Unfortunately, there's no shortage of headlines about recent cyber attacks. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, cyber attacks were projected to occur every 11 seconds by 2021, nearly twice the rate seen in 2019 (every 19 seconds), and four times the rate in 2016 (every 40 seconds). That trajectory has only continued since.

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10 Cyber Security Best Practices

When considering how to safeguard your system, these ten tips are a great place to start.

1. Keep software applications and operating systems up to date.
2. Use a password manager, use upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and enable two-factor authentication (two methods of verification).
3. Watch for suspicious activity that asks you to do something right away, offers something that sounds too good to be true, or requests your personal information. Think before you click, and when in doubt, do not click, and do not provide personal information.
4. Use encrypted (secure) internet communications.
5. Protect your home and/or business using a secure internet connection and Wi-Fi network.
6. Use stronger authentication, such as a personal identification number (PIN) or password that only you would know. Consider using a separate device that can receive a code, or one that uses a biometric scan (e.g., fingerprint scanner or facial recognition).
7. Check your account statements and credit reports regularly.
8. Only share personal information on secure sites (e.g., "https://"). Do not use sites with invalid certificates, and use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create a more secure connection.
9. Use antivirus solutions, malware protection, and firewalls to block threats.
10. Regularly back up your files in an encrypted file or encrypted file storage device.

Source: The U.S. Government's ready.gov website.