In this digital age, we rely on our computers and
devices for so many aspects of our lives that the need to be proactive and
vigilant to protect against cyber threats has never been greater. However, in
order to be as secure as possible, we need to use good cyber hygiene – that
is, making sure we are protecting and maintaining systems and devices
appropriately and using cyber security best practices.
Many key best practices are outlined in the Top 20
Critical Security Controls, managed by the Council
on Cyber Security. These Controls
assist in mitigating the most prevalent vulnerabilities that often result in
many of today's cyber security intrusions and incidents. The Center for
Internet Security (CIS) provides free, PDF-formatted configuration guides
(Benchmarks) that can be used
to implement the Controls and improve cyber security.
Below are several best practice strategies for
strengthening defenses, noting the related Control and the CIS Benchmark.
View the CIS Mitigation Strategies Crosswalk for the complete mapping of the Controls to
Benchmarks.
Update
Your Applications, Software and Operating Systems
Even though you may be diligent in keeping your
software up-to-date, you are still at risk from malware infections. Malware
can infect your computer from a variety of different vectors, including
compromised websites, malicious attachments in email, and infected thumb
drives. Update your anti-virus software regularly. Keeping applications,
software, and operating systems patched will help keep you more secure by
providing you with the most recent and secure version.
Securely
Configure Your Systems and Devices
The
“out-of-the-box” configurations of many devices and system components are
default settings that are often set for ease-of-use rather than security. To mitigate
risk, systems and devices should be configured according to industry-accepted
system hardening standards.
Secure
Your Browser and Browser Add-ons
Cyber attackers search for programming errors and
other flaws in web browsers and associated plug-ins in order to exploit them.
These vulnerabilities, if successfully exploited, can give cyber criminals
access -- and sometimes control over -- your computer system.
Back
Up Your Data
Be sure to back up your important data so you can
retrieve it if your computer fails. Remember to back up
data at regular intervals and periodically review your backups to determine
if all your data has been backed up accurately.
Secure
Your Wireless Network
Before the days of wireless (Wi-Fi) home networks,
it was rather easy to see who was linked into your home network; you could
simply follow the wires. You wouldn’t allow a stranger to connect to your
network, so check to see who is connected to your wireless network. The first
step is to lock down your wireless network with a strong password and
encryption. This will prevent people who don’t have the password from
connecting to your network.
Protect
Your Administrative Accounts
Administrator or "admin" accounts give a
user more control over programs and settings for a computer than a typical user
account. If an intruder accesses an admin account, he could potentially take
over your computer. Non-administrator accounts, or guest accounts, can limit
the ability of someone gaining unauthorized access. It is important to change
the default password on your admin accounts and to always log on to your
computer as a non-administrator or non-admin account.
Use
Firewalls
Many computer defaults are set for ease of use,
which is convenient not only for us, but also for cyber criminals. Cyber
criminals can use weak or unnecessary services as a first step to
compromising your computer. Many computers and routers already come with a
firewall built in to prevent malicious access to these services. It is
recommended that you set the firewall to the securest level you think is
appropriate: if this is a laptop you’ll use for traveling and connecting to
public networks, it is recommended that you choose the strictest level of
security and only allow exceptions for services you need. You can always
relax the controls if necessary.
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