There’s no doubt that computers have been a blessing to humankind. They’ve made our life incredibly easy, allowing us to access the world at the push of a few buttons. Computers especially play a crucial role in the corporate world as companies depend on them to secure large volumes of data and other information. As we advance technologically, addressing computer privacy and security concerns is of utmost importance. This National Computer Security Day, let’s look at some ways to keep your computers safe.

Computer Security Day is observed on the 30th of November every year. The objective of this day is to spread awareness about the importance of online security. It started in 1988 when computers started making their way into government offices, banks, and other institutions. Since valuable information is transferred via the internet, cyber security has become incredibly important.

You can secure your computers, laptops, and other devices from online threats in several ways. They include the following.

Software updates can fix security bugs in the existing software. Turn on the software update option on your devices to ensure your computer is up-to-date every time.

The computer’s operating systems typically come with an in-built firewall that prevents unauthorised individuals from accessing your device. You should thus check firewalls frequently.

Since it is a machine, your computer can suddenly crash at any time. It’s thus a good idea to back up your data regularly. This practice especially comes in handy during ransomware threats where criminals encrypt sensitive data.

Avoid clicking on suspicious emails sent from unknown email accounts. Such emails could contain corrupt links that could make you a phishing or malware invasion victim.

Antivirus software detects and destroys malware from your computer. Ensure you purchase the software from a reputed provider.

Streaming or downloading movies, TV series, music or software from unofficial sources is illegal and dangerous. It can contain malware that can corrupt your computer systems.

Avoid using names and birthdays as passwords. Instead, use a combination of numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters and symbols and create passwords comprising at least 12 characters.

Unknown universal serial bus (USB) or external hard disks may contain malware and viruses. These devices can make your system slow and corrupt it, so it’s best to avoid them.

When using laptops in public places, you can connect to the internet via virtual public networks (VPN) to avoid the risk of being hacked.

Internet usage also exposes you to cybersecurity risks. Cybercriminals find new ways to breach private networks and steal sensitive data. To mitigate the losses caused by cybercrimes like data breaches, ransomware, malware, cyber extortion, etc., you should get cyber insurance. If your computer gets hacked, a cyber insurance policy covers the cost of losses incurred due to cyberattacks.

This Computer Security Day, ensure you exercise caution while using the internet. Also, invest in a cyber insurance plan.