As most you know by now, I live a digital life as much as possible. I pay my bills, do my banking, order my food and other shopping, communicate with friends and family, and get my news electronically. For someone who grew up with Dick Tracey’s wrist radio, it’s like living in the future.
Still, there are downsides. No, not the silliness pushed by latter day Luddites but the very real possibility of being hacked and losing control of your digital life. The SANS OUCH! Newsletter tells the story of—the probably apocryphal—Lisa, a graphics designer, who, like me, lives a digital life. But then she gets hacked and her digital life appropriated by criminals who proceed to lay waste to her life.
That’s horrifying, of course, but most of the article offers advice on how to avoid that happening to you. They start with the five common ways that exploits can happen:
- Social Engineering Attacks
- Malware
- Brute Force Attacks
- Data Breaches
- Purchased Credentials
and offers three simple steps that will help you avoid falling victim to such attacks. Those steps are the usual: long, complicated passwords; a password manager; and using two-factor authentication when available.
We nerds always think we’re too smart to fall for these common ploys but if you’ve had a beer, are tired, or simply not paying attention, it’s absurdly easy to become a victim. Read the article and consider subscribing to some or all of the excellent SANS newsletters. There’s a link at the bottom of the article.