October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the United States (or Cyber Security Month in Europe) and we’ve never been so aware of the need for cybersecurity. Since the start of last October, we’ve seen massive DDoS attacks, including one that took parts of the Internet offline by targeting Internet infrastructure; countless data breaches, with nearly 2 billion records lost or stolen in just the first half of 2017; and a virulent case of ransomware which crippled the systems of major companies, healthcare providers, and average users. The seriousness of the cyber threats facing us is clear, but what isn’t clear to most are the solutions.
We all play a role in making the Internet more secure. And each of us have to take action if we want to be safer, our privacy to be better protected, and the opportunities enabled by the Internet to grow. This month, take a few small steps to make the Internet more secure. Even small actions, if done by many, can have a big impact.
To start, take the time to update your devices and software. Running updates is one of the easiest actions you can take. Updates can patch vulnerabilities, making it harder for someone to compromise your system – making you, and everyone else online, a whole lot safer.
For more actions to make you and others more secure online see our blogs: Shield & Sword – 10 tips to protect yourself online and Five Steps You Can Take Right Now To Increase Your Privacy.