2014 is sure to be a watershed year for individuals and small business when it comes to internet security and privacy. The entire internet is now infected, and the most vulnerable of those online are the ones square in the bullseye of the worst form of cyber-criminals.
This post is meant to be a guide to help think through the process of immunizing yourself and those around you from the rapidly increasing risks associated with the use of our everyday technology. 2014 may be the last year in which you, your family and your small business, have the opportunity to circle-the-wagons and position yourself to be in control of your digital assets and effectively protect from the risks associated with online activities.
1) Secure Your Computers, Smartphones & Tablets
This includes desktops, laptops, mobile phones and all “end-user” devices.2) Protect Yourself When on the Internet
Usually at least 2 or 3 stages including home and public wi-fi’s, local internet service provider and the Internet backbone.
3) Own & Control Your Personal Email Account
This includes attachments, the email message content, the IP address and the metadata attached to your email.
4) Backup & Lock-down Your Data Storage
The data on your local hard-drive as well as cloud and
external disks need to be protected and backed-up.
The risks of not being protected are many but include:
•Losing
all of your data
•Being
spied on
•Financial
fraud
•Identity
theft
•Physical
harm
•Extortion
•Reputational
risk
•Loss
of the irreplaceable
Now, for some detail around each component to
Complete Online Security and Privacy in 2014:
Component #1 - Secure Your Computers, Smartphones & Tablets
- This includes desktops, laptops, mobile phones and any device that connects to the internet.
- Every one of your devices contains significant information and data that is valuable to you and others.
- You want to control and protect everything that comes in and everything that goes out of your devices.
- Securing your computer, mobile phone and tablet is an essential part of online security and should be a priority in your effort to protect yourself from outside harm and system failures.
Component #2 - Protect Yourself When on the Internet
- Banking, shopping, surfing, browsing, social media and anything you do when on the internet.
- There are usually at least 3 stages to an internet connection, you must protect from each of them.
- Home and public Wi-Fi networks
- Local internet service provider
- Internet backbone
Component #3 - Own & Control Your Personal Email Account
- To be secure, you must protect attachments, the content of the email message itself, the IP address and the metadata attached to your email.
- Most people are unaware at the quantity and level of detail that is available in a typical email as it travels across the internet to it’s destination.
- Metadata is considered, by many, to contain enough information to put you under surveillance by another.
Component #4 - Backup & Lock-down Your Data Storage
- Hard-drives, external disks and cloud–based data storage needs to be protected from theft and backed-up for redundancy.
What You Can do to Get Back in Control of Your Digital Life
• Be
Aware, Take Action – If you are aware and informed you
will realize the best decision you can make for 2014 in terms of value,
risk/reward and long-term results, is to secure yourself and those that matter
to you, from what would otherwise be almost certain harm from online activity.
• Use
the Very Effective Solutions That are Available To You – Today, the
protection that is available at incredibly affordable prices works very well
and effectively mitigates almost all of the risks and probabilities of a
problem. Properly implemented and maintained, these solutions require virtually
no work on your part and does not impact your computers performance.
• Think
of Your Security as a Service, and Not a Product – There is no final destination or a “set-it & forget it” when it comes to any type of security, especially digital security. The rate of change in technology and the evolvement of online threats, coupled with the increasing value to our digital assets, demands constant vigilance and immediate adaptation.
• Protect
From Governments, Companies, Criminals and Creeps- Remember, if you aren’t paying for the product (Gmail, Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, etc.), you are the product. Your information and data is so valuable today that these characters will be endlessly relentless in their quest to steal it from you. Protect yourself and be in control of all your digital assets, much of it is irreplaceable and includes the things you most value.
• Protect All 4 of the Components That Connect Your Digital Life – A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. Unfortunately there is not one universal solution for the vast set of risks and problems we address in the use of our technology. The good news is that there is a way to manage these 4 components and it is not expensive or difficult.
• Use
Good Judgment With Passwords – None of us is designed well to remember many passwords, much less complex ones. Unless you are a savant, it’s foolish to think otherwise and risk serious loss. For the moment the only way to deal effectively with our online environment is with a password manager. They are cheap, if not “free”, and are getting easier to use almost every day. Be deliberate in your strategy with passwords as they need to be long, complex, encrypted and backed-up, & synced across all your devices. Finally, should be included in your overall estate plan for smooth and secure inheritance by your beneficiary.
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