
Jon Caplan, a Past-President of our Rotary Club, described categories of Internet hacking: Obtaining your bank account access, placing Ransomware (crippling your data access and extorting payment from you to get it back), and Botnets (placing hidden Internet-connected malware on your computer to remotely steal your data, send spam, or perform Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) attacks, using thousands of captured malware-infected computers to flood and overload the resources of an Internet target). (It’s a nasty world out there!) These attacks are becoming more sophisticated every year. Jon recommends the following steps to protect yourself:
- Backup your data, and don’t let it live at home where it may still be vulnerable to loss or damage; automate it with “Carbonite”, “iDrive”, etc (“Cloud” backup software to protect your personal & business data from common forms of data loss), and just do it frequently, even with a USB device.
- Manage your passwords. Don’t reuse previous passwords. Use a password manager (such as “LastPass”), and consider using 2-Factor Authentication for increased security (for example, the system you are accessing triggers an automated call to your cell phone to verify that it’s really you).
- Don’t trust email: Check the actual sender and don’t click on Internet hotlinks from emails.
- Update your software. Don’t neglect software update notices from your software providers, who try to keep up with new hacking threats.
- Reduce your risk: Delete unneeded emails & files, and avoid strange websites.
- Use an antivirus program: Jon recommends “Windows Defender” which is very good & free. Other antivirus programs may not be needed, but you should run “Malwarebytes” to clean viruses and malware from your device.
- Don’t trust anyone who “calls you”. The IRS doesn’t call! Your car warranty isn’t expiring! Do you even have a grandson? (Let alone a relative who “needs urgent bail money to get out of jail!”)