How Can We Protect Ourselves from Cybercrime?

Cybercrime is a real threat to most businesses and individuals today. If you or your company uses computers and the internet, you're at risk of numerous digital threats. Fortunately, there are ways you can protect yourself from cybercrime.

A local independent insurance agent can help you or your business get set up with all the protection you need against cybercrime. If you're a business owner, they'll ensure you get equipped with a complete business insurance policy that includes cyber liability insurance. But first, use our guide to learn several ways to prevent cybercrime and keep yourself or your business safe.

What Is Cybercrime?

When learning how to protect yourself from cybercrime, it's helpful to first understand what you need to guard against. Cybercrime refers to criminal activity that uses or targets a computer, computer network, or a networked device. 

These crimes are committed by hackers and other cybercriminals who have a certain target or goal in mind, which is often money. In some cases, cybercriminals have a different personal or political motivation behind their illegal activities.

How Do We Protect Ourselves from Cybercrime?

Cybercrime can be an expensive hassle for businesses and individuals. If a business is affected by a data breach, its customers may be at risk of identity theft, credit card fraud, and other threats. 

That's why it's critical to learn how to avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime before it ever occurs. Fortunately, there are several practical steps you can take to guard your business or personal computer system. 

Top 5 Cybercrime Prevention Tips

Use our guide to learn the best ways to avoid cybercrime. Following these tips can help you avoid several consequences of cybercrime, such as identity theft, a PR scandal, and hefty payouts to affected parties.

1. Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication

Strong passwords are a crucial component of online security, helping to protect against cybercrime. Each of your online accounts should have a unique, strong password to increase your security. Resist the urge to reuse the same password across multiple websites or accounts. 

When creating a strong password, be sure to use at least 15 characters and a blend of letters, numbers, and symbols. This greatly reduces the risk of your password being found out by a malicious party, like a hacker. 

Additionally, whenever possible, enable two-factor authentication (2FA). This security feature provides extra protection for your accounts by requiring the user to provide a second form of verification after entering the correct password. Using 2FA can be especially helpful for protecting bank accounts and other sensitive and personal data.

2. Strengthen your home network

When asking how to protect yourself from hackers and cybercrime, your home network is your first line of defense. Be sure to follow these safe internet browsing tips:

• Create a strong Wi-Fi router password: Your router must also have a strong, unique password to prevent hackers from accessing your network.
• Keep your router updated: Regularly update your router's firmware to patch holes in security.
• Use the strongest security available: Be sure to enable the strongest wireless security protocol, which is usually WPA3, to keep your wireless connection as secure as possible.
• Use a VPN: Using a VPN is one of the most straightforward steps to protect your personal data online. A VPN allows you to encrypt internet traffic and secure the data you receive and send, whether it's from within your own Wi-Fi network or outside of it.

When learning how to stay protected from online threats, consider all the places your security could be breached while browsing. This often starts with your router.

3. Regularly update your software

Antivirus and firewall protection are great ways to keep yourself secure on the internet. However, these tools are only helpful as long as you keep them updated. 

Antivirus software and firewalls regularly need updates and patches. You can keep cybercriminals at bay by staying up to date with the latest version of all software, operating systems, antivirus programs, and apps. That way, hackers won't be able to use any vulnerabilities in outdated software to their advantage to find a way in.

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4. Protect your personal information online

When learning how to protect your online identity from cyber criminals, you'll find that sharing less personal information can work greatly to your benefit. Avoiding oversharing or providing sensitive data on social media is one of the key phishing prevention tips many experts advise. This practice can help you secure your digital identity and prevent identity theft online because cybercriminals won't have easy access to the clues they need for a phishing attack, such as details that would allow them to guess answers to your security questions.

Limiting what you share publicly is a huge factor in your personal cybersecurity. You can also use professional services to remove your personal information from the internet. Cybercriminals can use your phone number, old addresses, and other personal details to impersonate you and gain access to sensitive accounts, such as your online banking or social media.

5. Stay updated on major security breaches

Cybercrime protection can be made much easier when you stay informed about recent major security breaches, such as at a retail chain you've shopped at within the past year or so. If you see news about a security breach that may have affected you, act immediately if you think your personal information could have been compromised. 

Find out what information could have been exposed, such as your personal data or credit card numbers. Change all your passwords right away and monitor your credit accounts for any signs of identity theft. You'll also want to enable 2FA for any accounts that may have been compromised to improve your chances of staying safe after a data breach.

Here's How an Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

When you're ready to protect your home network or business against losses related to cybercrime and data breaches, no one's better equipped to help than a local independent insurance agent. These agents have access to multiple insurance companies, so they're free to shop and compare cyber liability insurance quotes and policy options for you to find the right protection at the best rate. And down the road, your agent can help you file claims or update your coverage as necessary.