Biz tip of the week: Cybersecurity is more important than ever

Digital theft has evolved over the years and is much more severe than ever before. The potential damage is beyond your wildest imagination. Be sure to read last week’s Biz Tips article to see the devastating effects a security breach had on a Tucson business owner.

Historically, the point of hacker intrusion was accidentally installing a malware virus. The hacker captures your data and holds it for ransom. Fortunately, these threats were easy to mitigate. Utilizing powerful security system settings, antivirus software and data backup normally provided adequate protection.

Hackers no longer rely on malware viruses to gain access.

Several huge data breaches recently exposed personal information on hundreds of millions of Americans. Sensitive data like names, date of birth and SSN’s have fallen into the hands of cybercriminals.

Criminals use this personal information to hack into a point of weakness. This could be your internet service provider, your cellphone service provider, web hosting company or email service provider. They become the administrator of the account and install spyware that tracks everything you type and sends them mirror images of the screens you are on. They gather information and systematically gain admin control of other accounts.

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They also use battery-operated wireless internet routers to create a wireless network that mimics the one you use. If you accidentally log into their wireless network, their router tracks everything you do. It captures the websites you visit, and the usernames and passwords you enter.

Today, there are more vulnerable access points, and the risks of loss are exponentially worse. Firewalls, antivirus software and data backup may not protect you.

Once hacked, security measures like dual authentication will not help you. In fact, dual authentication can prevent you from regaining admin control of your accounts. Harmless tools that sync multiple devices now make it difficult for you to regain your admin control.

We will share tips and techniques to protect yourself in a future Biz Tips article.