Once upon a time we used to rely on the government or corporate IT departments to ensure the safety of personal data, and to keep security breaches from the public. But those days are long gone.

Everything changed in 2002 when California became the first state in the U.S. to pass a security breach notification law. After coming into effect, companies holding private information about California residents are now required to notify customers immediately following a data breach. In fact, they are required to notify residents even if there is a suspicion of a data breach on the horizon. Now, 47 U.S. states have passed laws requiring companies and government bodies to notify people of security breaches that could compromise their privacy.

New laws are in place to protect you online, but is that enough? Photo credit: Shutterstock.

These laws have disrupted the data-breach dynamic in favour of your everyday citizen. For example, notifications allow individuals the time to change passwords, cancel credit cards, add additional security, and more. However, while these notifications are a great step towards transparency, there is still a need for added personal protection.

Further, while important that the government and big corporations are doing everything they can to ensure your data is protected, some responsibility does land on citizens to help secure personal information.

As we head into the new year, consider adapting these measures to ensure your personal information remains secure for years to come.

1. Don’t store excessive data

There is no need to store all of your personal data. Even if you’re a business owner, keeping customer information just for the sake of it is not necessary. Sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and home addresses do not need to be stored in a company database. With that being said, once information is provided and used, make sure to remove it from the database.

2. Follow appropriate measures

Make sure your passwords are strong, unique, and different from one another, and always enable two-factor authentication, if available. Consider installing antivirus software onto your devices, but be wary of the package you choose. Commercial packages usually deliver the best rated protection, but it could mean you will be parting with a large chunk of cash. While antivirus software has been the standard for years, the threat landscape has changed. Meaning that simply having an antivirus program on your system isn’t enough. According to Popular Science, while it’s still recommended to have, antivirus should be part of a multi-faceted approach to security.

It’s important to train your employees on the potential threat of cyber attacks. Photo credit: Shutterstock.

3. Train employees on cybersecurity

According to industry experts, the majority of all security breaches occur as a result of human behaviour. To help combat this problem, cybersecurity should be a core part of the workplace culture. Educating employees regularly is key, and should be a top priority. Businesses should teach employees about the dangers of phishing and malware, and how they can protect themselves, as well as the company.

4.Utilize blockchain technology

One of the main advantages of blockchain lies with its immutability and end-to-end security. The use of sequential hashing and cryptography, combined with the decentralized framework the technology enables, makes it virtually impossible to alter data on the ledger. Blockchain technology can be used to handle sensitive information, and prevent or detect any form of tampering, making it an ideal form of security.

Buglab is a cybersecurity startup that reshapes the current penetration testing model used by companies worldwide, from multinational corporations to small and medium businesses. The company connects with a global network of professional security researchers to discover and help fix vulnerabilities on websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and smart contracts, essentially helping companies everywhere safeguarding their digital assets. Buglab provides this security via a challenging penetration test, known as a contest, geared towards verified security researchers.

The contests work by connecting with verified, trusted and professional cybersecurity pentesters to find vulnerabilities on digital solutions; essentially, any of your Internet-capable devices. Once the plan has been selected and the contest scope has been defined, a reward allocation can be set. Next, the pentesters will sift through the platforms of your choosing, identifying potential vulnerabilities. Client users will also be able to work with pentesters in real-time to receive guidance on repairing those problems immediately.

On the other hand, the Vigilante Protocol Smart Contract enables communication of sensitive information in a confidential and secure manner through the applicable certified national authorities, namely computer security incident response teams (CSIRT), which are administered by many countries across the globe. In addition to notifying the company in question of a vulnerability, CSIRT and Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) will themselves have to triage and score it. In return, once the company marks a vulnerability as resolved, the response teams will be rewarded tokens that come out of the Vigilante Protocol Reserve (VPR).

Utilizing the blockchain to its advantage, buglab is working to address the limitations of the current pentesting industry, and help companies to better navigate the digital space.

There are things you can do to protect your data online. Photo credit: Shutterstock.

5. Use a Virtual Private Network

Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connected to the internet. A VPN can securely encrypt all the data travelling between your devices and the VPN server.

In other words, a VPN can hide your internet activities from an Internet Service Provider, which also effectively counters potential censorship from governments or institutions. In addition, a VPN can protect your data against hackers when using a public Wi-Fi hotspot.

Typically, it can cost about $5-$10 per month for a VPN. There are free services available, but experts warn against using these types of VPNs. According to Hackread.com, some free VPNs are capable of selling your data.

The most commonly used free VPN service is CyberGhost. Hackread says offerings are limited, but funding to run the system is transparent. Before choosing a VPN, ensure that the provider promises to protect your data and not misuse it, and also explains how their VPN will protect your data.

There are plenty of ways to keep your data secure, but it begins with being aware of vulnerabilities. To learn about how to detect vulnerabilities, check out another one of our blog posts, It’s Time to Take Hacking Threats Seriously.

Whether you own a website or mobile app, or simply use applications daily, it is highly recommended that you take the time to protect yourself from dangerous hackers. Always speak to an expert for advice, and look at all of your security options before making a final decision.

About Buglab

The buglab solution detects and remedies vulnerabilities on various business applications, websites, mobile applications, IoT devices , and smart contracts by transforming penetration test services into challenges, referred to as contests, for a community of independent information security consultants with certified qualifications.

The buglab project is moving towards implementing blockchain capabilities, so be sure to stay tuned for website and white paper updates, as well as project information. In the meantime, follow the buglab team on Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.