrypts data at the sending end and decrypts it at the receiving end, thereby protecting data transmission to a far greater extent than a normal connection. 

VPNs also encrypt the originating and receiving network addresses, thus enhancing security for online activities. You can use one of the top 10 best VPN services to access websites that are restricted by location to increase your access to online content. VPNs also allow remote employees to connect to their company’s software applications, but first the user will need to be authorized to use the private network app so that they can login using passwords or security tokens.

3. User Access and Awareness

Every user must play an important role in any organization’s security. Any mishap from a user can expose the organization’s network to great risks. It is so important to ensure that all your users are educated and aware of potential cyber risks, the correct procedures to take, and who to contact when they suspect they are at risk of a cyber attack

At the same time, the system administrator must make sure that users are granted enough system privileges and data access rights. They should not have access to more than what they need because if they become victim to a cyber attack, the hackers can exploit their access rights to obtain more information and destroy the system. That’s why users should only be granted with what is often referred to as “least privilege”.

For users, it’s also important that they create a strong password with two-factor authentication, and never reveal it to anyone. Two-factor authentication makes it almost impossible for hackers to gain access to your account and system because even if they could crack your first password, they won’t be able to access the second device with your second log-in verification. In short, two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security to your account, and also to your system. 

4. Virus and Malware Prevention

Getting a computer virus is never fun nor easy to fix. Malware is the same. Malware is short for malicious software, which is any code or content that maliciously impacts your system and devices. Malware can be disguised in an email or a link that is sent to the employees, hence the chance of people opening such a link or email is very high and exposes your system to security risks. 

That’s why the must-have first step for every network computer and device is to install a trustworthy antivirus and anti-malware program, keep them up-to-date, and run regular scheduled scans. This will help protect your systems and detect any possible virus or malware that has infected a computer in the network. It also helps when companies develop and implement appropriate policies to raise user awareness and reduce the risk of getting a virus or malware. 

System security is key to ensure your data safety and your business’s smooth operations. By regularly patching, protecting data through VPN, enhancing user security and awareness, and running anti-virus/malware scan, you are taking great steps towards protecting your computer and network from any possible cybercrime.