Our top eight cyber security tips

Our IT systems are central to our business operations and personal lives, but we can often take them for granted.

Not only that, there are constantly threats to our cyber security so it’s vital to be vigilant at all times and to take simple steps to protect our identity, our data and – most likely – our money. Here are our top eight tips to help increase your levels of cyber security:

1 Updates

It’s important to keep your tech up-to-date, primarily because whether it’s software or hardware, any updates that are issued will almost always include security fixes.

2 Anti-virus

We recommend using paid antivirus software, such as ESET, and keeping it up-to-date, and we can advise on this to ensure that you have the best protection on the market.

3 Emails

If an email drops into your inbox and just doesn’t look right, resist the temptation to click anything and instead hover over the links/pictures contained in it and see if the web address (URL) that it’s taking you to looks genuine. If the email looks suspicious there’s a likelihood that any links within it will be malicious. Also check which email address was used to send it to you because spoofing is now very common.

4 Passwords

Don’t duplicate and re-use your passwords. If you only really know one password, utilise a password manager such as Keeper. Good passwords will often include symbols, numbers and a combination of upper and lower case characters, but you can make an equally strong and memorable password by using three random words with a symbol in between, for example. You can also put a password in brackets if you’d like your two symbols to be easy to remember.

5 Router

This is slightly more technical, but it’s a good idea to change your router admin password from the default. If your router details are visible on the reverse of the casing, avoid placing it on a window sill for the world to see.

6 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

If you travel a lot or you occasionally need to work from public areas which are connected to public WiFi such as cafés, libraries or serviced offices, consider using a VPN such as ExpressVPN. That way your details won’t be shared.

7 Back-ups

We recommend using the backup 1-2-3 practice to ensure you never lose your data, regardless of the scenario:

1. Back up to a device that’s kept on site
2. Back up to a device that’s taken away from site
3. Use a cloud back-up solution

8 Restarts

It’s a good idea – and its kinder to your computer – to restart it on a regular basis. By default, Windows will not power down fully, which means that a shutdown doesn’t necessarily mean the computer is ‘off’. A regular restart will ensure that your computer is running at its best, with the added benefit that updates will also install at these times.

While this might all sound daunting, there’s no need to panic. At TBM we offer cyber security consultancy and IT support in Newmarket, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds.

To request a no-obligation quotation, please call us on 01638 665240, send us an email or complete our enquiry form.