3 Ways to Prevent Cybercrime
Cybercrime has always been an ongoing threat. You may think that the only form of cybercrime to worry about is cybercriminals stealing your financial information, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case. There are far more concerns than just basic financial ones. It’s a good idea to know how to recognise cyberthreats, which can be the first step in helping to protect yourself and your data.
What is cybercrime?
Cybercrime is any criminal activity that involves a computer, a networked device, or a network. While most cybercrimes are carried out in order to generate profit for the cybercriminals, some are carried out directly against computers or devices in order to damage or disable them. Others use computers or networks to spread malware, illegal information, images, or other materials.
The UK had the highest number of cybercrime victims per million internet users at 4783 in 2022 – up 40% over 2020 figures. The most common cybercrimes in the UK include:
- Hacking – including of social media and email passwords.
- Phishing – bogus emails asking for security information and personal details, and emails from colleagues can happen – give them a call if in doubt.
- Malicious software – including ransomware through which criminals hijack files and hold them to ransom.
Here are our top tips to keep yourself safe from these events.
1) Download a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN is extremely beneficial in the fight against cybercrime. You may wonder how a VPN can protect you from cyberattacks, but when you use a VPN, it encrypts your data traffic and essentially makes you invisible to anyone else in the network. This means hackers can’t steal your information because they can’t access it in the first place. On top of a VPN, you also need software such as antivirus programs, ad blockers, and firewalls. Use software made by trusted names in cybersecurity. While you may need to shell out money for these products, it’s a small price to pay in the name of online security.
2) Create strong passwords.
Choosing strong, unique passwords is one of the simplest ways you can prevent online attacks, however, a lot of users still neglect it. Create a strong and unique password by utilising different letters both uppercase and lowercase, numbers, and even special characters. It is also ideal that you go beyond the minimum number of characters required by whichever system you are creating the password for.
3) Update your devices.
By regularly updating your computer, smartphone, tablet, or any other device you’re using, you can stop hackers from exploiting any bugs or security flaws that may have been present prior to the update. Although updating your devices won’t protect you from cybercrime completely, it’s necessary if you want to keep your information safe.
It can be difficult to know where to begin when it comes to protecting your business from cybercrime and cyberattacks, but by following these simple precautions, you can prevent becoming a victim of cybercrime.
We are the UK’s leading cybercrime insurance brokers in the UK, and we work with leading cyber insurance experts, to make sure your business gets the bespoke cover it requires. If you would like to get a quote for cyber insurance, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team on 01743 770500 or you can email us on quotes@1stchoiceinsurance.co.uk.
