With people working remotely, the risk of cybersecurity threats keeps surging. Today, users depend on their mobile devices to access important business documents, pay bills, shop, and more. That’s why following the right Laptop Security Tips is more important than ever.
Before you know it, your laptop can become a lucrative target for hackers. Without cybersecurity on your laptops, hackers might fool you into sharing your sensitive data. Once you give your personal and professional information to the wrong people, you can’t take it back.
But the picture changes if you take the laptop’s cybersecurity settings seriously. How can you keep your laptop safe from evolving cyber threats and viruses? We offers simple and effective guidelines that even beginners can follow.
Let’s get started with the 100% working laptop security tips.
Most Common Cyber Threats
What’s trending in the cybersecurity industry, and against what should you be mindful? Online or cyber crimes have been fooling users through social engineering tricks. And here are the most common forms of cyber threats, according to Laptop Fix Dubai.
Illicit Financial Crime
Cyber attackers have become smart. They tend to funnel money out of their soft targets by exploiting sensitive data through:
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Phishing
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White-collar crimes
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Unauthorized transactions
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Romance scams and more.
Harassment
Well, hackers not only aim for a lump sum of money but also for reputation. Cyber attackers use harmful tools to target people and disrupt organizations’ websites.
Corporate Spying
If you do not know about cybersecurity threats, hackers can easily target you to access corporate data.
How to Keep Your Laptop Safe Against Viruses and Other Cyber Threats
Viruses, ransomware, phishing, etc. are a few means to induce a cyberattack. Laptop Repair Dubai recommends abiding by all the following guidelines to stay safe. Missing just one can cause serious issues, especially when working on your laptop professionally. You could suffer lasting harm, both financially and to your reputation.
1. Install antivirus.
Have you not gotten an extra antivirus because your laptop already has one? Whereas the integrated antivirus software may protect against threats such as
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Viruses
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Trojan
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Viruses
It might not offer top-notch security for your laptop, especially against more advanced attacks. Hence, consider installing a cutting-edge antivirus solution for your non-negotiable protection.
2. Get a Firewall
Keep strangers from accessing your device. It’s one of the best laptop security tips. How can you keep your PC away from hackers’ access? The answer lies within a firewall.
Typically, a firewall restricts all outside attempts at intrusion. Thus, nobody can invade your digital territory. Firewalls do more than block outside access. They also protect your computer from harmful software, viruses, and Trojans.
If you have a Windows-powered laptop, then you must enable Windows Defender Firewall. Also, you can install a more powerful firewall separately.
3. Update Every Software
Antivirus and firewall solutions are not enough for laptop cybersecurity. It’s equally important to keep such software updated. Cybercriminals always look for seams and infiltrate their victims. If your antivirus and security software are outdated, threats can sneak into your system.
Updating this software will bring all the latest security patches. So, hackers can’t exploit your information by breaking into your digital assets.
However, you should never stop at just updating the antivirus and firewall. Here’s a complete list of software that requires updates from time to time:
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Operating system
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All the installed applications.
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Work suite software
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Web browsers
Best, turn on automatic updates on your computer. However, most laptops alert users whenever a new update is available. Make sure you never keep any updates pending from now on.
4. Be Creative with Passwords
Those days are gone when you thought passwords like ‘admin,’ ‘password,’ or ‘1234’ could keep your data safe. Now, cybercriminals can easily guess these simple passwords, making your device vulnerable.
That’s why Laptop Repair Dubai professionals recommend creating complex and unique passwords. Use the following rules to stay a step ahead of cybercriminals.
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Don’t use personal details like names or birthdays in your password. If hackers can get your passwords, they can steal your identity as well.
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To create a unique and complex password, mix upper- and lowercase letters, special symbols, and numbers.
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The larger the password, the tougher it will be to guess. Aim for a password containing 8 or more characters.
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Undoubtedly, you have many accounts on different sites or media on your laptop. Refrain from reusing the same password for many accounts. If hackers crack one passcode, they will be able to access all your accounts.
Data leaks can reveal your passwords, and these cases have become quite common lately. Hence, consider updating your passwords every 2 to 3 months to avoid mishaps.
5. Rely on a Password Manager
You have countless online accounts; we get that. Now, memorizing all the associated passwords can be difficult. That’s why experts recommend using a password manager to keep your passwords remembered and safe.
