What Is Cybersecurity? Essential Cybersecurity Habits Everyone Should Follow

In 2023, Microsoft launched a report that stated one simple, yet shocking fact: basic security hygiene can protect against 98% of attacks. I say shocking deliberately because countless individuals and companies fail to grasp these fundamentals. Millions are losing billions of dollars.

When it comes down to it, cybersecurity is both an art and science of strategically deploying online defenses to protect valuable information and systems from grubby hands. It covers a lot of ground through continuous monitoring, detection, and mitigation, which makes it an absolute must in today’s digital world.

Just like locking your doors and windows, good habits are key to staying safe online. If you can translate these real-world habits to the online landscape, you’ll be much more alert to the subtle shifts and potential threats that await all of us netizens.

The core purpose of cybersecurity is to shield your digital self and assets from unauthorized access, damage, extortion, theft — you name it. If that sounds like a great feat, it’s because it is. Every IT infrastructure layer falls under online protection.

That said, here are the main areas covered by cybersecurity:

• Network security: Refers to the set of rules and procedures devised to protect computer networks and the data that goes in and out of them. It includes technical security controls, such as encryption and firewalls, and administrative security controls that supervise user behavior, making sure only authorized users can access network resources.
• Information security: Relates to the protection of a company’s most important data, such as digital files and physical documents, from people who shouldn’t have access to it, use it, or change it. Through different policies and technologies, it helps keep your sensitive data safe, private, accurate, and always available when you need it.
• Application security: Helps fend off unauthorized use of and access to corporate applications with various tools, processes, and practices. It covers everything from legacy software to mobile versions used by your employees, business partners, and customers.

As you can see, it takes a lot of work to keep everything in check. The key here is to be proactive with your cybersecurity. Cybercriminals take their work very seriously, and they don’t care who they’re targeting. If they see an opening, they will try to make the most of it.

So, you want to prevent incidents from occurring in the first place by adopting proactive security measures. From security awareness training and regular risk assessments to penetration testing and threat hunting, you can considerably reduce the likelihood (and impact) of successful cyberattacks — not to mention better understanding the gaps in your defenses so they can be closed.

The good ole internet doesn’t lack bad actors intent on getting their hands on your and/or your company’s private data. Among the long list of threats, some pop up more frequently than others:

Malware

A portmanteau of malicious software, malware is any bad software (and there’s a lot of it) designed to mess up your device or steal info.

It includes viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, and adware that can sneak onto your devices via email attachments, sketchy or compromised sites, and software downloads.

Once in, malware can do all sorts of harm, like steal data, take over systems, send fake emails on your behalf, and even completely incapacitate a device. The reason it’s so effective is because cyber crooks often develop malware with a specific objective in mind, which makes it all the more dangerous.

Phishing

One of the first cyber dangers, phishing, is when someone tries to trick you online, like by giving away your passwords or downloading a virus, through email and social engineering tactics. More recent phishing scams (also known as smishing) target people via text message instead, but the principle is the same.

Criminals often pretend to be an organization or a person you trust (e.g., bank, social network, colleague), creating a sense of urgency to have you click on a malicious link.

They tend to use official-looking logos and fonts to look real, along with as much information about their targets as possible to make everything appear legitimate. You might also find shortened links from services such as Bitly as part of the package to hide where these fake links actually lead.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks

A DoS attack tries to knock a system, network, or device offline for its users. It floods the target with so much traffic that it slows down or crashes.

In case the attack works, parts or all of the targeted area become unavailable. This means the business loses time and money trying to fix things, protect themselves from future attacks, and figure out what happened.

What makes DoS attacks different from most of its cyber brethren is their primary goal of disruption rather than breach of security. By causing inconveniences that can last for days, they inflict both reputational and financial damage, as prolonged outages affect customer trust and lead to revenue loss.

Data Breaches

A term many are too familiar with, a data breach is an incident in which someone gets into private information they shouldn’t, either by accident or on purpose.

These could be bank details, social security numbers, health records, company secrets, passwords — virtually anything that, ultimately, turns into a massive problem for businesses and their customers.

