Knowing how to protect yourself against cyber threats is important, especially now that the majority of people work on their computers from home. Did you know that in 2019, Canadians lost over $43 million to cybercrime fraud?

Here are the main cyber threats you may face and information on how to stay vigilant both at work and at home, with your professional and personal information.

Elements Of Malicious Communication

Cyber threats are activities that aim to compromise the security of an information system. Here are some elements that may represent a potential cyber threat:

1. Phishing

Phishing is a very common cyber threat technique that consists of attacking your personal and financial information, in order to steal your identity.

It can come to you in different forms: an email, a phone call, text messages or even on your social media. It usually comes from someone trying to impersonate a source that seems legitimate, such as a financial institution or a government department.

You have to be careful because cybercriminals have increasingly sophisticated techniques. It is important to be vigilant each time you receive a message asking you to provide sensitive information, such as your identity, your credit card, or information about your employer. This is true whether it happens on your work tools or your personal ones.

If you think you are the victim of phishing, delete any messages that seem suspicious to you; and if it contains a link, do not click on it!

2. Malware – Malicious Program

Cybercriminals frequently use so-called malware to infect your devices and steal your personal information. These malware are attached files or a link that appears to be legitimate, but that download software to hack into your computer.

There are different types of malware:

• Trojan Horse: This software appears legitimate, but once the download is triggered, the software facilitates unauthorized access to your information.
  Spyware: This collects your information without your knowledge and monitors the sites you visit.
• Scareware: This appears as a warning message that encourages you to download what is apparently a solution to a computer problem.
• Malicious applications: These are malicious applications designed to steal your personal information, and which can also record your telephone conversations and send you text messages.

Be careful what you download, on your personal devices that include your personal information, but also on work devices that give access to sensitive company information.

In Short

Awareness and wariness are the best techniques to avoid cyber threats. Use passwords that are not simple, and that are unique to each of your personal and professional accounts, and remain vigilant at all times.

At MS Solutions, we offer cybersecurity solutions to help you protect your business data and meet the highest cybersecurity standards. This includes phishing simulation to raise awareness and educate your employees. Contact us if you have more questions or want to take a training session.