You can find many reliable password managers online. They can automatically create and save passwords for different accounts. However, make sure that you opt for a safe and user-friendly password manager.
6. Avoid Suspicious Links and Websites
Everything you come across on the internet is not always reliable. For instance, you find tempting deals online. Out of curiosity, you click a link, and it exposes all your private data. That’s why it’s important to confine your browsing to reputable websites.
Indeed, cybercriminals mimic a well-established website and create a spoof. Here are some laptop security tips you can follow under such circumstances:
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Don’t click on any links or images immediately.
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Double-check that the URL is legitimate.
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If there’s any sender, review their profile.
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Never disclose personal information.
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Check the original website for great offers instead of clicking the link sent to you.
7. Be Careful About Phishing Attempts
Employees often get fooled into clicking links from someone pretending to be trustworthy or a colleague. Phishing emails are one of the most common forms of cyberattacks. Did you know that nearly 90% of data breaches worldwide happen due to phishing?
So, never take phishing attempts lightheartedly. Hackers have stolen victims’ bank account details, credit card numbers, and passwords. And you can be their next target if you don’t know how to keep your laptop safe.
Ensure you go through the steps below, even though the email appears to be legitimate.
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Avoid opening or clicking the email without inspection.
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Then, examine the address of the email sender.
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If you open the email, don’t click on any URLs or attachments.
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Look for telltale signs such as grammatical mistakes or poor phrasing.
8. Refrain from Running Unknown Programs
A laptop repair shop in Business Bay said that hackers often hide malware or a Trojan horse in programs that seem safe and real. However, they can be any type of program, but attackers tend to keep harmful software in the form of
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Games
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Screensavers.
Because games and screensavers look attractive to users. As a laptop cybersecurity expert, only install or run programs you trust completely. If you’re still keen on a certain program, scan it with your antivirus or internet security software.
9. Back Up Your Laptop
Even with good laptop security tips, you could still get viruses or ransomware. Thus, your system can be at high risk of losing data. Also, you may even lose access to your valuable data. However, this should not be a problem if you keep your laptop data backed up.
Yes, data recovery is possible in tough situations. However, it’s easier if you can access your local backup files. So, without giving it a second thought, back up your laptop’s important data.
Where should you store your backup files? Laptop Repair Near Me recommends both physical and cloud-based storage for this. For example, you can back up your data using
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An external hard drive or USB flash drive
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Cloud-based solutions such as Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.
10. Run .exe Files from Trusted Sources Only
Have you received an executable file from one of your colleagues? Before you click on it and run it, verify that the sender is really your colleague or someone whom you can trust. If you click on an unreliable .exe file, you might face nasty surprises like malware or ransomware.
If you really need an executable file, try downloading it straight from the developer’s website. Additionally, be skeptical about impersonating scams. Hackers might pose as
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Company representative
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Friend
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Family member
Next time someone tries to get money from you, contact the person or organization first. Additionally, you should never transfer funds to a potential new flame if you haven’t met in person. They might try to blackmail you emotionally, but you must stay strong.
11. Never Use Public Wi-Fi
The prime perk of owning a laptop is its seamless wireless connectivity. Still, you should stay away from connecting your laptop to risky public Wi-Fi networks. Free public Wi-Fi networks can be risky. Cyber attackers are ready to pounce if you make a mistake.
Indeed, advanced users can track your activities online and steal your info. What’s the way out when you need Wi-Fi and you are outside with your laptop? Here’s what you can do as suggested by Laptop Repair Services in Dubai:
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Enable your phone’s hotspot.
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Then, connect your laptop to the mobile hotspot.
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If you have no other way than connecting to a public Wi-Fi, use a VPN to mask your internet activity and IP address.
12. Plug in Only Reliable USB Drives
Whether it’s a personal or professional laptop, you must be using peripheral devices. Talking about USB drives, you might have to plug in the following:
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USB thumb drives
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External hard drives
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USB accessories like keyboards and mice.
However, you should only use trusted USB drives. Unreliable devices may contain malware, viruses, and other cyber threats. So, you should scan unfamiliar USB peripherals with trusted antivirus software.
Your Takeaway…
Use the laptop security tips above to keep your device and information safe from intruders. If you find viruses or threats, reach out to Laptop Repair Dubai for help with data recovery, backup, and more.