What makes data breaches particularly damaging is the fact they can happen for multiple reasons, starting with weak security that all but invites cybercriminal activity. It can also be a human error, such as misplacing a device, revealing a password, or a targeted effort by hackers.

Whatever the case, the result can range from identity theft and services going down to all kinds of financial headaches.

Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

In this scenario, an attacker secretly jumps in between two people who are talking online, usually to extract sensitive info, put in a malicious code, or take over their session — all the while maintaining the illusion of secure and private communication.

This can happen on public Wi-Fi, hacked websites, or through phishing scams by posing as a legitimate network entity.

Basically, a MitM attack is all about stealing private information. By sneaking in between two communicating parties, the attacker can observe, capture, and manipulate the data they’re sending back and forth.

This encompasses a broad spectrum, ranging from personal details and authentication credentials to financial transactions and confidential communications.

Now that you’ve seen what lurks in the online shadows, it’s time to adopt best practices that will, hopefully, become second nature.

Strong Passwords & Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Even though we’re getting closer to a passwordless future, traditional login credentials aren’t going out of style yet. So, you want to make them:

• Long and complicated by using uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols to make it harder for hackers to crack.
• Varied across multiple websites and platforms to avoid complete carnage if one of your accounts is compromised.

Whether your passwords are carefully crafted or mashed into existence by a password generator, they are just the first layer.

The second one is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which requires additional verification to make sure it’s really you accessing your account and not someone who stole your credentials. This can be a code sent to your smartphone, fingerprint scan, authentication app, or facial recognition.

Regular Software Updates & Patch Management

Like an old fence, outdated software often has holes in its security. These allow hackers to get past and insert malware, steal data, and do other bad stuff. It’s the same type of risk with unpatched software, highlighting the critical need for timely updates.

See to it that you and your team update firmware, operating systems, and applications as soon as a new version comes out.

Besides getting new features, these updates address problems and patch known vulnerabilities. You can enable automatic updates so that your devices and systems receive the latest security patches the moment they’re out.

Safe Browsing Habits & Email Security Awareness

The mantra you want to stick with is “think before you click.” It’s smart to be skeptical about links and click only on those from trusted sources.

Similarly, download files or software from sites you know. Before entering sensitive information, check whether the website’s URL begins with “https://” — that indicates a secure connection.

Emails will be common offenders here, so if any look weird, simply don’t open them, as it could be a phishing scam. Links can be tricky, and when they come from a familiar name, always double-check them before clicking. Hover your mouse over the link — most browsers will show you where it really goes.

For messages from official institutions, such as your bank, it’s best practice to never click on an email link, even if you think the message is real. Only access your account through official channels — such as their website — and always be the one to initiate communication if your personal details are involved.

Reserve the same scrutiny for attachments, even from someone you know. It doesn’t take much for criminals to fake identities or approximate them enough to fool you, so take the time to verify requests. Teach your team about phishing, social engineering, and security tricks so they can spot and deal with these threats.

Using Firewalls & Antivirus Software

A clean machine is a lean machine, and firewalls help out in this regard. They block people who shouldn’t be on your network by watching what comes in and goes out. Since they cater to software and hardware, keep both turned on.

In the same manner, deploy reputable antivirus and anti-malware solutions to scan for and block malicious software.

Routine scans will detect and eradicate potential threats, so you might want to schedule regular checkups (daily is fine) and updates to malware pattern behaviors (they grow sophisticated each year).

Data Encryption & Backup Strategies

Impervious to most threats, data encryption helps your data stay protected the whole way, from when it’s sent to when it’s received. It does so by transforming readable data into an unreadable format accessible only to authorized parties.

This is super important when confidential information goes through lots of networks, so no one can snoop or steal it along the way.

If the worst happens, you can lose important data. To swiftly get it back, you need to back it up often, either to the cloud or an external hard drive where it will be safe. Also, test your backups by trying to restore files now and then, just so that you know you can rely on them.

Even with the best tech, some people will still do risky (putting it mildly) things online. It only takes one mistake to jeopardize a site or network. So, if you don’t have good security at a personal and company level, you’re exposed.

