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Best Practices for Computer Use

Hacking & Backup Management: Protecting Your Data

Update Your Online Security

Hacking & Backup Management: Protecting Your Data

  • How do hackers attack?
  • Phishing, vigilance against fraudulent emails:
  • Ransomware and types of cyber attacks:
  • Should you pay the hackers?

How do hackers attack?

To protect yourself effectively, it is essential to understand how hackers attempt to infiltrate your computer. Indeed, viruses do not often appear magically, but rather are the consequences of our actions, even if unintentional.
As a general rule, viruses arrive because you have allowed your computer to invite them into your home. This can be visualized by downloading suspicious software, a compromised torrent file, or simply by clicking on the link in a fraudulent email.

Phishing, vigilance against fraudulent emails:

Attention! Emails are the first vector of attack. Here are some tips:
  • Stay alert to phishing attempts that aim to extract sensitive information, such as your credentials and passwords. Avoid clicking on suspicious links and sharing your personal information without verifying the sender's legitimacy.
  • Be cautious with email attachments and images:
Email attachments and images can contain malware. Do not download or open attachments from unknown or suspicious senders, and ensure your antivirus software is up to date.
The golden rule here is to carefully check the full name of the sender as well as the origin of the email. When in doubt, delete it!

Ransomware and types of cyber attacks:

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts user data and demands a ransom to decrypt it. This type of attack is becoming increasingly common and can be very troublesome for both companies and individuals. To protect yourself, it is imperative to create backups of the most sensitive files! This will not stop the ransomware, but it will allow you to ignore it.
Regularly back up your important data to an external storage device or a secure online storage service. This way, in the event of a cyber attack or hardware failure, you can recover your data without losing crucial information.
Simple solution:
  • Purchase an external hard drive and copy your data onto it. Disconnect it and store it in a safe location within the house. (Doing this twice and storing one of the drives in another location helps protect against potential fire.)
  • Create a cloud backup using ProtonMail Drive, Sync, or Google Drive. Upload your sensitive data to this online host. However, be aware that your data is potentially on the internet and held by a trusted third party.

Should you pay the hackers?

NO, it is generally not recommended to pay hackers in the case of ransomware or other types of attacks. Paying the ransom does not guarantee the recovery of your data and can encourage cybercriminals to continue their malicious activities. Instead, prioritize prevention and regular data backups to protect yourself.
If you detect a virus on your computer, disconnect it from the internet, perform a full antivirus scan, and delete infected files. Then, update your software and operating system, and change your passwords to prevent further intrusions.
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Quiz
Quiz1/5
What is the purpose of phishing attempts?