In recent years, cybersecurity has become one of the most important fields that individuals and companies need to pay special attention to. Hacking into your devices and accounts means that all your personal information, including banking information and credit card details, becomes vulnerable to theft and misuse, leading to significant losses. It may even cause harm to those around you or your clients in the case of companies.
Cybersecurity refers to a set of measures, technologies, and controls that can be implemented to protect information systems, networks, programs, devices, and data from electronic attacks. The golden rule in cybersecurity is that no one can hack into your devices and accounts without specific actions or neglecting specific security measures to prevent it.
There are many widely circulated misconceptions and myths about cybersecurity that give users of computing systems and networks around the world a false sense of security, making them less cautious and less vigilant in protecting their devices and systems. Here are some of the most common myths.
Myths that expose your data to hacking
1- Electronic attacks only target celebrities and companies.
There is a common belief among many people that cybercriminals only attack large companies and wealthy individuals or public figures and celebrities for extortion and financial gain. The reality is that even small businesses are targeted by over 10,000 cyber attacks daily, with small companies in the UK being successfully hacked every 19 seconds, according to a report by the Federation of Small Businesses in the UK.
Sometimes, electronic attacks do not directly target individuals or small business owners themselves for extortion, but rather aim to exploit vulnerabilities in systems to demonstrate the attacker’s technical expertise and success in finding security flaws. This can lead companies to seek the expertise of attackers to identify and fix security vulnerabilities or develop security measures to protect against them.
Similar attacks occurred in April 2021 when more than 533 million Facebook users’ information was leaked, resulting in significant losses for the company.
In addition to the above point, many hackers do not have advanced technologies and methods, and the majority of their victims are less cautious individuals or small companies with limited budgets to counter cyber attacks. Large companies usually prioritize cybersecurity and allocate significant budgets to provide strong protection systems and advanced security technologies, making it very difficult to breach their systems and networks.
2- Cybersecurity is not my responsibility.
Some employees in institutions and companies believe that protecting the institution’s data is solely the responsibility of IT employees. Many people also believe that the responsibility of protecting their data and preserving the security of their networks and devices lies solely with the developers of those devices and operating systems.
While these companies do work diligently to detect security vulnerabilities in their systems, the burden falls heavily on the user to take measures to protect the security of their devices, networks, and accounts and avoid falling victim to cyber attackers. Users should not neglect using strong antivirus programs, strong and unique passwords for devices and accounts, and being cautious with untrustworthy links.
Similarly, the responsibility of protecting systems and data in any organization falls on all employees, as one wrong behavior from one employee, such as clicking on suspicious links or downloading infected attachments, can allow intruders to penetrate the network as a whole.
3- Antivirus programs alone are sufficient.
Antivirus programs and malware software undoubtedly play a crucial role in protecting devices, systems, and networks from hacking. However, they are not the only means to address everything. There are many mechanisms, tools, procedures, and efforts that must work together to keep systems sufficiently secure.
While the ideal antivirus program is expected to be effective against most known malware, it may fail to detect new types of electronic attacks such as phishing emails. Attackers continuously develop their methods and malware at a rapid rate, making it challenging for antivirus programs to detect up to 77.7% of new malware threats.
In addition to antivirus programs, other methods can help reduce the risks of hacking and electronic attacks, such as updating system software, backing up important files and data, using strong and unique passwords, and multi-factor authentication methods, being cautious with spam emails, avoiding clicking on suspicious links, and being careful not to download software and content from unofficial and untrustworthy sources.
4- Hacking only occurs from external parties.
There is a widespread misconception that electronic intruders and hackers only come from external sources, but there is still a significant possibility that accounts and devices can be hacked from within.
For example, if one of your friends’ accounts or devices is compromised, it could leave you vulnerable to attacks such as phishing and ransomware. It is essential to secure all system components and avoid internal and external threats.
There was a famous incident years ago when an employee at Heathrow airport in England lost a USB device containing sensitive customer data. Despite someone finding and returning the device, the employee was negligent in exposing customer data to risk and was fined £120,000.
5- Complex passwords are all I need to protect my accounts.
Another common mistake is believing that adding uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to a short password is all you need to protect your accounts and devices from intruders. The primary criterion for a strong password is length, not complexity. Longer passwords are more difficult to crack.
Remember the importance of using a unique password for each account or device and not keeping it written down. Instead, you can rely on trusted password management programs or apps.
6- Security solutions are too expensive.
There is a widespread myth that large companies use expensive cybersecurity technologies, which is logical for companies with massive wealth. However, even small businesses or individuals do not necessarily have to spend a lot of money on security solutions. The cost of cybersecurity solutions is often minimal compared to the potential financial losses that could result from cyber attacks.
Understanding the importance of cybersecurity and a culture of technical awareness based on accurate information is the key to safe use of devices, networks, and information exchange mechanisms that are less prone to various cyber threats.
