Cyber ​​Security: The DGSI says there are 10 steps you can take to protect yourself

Fraud, identity theft, theft of health data … because today it is very difficult to protect your digital identity, your personal information or your online reputation, DGSI has shared 10 cyber security tips to follow.

The Directorate General of Homeland Security launched its new website on July 6, in which it shares its recommendations for the attention of French citizens. In this logic of the public interest, anti-intelligence experts are reminded of the essential points that must be respected for its digital security.

Use security updates

In terms of “digital hygiene”, it is essential to “immediately use security updates for all your devices”, DGSI recalls. In fact, updates are important for PC, Mac, smartphones, tablets and even home-connected items. This includes mechanisms to combat the latest known malware, but also fix vulnerabilities in these devices, which can act as entry points for cybercriminals.

Use antiviral medication

Antivirus solutions are still the best way to protect yourself from malware that goes through the web every day as it often slows down some processes on your devices and is often misunderstood or misunderstood. Some people aim to harm connected devices, but most of the time, they act quietly to retrieve confidential information or access sensitive data for resale on the dark web.

Keep strong passwords

This is a well-known fact, but many still compromise on it. The most widely used password in the world is “123456”. “According to a survey of 1 billion identifiers, about 7 million people have chosen this password,” warns Pit Defender, a cybersecurity expert for CNEUS. For its part, DGSI further emphasizes this point by choosing strong passwords.

ANSSI (National Information Systems Security Agency) recommends choosing “different types of passwords (upper case, lower case, numbers, special characters) that are not relevant to you, but should be updated every 90 days on average. Never have the same passwords between personal and professional newsletters.

Download your apps from official websites

Hackers understand that even if our smartphones now contain our personal and professional information, dragging an app into them will allow them to keep an eye on you. For DGSI, it is mandatory to always download an application from an official site. If Apple minimized as much as possible before releasing the App Store apps, some might be able to bypass Apple-branded Godin forks. This type of problem often occurs for smartphones running Android, where the Google Play Store is very open and sometimes has to handle applications including malware. Therefore, download only authorized applications or applications approved on these sites.

Beware of unexpected or warning messages

It is now common to pretend that the sender of an SMS sent to an unknown number or email is a company and should properly alert your critical mind. “Beware of unexpected or warning messages, stealing confidential information is phishing,” explains DGSI. Avoid opening them, do not click on the links provided like this, download or open the links and do not respond to the message.

Check out e-commerce sites

Before you make a purchase on an unused online sales site, first check that it is secure (a small padlock appears next to the URL in the browser) and if there is genuine customer service (feel free to call the listed number).

Control your social networks

Information about you on social networks, your interest centers, your entourage, your travels … and cybercriminals are well aware of this, especially in tailor-made phishing attacks. Therefore it is important to control your digital trail as soon as possible: “By controlling the visibility of your profile, ensuring the confidentiality of the shared information, whether private or professional”, DGSI recommends.

Distinguish between private and professional applications

Since you often have personal email and another professional, it is essential to make a real division between these two areas of your life. If you have a professional computer and professional mobile, do not add or mix your personal documents in it, and vice versa for your personal computers and smartphones. The idea is to differentiate between the two spheres so that no information goes between the two spheres.

At the top of cyber security, it is also recommended that you have an email address dedicated to your personal purchases on the Internet, where only business sites contain this information. The idea here is to restrict spam, phishing attempts and ads to this one address. If this account is hacked or accessed, cybercriminals will not be able to access personal or professional life information.

Back up your data

This is because the attacker may be tracking your data, while ransomware may prevent it before returning it to you as a recovery fee. It is therefore important to back up your data regularly, DGSI recommends. External media (hard or USB key) can be used to retrieve information, photos, videos, work documents …

Do not connect to unknown networks

Finding a free or public WiFi network is tempting when you do not have a 4G or 5G network in one place. Still, they should be avoided. Cyber ​​attackers can use the opportunity to access your terminal to steal personal and confidential information.