This is the
second article on cloud computing, part one can be accessed from the web links
listed at the bottom of this page.
Cloud Computing - Plan to fail, Don't fail to
plan
The fact,
for most computer users, is that some or all of your personal data will be
stored on one or more internet servers(the cloud). With that comes the risk
that it will be successfully accessed by cyber criminals. As recently as this
week the news listed one of the latest attacks on banks by cyber criminals
which netted the criminals 1 billon dollars. According to the article one or
more Irish banks were hit but this has been disputed in the Irish media.Click Here for the Article
One would
think that the banks would be savvy enough to ensure they are protected but the
truth is there is simply no way to secure against human error. Thus you need to
plan for the worst and take action
before you are a victim.
Passwords
I’ve written
about this before but I’ll summarize again regarding passwords.
- Use strong passwords containing upper and lower case letters and numbers
- Never use the same password on more than one account
- Never re-use passwords on an account or across accounts
- Never ever store a list of your passwords on any computing device
- Change your passwords frequently without waiting for the site or app expire date.
Accessing Your Accounts Via Wifi
As more and
more people use smart phones and tablets on the go the convenience factor may
tempt you to access your email or bank accounts via wifi when out and about.
Don’t do
it! This is playing russian roulette
with your data and you’ll eventually get caught.
It is
amazingly simple to hack a wifi hotspot and redirect user data via your own
device. Likewise it goes without saying to never use a web café computer to
access your email or bank accounts. As with the wifi hotspots you can never be
assured of security. Lastly I’ve had more than one or two customers whose email
accounts have been hacked when they accessed them from work.
Next month
I’ll finish on this topic and will cover safeguarding your data, encryption, replication
and email issues amongst others.
