Position Paper 2: Cybersecutity

        While the internet continues to help make advancements daily, it can also bring about problems. One of the largest being data breaches whether privately, domestically or internationally. As the internet so does the opportunities for hackers to come in and wreak havoc. However thanks to cybersecurity companies and services we can all learn to do our part to avoid a possible personal breach. According to Cisco, cybersecurity is defined as, “Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.” As a full time college student who has spent the last year navigating through the pandemic with the help of the internet, I am always careful of what I utilize in order to keep my information secure. When I typically do research for position papers, I try to find a way to apply them to my life, as it helps me to better understand the subject at hand and this one is no different. I went online looking for various tips that tech companies were giving to everyday people on the internet in order to help them decrease their chances of being hacked and having their  personal information stolen. 

Norton, the tech company, put out a list of eleven things that everyday people can do to protect themselves against cyber crime. The first way was to use a full-service internet suite, which means to download a set of software from one of the tech security companies so that your computer can be protected against hackers, viruses and other threats. The second way they listed was to utilize strong passwords. I have noticed over the last few years, various services require that your passwords have a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers and characters, in an attempt to keep their users safer. Norton also suggested not utilizing the same password of various sites, because if hacked they could try and use that password on other sites and get access to even more of your personal information. The third tip that was given was to keep all over your software updated. Apparently cybercriminals look for the mishaps in your software and one little thing can give them all the access that they need. The fourth way to keep yourself protected is to make sure you are managing your social media settings. There are options on most social media that allow you to decide what you share with people. A lot of times on social media tend to share more than they think on social media and cybercriminals can use it all to their advantage. If you have your page private then strangers can look at most things you post like birthdays, vacations, the schools you attended, marital status, the number of children you have, the car you drive, etc. 

The fifth tip is to strengthen your home network. With many people working from home over the last year, lots of homes have their own internet source. Having a strong password to your home Wi-Fi helps and being conscious of times when you are  out and about and have to utilize public Wi-fi networks. When utilizing public Wi-Fi if you utilize a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN encrypts all the traffic leaving your device until it reaches its destination safely. The sixth tip applies to those who have children, it suggests that you communicate with the children about the internet. Let them know that they can come to a parent or guardian if they are bullied, stalked or have questions in general. With this virtual learning that has become more prevalent over the last year children are becoming exposed to the internet at an even younger age, you want to make sure that they are equipped for it. Tip number seven is to keep up to date on large scale breaches that have taken place. The more you know and understand they are safer it will allow you to be, not only that you will need to check and make sure you were not affected by the particular breach. The next tip says to take steps to protect yourself against identity theft. Be cautious of what sites you give your information even if it is just your email address. Having the VPN that I spoke of earlier will also help to keep you protected. Number nine on the list of tips is to know that identity theft can happen anywhere. Their article spoke of traveling and to be mindful that people can always be watching, especially when you post about these vacations on social media. Keep in mind that the Wi-Fi at the hotel is public, be aware of the small places where you use your card while traveling, utilizing cash could also help with this. The tenth tip on the list is about kids again, it says keep an eye on the kids. Kids can sometimes be targeted because with their social security numbers and other information that they have a clean slate to tamper with. The last of the ten tips is for in the event you become a victim of cybercrime, know what to do. You will need to contact your bank as well as the companies where the fraud happened, put out fraud alerts and alert the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the identity theft.