How To Avoid Being Hacked

Are you afraid or have you been hacked? Don't worry, follow these tips so you can avoid getting hacked.

Hacker attacks in cyberspace occur every day without you knowing. They attack in various forms, from stealing personal data to fully controlling your device. Technically, everything connected to the internet can be hacked. Unfortunately, some people are not very aware of hacker attacks, and may realize it too late if their devices have been hacked. This is because hacker attacks are usually difficult to detect. Understanding what cybercrime is and how hacker attacks can occur, is the basic knowledge needed to protect your own personal data. Here are some things you can do to avoid being hacked in order to protect yourself and your data from hacker attacks.

1.    Be suspicious of incoming emails

Many malicious cyberattacks are launched through simple email campaigns. So, it would be nice to see or check the contents of the email first. Read carefully to avoid phishing links. Through phishing links, hackers will send an innocent-looking emails to victims, then victims will be redirected to the fake websites which asking them to update their personal information.

2.    Check the location of the link

Be aware of unknown messages that contain links to certain sites, especially unknown ones. Be careful not to be fooled by links from fake websites, hackers usually change some letters but still look similar if not examined carefully, such as the letter O which is replaced by the number 0, or the letter l (Lowercase L) which is replaced by the letter I (Uppercase i) and so on. Surfing to unknown websites can have consequences such as falling victim to phishing scams, getting infected with malware, and so on. Encrypted sites are the safest to visit, recognizable by the presence of HTTPS in the URL and the padlock icon in your browser.

3.    Don't open random attachments (unless you're sure)

Another way for hackers to attack is by sending files containing malicious code or viruses to victims through attachments in emails or other chat applications. Make sure you know who sent the attachment, whether it's a friend, coworker, or others. Don't download attachments carelessly from suspicious people, especially if the file extensions are Word, PDF, APK, and .EXE.

4.    Use security applications

Use a security application to scan your device for any viruses that may be present. Make sure to scan regularly, and always update the version of the security application.

5.    Use official software or applications from trusted sources

Pirated software or from unknown sources has a high risk of having malware, viruses, and so on. Therefore, make sure to use official applications from trusted sources to reduce the risk of malicious app installation.

6.    Check App permissions

When installing an application on a smartphone, there will definitely appear an App Permissions dialog that contains information on what access is given to the application. always check what access permissions are given and make sure the application does not access unnecessary information. For example, the app you installed is drawing, but the app requests access to your phone contacts, so you should be suspicious.

7.    Use a strong password and always keep it safe

Use strong passwords for your accounts. If possible, use a different password for each account. This will make it more difficult for hackers to guess your password. You can also check the following post "How To Keep Password Safe" to find out things about keeping passwords.

8.    Update the application regularly

On both desktop and mobile, apps that are not updated or are older versions are more vulnerable to hacking, as hackers can infiltrate through exploited bugs. Although sometimes there are annoying changes after update, such as a different UI, but this is much better than the risk of your data being widely spread, you just have to be patient and adapt. So, if there is a notification about the latest update, always update as soon as possible. Also avoid rooting your Android, or jailbreaking your iOS, as your system will be more vulnerable to hacking.

9.    Always take care of your device

Take care of your smartphone by installing or turning on the 2 Factor Authentication feature, and locking each application using a password or PIN. This aims to add extra security, and so that your data or account is not misused if your smartphone is lost. Turn off features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and others when not in use. Because without you realizing it, hacker attacks can also occur via these networks that are turned on continuously. So, make sure your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and other network is disabled when not in use. For PCs, you can enable Full Disk Encryption (FDE). FDE is a method of encrypting the hard drive in such a way that all data on the drive is always encrypted without the use of third-party encryption solutions. With FDE, all your data on your PC will remain safe even if it is lost or stolen.

10. Clear browsing history

With browsing history, hackers can find out how your habits and patterns in using the internet. Therefore, it's a good idea to delete browsing history data, not forgetting the cookies and cache.