cyberattack

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself From a Cyberattack

NBC Universal, Inc.

Cyber security companies say as tensions rise on the Russia-Ukraine border, we should take steps to protect ourselves in case Russia decides to target us.

"The challenge that cyber brings to conventional warfare is that you can hit offshore without deploying physical resources," said Casey Ellis, founder of San Francisco-based security company Bugcrowd.

Ellis said targets are likely to include big businesses and banks both in Ukraine and in the U.S., which are connected to our personal devices. Think about how we bank, pay bills and interact with businesses from our phones.

"The phone is such a place for attack," said Kristy Edwards, president of Privacycode.

Edwards said it's essential to boost our own security so our private data stays private.

"But we haven't gone and done our latest update on our phone, the latest updates on our OS, on our laptops and desktops," she said. "When was the last time you patched your router, your TV?"

All of the hardware we use can be protected. Security patches are easily downloadable for things like laptops and televisions. For apps on our phones, boost your security with two-factor authorization, which will make it much harder for hackers to get in.

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