Advanced PHP Developer, Custom eCommerce, Custom WordPress

Tips to Avoid Ransomware, Hackers

May 11, 2021

Ransomware and hackers should be taken very seriously – we see their intrusion attempts and attacks constantly. The five most important tips we can offer are:

1) Keep your software up-to-date on both your desktop and mobile devices. This includes installing all system updates, especially any marked as security updates. You should also always keep your applications updated.

2) Install an antivirus app on your device, even if you have a Mac. Just a few years ago, it wasn't really necessary to use antivirus on an Apple computer, for various reasons. That is no longer the case. We recommend: Bitdefender

3) Use unique, complex passwords for every login. For example, the system update password for SolarWinds was "SolarWinds123" ... that's a really poor choice that obviously led to a terrible outcome. Make it easy on yourself and use a password manager, we recommend: 1Password

4) Don't trust any emails you receive asking you to "confirm your account" or that otherwise prompt you to login, especially if the email is full of typos, grammatical errors and poor design – it's likely fake. When in doubt, go directly to the site, not through the email. And never trust email attachments you aren't expecting!!

5) Keep your website updated and backed up on a regular basis. It too needs software updates to ensure the latest security patches have been installed. Backups also give you a safe restore point should your site be hacked and it needs to be reuploaded from a clean version. If this is not something you want to take on yourself, consider one of our affordable Security & Maintenance plans and let us give you peace of mind by keeping your site secure and performing at its best!

Finally, please stay safe: there's a cyberwar raging that most of us can't see!