Can Cyber-Security Become Paranoia?
Look, I get it. The tips on this page can be a little worrying. After all, we're talking about cyber attacks, fraud, and identity theft. These are all very, very scary things!
But while this caution is more than certainly warranted, it can breed a type of paranoia that can be less than helpful. Here's some tips to keep that balance healthy!
- Be realistic about who may be targeting you. Recent events have created the popular imagination of Russian hackers going after everyone, the likelihood is that you're not the main target of the Kremlin and its Kopromant. It's more likely just garden variety identity thieves.
- Friends and family are likely culprits for cyber-crime. This may make you feel MORE paranoid, but in reality it does more to address the fear of the random cyber stalker. It's often those closer to you, who have access to your information more frequently, that will attack your cyber security or steal your identity.
- You can never be too safe...so make sure you're not making your own life miserable. There's always a chance that someone will be after you. But really, it's more likely that you'll be targeting if someone spots you practicing unsafe online behaviors. Spies aren't everywhere, folks.
- Be practical about sources. Your daughter calls you and tells you she's gonna send you a link to an album of graduation photos! If you then get an email telling hours later either an email from your daughter and a link, you probably don't need to go into red alert over that
Hopefully this has made you feel a little better about your cyber-security not being cyber-paranoia!
