Cyberattacks are becoming as common as Monday morning snooze battles. As per Forbes, the number of victims affected by cyber-attacks in 2023 was as high as 343 million. This number saw an exponential surge of a whopping 72% between 2021 and 2023.
As AI is becoming a major part of mainstream user experience, this number is expected to double in 2024. Voice scams, data scraping frauds, phishing attacks, password stealing, identity theft, dashboard access, and online email cons, there are so many cyber issues that most people are not even aware of.
Who is at risk, you might ask. Well, everyone is at risk.
If you own a business, use an app, have an email, or commit online transactions, you are at risk. So, if you want to stay safe online, here are some of the common mistakes to avoid.
Top 5 Common Cybersecurity Mistakes to Avoid In 2024
Before we get into details, this data was extracted from the 2024 Visual Capitol Report. The report was sorted based on a survey of 7500 people from 15 different countries. The company spotted risky internet behaviors.
Here is a list of five common online risky behaviors committed by users:
1- Using a Public WiFi
I love free things–food, clothes, traveling, and even the internet. So, when there is an option for public Wi-Fi, you bet I am opting for it. If you are like me, just keep in mind that you are putting your data at risk. Unless it is a free wifi hotspot option by a company you trust. For instance, Xfinity offers a free hotspot option for all its customers. it is not just safe but also fast.
In case, you end up connecting your device to any open Wifi outlet, keep in mind that you are risking it all. To avoid this issue, it is advised to use a VPN instead. The report by Visual Capital states that 26% of users become victims of cyberattacks when they do not use a VPN when connecting to public WiFi.
2- Sharing or Not Changing Password
If you share your password with your friends, keep using the same password for all accounts, use a very weak password, or do not change your password ever, you are at the perils of a cybersecurity attack.
Password is your first line of defense. This is the reason most online portals assess the strength of a password, filter weak passwords, or send reminders to change passwords after two months. The report states that 26% of the cyberattack victims using the same password or refusing to change the password will encounter cyber-attack.
To minimize the risk, it is advised to change the password after every two months. Moreover, sharing passwords or using a predictable password is also discouraged.
3- Mixing Work and Entertainment
This is a little controversial because nearly every corporate worker has tried accessing personal accounts on a company device. If you are guilty of doing it frequently, then stay prepared because as per the report, you are at the highest risk of cyber-attack.
Most of the companies have a data tracking policy and these companies keep storing your data on then cloud. While this works in favor of the company by offering them a permanent backup, it can put personal user data in jeopardy.
One data hack, weak security defense, or any vulnerability of the data will instantly put your data at risk. To avoid this, most companies also restrict access to social media, bank websites, and entertainment websites. Even after strict policies, more than 29% of the users accessing personal accounts on company devices end up becoming cyber security victims.
4- Replying Unknown Messages
Receiving messages, emails, texts or links from unknown numbers or IDs is a common occurrence. Most people opt to delete it right away; others keep it in the unread list, while some end up opening it. Cyber security experts report that 24% of users end up in a data theft scandal just by replying to these messages.
While the opening ratio is quite low at first, phishing scammers are now actively seeking ways to boost the opening ratio. One of the most commonly used methods is to replicate the authentic ID or number with a small unnoticeable change.
This change is so small i.e., additional full stop, letter capitalization, replacing zero with O, or an extra number at the end of a domain, making it difficult to distinguish. To avoid this, use number and email detection extensions.
5- Accessing Inappropriate Websites
Most of us like to stream free content sites. This can be free music sites, free drama sites, and even free movies, or podcast sites as well. Since these sites are free, they generate profit by endorsing inappropriate sites.
More than 20% of the users end up compromising their data just because of these sites. Moreover, these websites are designed with auto pop-up options, so users find clicking or link opening to be unavoidable.
While most tech devices and connections come with built-in virus scanning options and antivirus software, they typically offer only basic protection. However, for advanced protection, the tips mentioned above can be helpful.