Cybersecurity pro advice on protecting yourself from attacks
Last week, President Joe Biden and Gov. Kathy Hochul reminded us about the dangers of cyber threats, especially as the war in eastern Europe continues.
But it's not just businesses that hackers are targeting. They can also make their way into your own personal devices.
A cyber expert told Spectrum News 1 a hacker's main goal is to get money, but there are several steps you can take to keep this from happening to you.
First and foremost: install anti-virus software both on your computers and phone.
If something feels off on your computer, like it's moving slowly, do a system reset and make sure your programs are update.
Third, think twice before downloading or clicking on links in emails, on social media and even text messages because they can instantly drop a virus.
Cyber experts say everyone has to do their part in protecting themselves, which in turn can protect the U.S. against this type of warfare.
"The question you should not ask yourself is am I paranoid, but am I paranoid enough,” Nick Francesco, chief technology officer of Mastermind Lounge, said. “The reality is that there are people out there who are trying to break into your machine. Not you personally, they don't know you, they don't care about you. It's all programmed. It's all robotic. They're trying to break into any machine they can to hopscotch into government institutions."
One last piece of advice: if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Gloss