website development

Even the government isn’t immune. As you may know, loopholes in OpenSSL has opened the door to the Heartbleed bug.

Okay, so that’s a big issue for the ‘man’, but what about you? Has your PC been hijacked? How did it happen? Several reasons – you clicked or downloaded a link in an email without knowing the true sender, or being aware that the sender, was in fact an imposter.

Never download files to your computer unless you know where they came from. Never share your computer on or off a network unless you know who is on that network. If you are on a wi-fi network, make sure it is secure. If you are on a borrowed computer (ie. hotel or internet cafe), delete your email session before leaving.

What do they do. Tools that the hackers use include placing malware apps or viruses that can do harm to your computer. Some include spyware that can track your key commands allowing access to critically private information like, usernames, passwords, credit card data, etc. Some can hijack your email, spamming innocent recipients, eventually clogging the email server forcing your email address to be blocked.

Never trust an email asking for your personal information unless you are directed to a secure website from the url of you known contact. Some hackers enjoy copying webpages so they can spoof a legitimate site and ask for your personal info. Most banks, financial firms and reputable businesses won’t ask you for private information through email.

If you feel you are hacked, contact you service provider(s) immediately. Change all passwords to complex ones. Monitor banking information in case the hackers got that far and notify your banks and credit card companies. If you have anti-virus and malware applications, scan and clean all computers on your network. Be vigilant with all users on the network and make sure they conform to the same user rules.

There’s also the question about how safe you website is. Having strong passwords and usernames are the first steps. Make sure that your website apps and add-ons are up-to-date. If using content management systems like Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, etc, make sure you have strong security apps installed and updated. If you are unsure of your site’s security or would like more information on how to protect your site, contact us today. If your site is on a shared host, they usually offer security products like Sitelock which monitor malware possibilities.

Perseverance is key, as are good computer habits.

 

Frank Beecham
Frank Beecham
Mystique Brand Communications