Information technology has facilitated incredible advancements for mankind. But along with these amazing strides that we have made as a society, a few IT misunderstandings have spread across the internet. To ensure you are aware of all the correct information, we’ve created this guide where we debunk 5 common myths regarding IT!
Security Is Unnecessary If I Have Nothing Important Stored On My Computer
Cyber security is about much more than protecting your information. Even if you don’t store personal information, important data and financial information on your personal computer, you should still invest in comprehensive anti-virus software and a VPN.
Even if you don’t have anything important stored in your files, you’ve likely paid for items online or have financial information stored on various website accounts. Without proper protection, your information is vulnerable and may be stolen by hackers and cyber criminals who can use this against you.
Nothing Gets Through Firewalls
Though firewalls typically do a great job at protecting our information, they’re not foolproof. Anyone who has ever told you that you can’t get through a firewall has likely never heard of encryption. Hackers can easily get through firewalls by encrypting attacks to stop firewalls from identifying threats. This is known as ‘blinding’.
Firewalls can also be misconfigured due to poor administration. Poor management leads to vulnerable firewalls that hackers can easily get through. If that wasn’t enough, hackers can work around firewalls completely by using messaging and web protocols to attack systems as well.
Apple Computers Don’t Get Viruses
Many modern computers, such as Apple Mac products, come with in-built virus protection, but this doesn’t negate the fact that Macs often still get viruses. Although they’re less likely to get a virus in comparison to Windows computers, Macs have fallen victim to high-profile attacks that have stolen hundreds of thousands of people’s user information, such as login credentials. Also, downloading additional software, plug-ins and add-ons that have direct access to the internet makes Apple Macintosh products susceptible to online attacks.
As Long As Email Attachments Are From Your Co-Workers, They Are Okay To Open
You should never presume that an attachment is ok to open. If a co-worker has fallen victim to a fake email, hackers can use their email to forward harmful attachments and messages to their contacts. Always proceed with a level of caution with any attachment, and avoid opening attachments from people you don’t know.
Antivirus Programs Protect You From All Computer Viruses
As with most things, nothing is fail-safe in this world, and virus protection is no exception. You’ll never find anti-virus software that’s 100% effective against all malware, especially if the malware is previously unseen or has sophisticated encryption that goes undetected.
However, this doesn’t mean you should abandon all hope when it comes to virus protection and additional security measures such as VPNs. Virus protection will protect you against known viruses that make up the vast majority of online malware. It will also help protect you from worms, Trojan viruses and unsafe websites, so they are still one of the best ways to protect yourself online.
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