For Individuals

Whenever you digitally materialize, so to speak, you’re at risk of being targeted. Some of it is inherent, some is through your actions.

To reduce room for cybercriminals to maneuver, start by protecting your personal devices. This means avoiding public and unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks, but if you absolutely must connect to one, use a VPN as it will encrypt your connection.

It’s a shrewd move to be in the know regarding typical and latest scams, especially phishing and social engineering exploits, since those are the most frequent ones. Be careful with random offers or requests, especially if they involve money or goodies.

In addition, secure your online accounts by practicing the basic cyber hygiene I’ve already covered: strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and updated software. If you often share private files, consider using a secure file-sharing solution.

For Businesses

Organizations large and small have a lot of ground to cover. So, your first order of business (pun intended) is to secure your networks.

Any protection you have in place, such as firewalls, AV software, and intrusion detection systems, have to be up-to-date to defend against emerging threats. For Wi-Fi networks, employ WPA3 encryption and change the default router password.

The sad reality is that employees sometimes make blunders, so training is essential to minimize the chances of them getting duped. Likewise, it makes sure your workforce knows and follows data protection laws, which helps avoid legal trouble.

Also, think about establishing comprehensive cybersecurity policies and risk management strategies. These should outline clear cybersecurity rules that reinforce learning, raise alertness, and demonstrate what to do if there’s a security problem or something’s gone wrong.

An interesting concept, ethical hacking is when a cybersecurity expert gets permission to test a company’s security by hacking into their systems. They use nifty tricks to find weak spots, so the company can fix them and stay safe from real attacks.

As a result, the realm of ethical hacking has created numerous viable careers in cybersecurity as a penetration tester, CISO, security analyst, security engineer, or simply a certified ethical hacker.

Penetration testing refers to the process of finding potential security flaws in a system. The goal is to discover potential exploits before malicious hackers do.

The last one underlines the importance of continuous learning and certifications that play a major role in validating expertise. New cyber threats emerge day and night, so certifications such as CEH, CISSP, CISM, and CompTIA Security+ represent recognized credentials that demonstrate proficiency in several aspects of cybersecurity.

If I were to summarize what lies ahead in one sentence, it would be “new tech, new rules of engagement” or something like that. Here’s what we can expect:

Emerging Threats

There is no doubt in my mind that as AI gets smarter, hackers will find novel ways to use it for better phishing, nastier malware, and automatic attacks.

This seems particularly troubling for IoT devices that are already involved in one in three data breaches. Simply put, more smart devices mean more ways to get hacked, since many of these devices inherently aren’t very secure due to their limited computational abilities and varied transmission technology.

Then, there’s quantum computing, which threatens to shatter current encryption standards. Though still largely in development, the technology could make our data and online conversations way less safe than they are now if adequate control measures aren’t implemented.

Advancements in Cybersecurity Technologies

We’ll need smarter defenses, that’s for sure. Enter AI once again, as it takes threat detection and response capabilities to another level via the analysis of extensive datasets for anomalies, the automation of incident response protocols, and the prediction of potential threats.

Another avenue that cybersecurity companies are exploring is blockchain. Its decentralized and immutable characteristics offer promising solutions for secure data transactions and identity management — if the experts tackling it can overcome the challenges regarding its scalability and integration. Not great news, but not terrible either.

The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity Laws and Regulations.

Governments globally are enacting more stringent cybersecurity regulations to safeguard critical infrastructure and personal data.

For instance, the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act which entered into force in late 2024, imposes rigorous cybersecurity requirements focused on protecting consumers and businesses from cybersecurity threats.

In the U.S., the SEC has established the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit to augment oversight of cybersecurity practices within the financial sector. If anything, these regulatory initiatives mean companies of all sizes have to take security seriously and spend more effort to ensure both data safety and compliance.

If it wasn’t obvious by now, cybersecurity is evolving fast, with new tech bringing new dangers and new ways to protect yourself. Keeping up is not an easy task, I know, but it’s vital if you want to stay safe from the latest cyber nasties.

Otherwise, what’s the alternative?