Cyber-attacks are on the rise and are becoming more potent with each day. Whether you use your computer for personal or professional purposes, cyber-attacks are an imminent threat to your privacy and personal or professional information. Protecting your computer from cyber-attacks by keeping cybercriminals at bay is the need of the hour. Here are 5 common security tools that you must have in 2021 to protect your digital world.
Antivirus
A recent study by Mimecast has revealed that there has been a 26% rise in ransomware with viruses and malware being the prime culprits behind some of the biggest and most damaging cyber-attacks around the world. Thus, an antivirus is the most important security tool that everyone must have to protect themselves from viruses, malware, trojans, and similar cyber threats. An antivirus offers real-time protection by scanning for viruses, malware, malicious applications, suspicious links, and untrustworthy websites, among others.
An ideal antivirus program is one that can successfully detect and identify unknown online threats without picking out too many false positives as well as strike a balance between price and performance. Though quality protection is available completely free by virtue of the numerous free antivirus programs from major software companies, it is a good idea to invest in a paid subscription to benefit from the extra features such as advanced firewalls, parental controls, spam filters, automatic system scans, ransomware protection, and several other advanced features.
VPN
An easy way to enhance your online security and privacy is by using a VPN while browsing the internet. A VPN or Virtual Private Network routes your internet traffic through an encrypted server by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and a third-party server. This enables you to securely connect to networks in various locations and mask your online identity from not only your ISP but also third-party trackers and the websites you are visiting. By acting as a middle man between you and the websites you visit, a VPN ensures that your online activity is not traceable and your privacy remains uncompromised.
Data sent and received via a VPN is encrypted, often by military-grade encryption, so that it cannot be traced back to your location by third parties, your ISP, or the authorities. When using a VPN, the location of the server you are connected to is shown as your physical location. Furthermore, many VPN providers do not monitor or record online activities and footprints thereby granting you online anonymity while surfing the internet. Finally, a VPN lets you access geo-blocked content on OTT platforms such as Netflix by hiding your true physical location.
Identity Theft Protection Tools
Loss of personal data to cyber-attacks is a source of major headache because your personal details, like your identity, in the wrong hands can lead to terrible consequences, including incarceration for a crime you did not commit. Identity theft is a serious threat and one that should not be taken lightly. As such using an Identity Theft Protection tool to safeguard your identity and other personal information is integral to the fortification of your digital security. A rapid increase in personal data and identity theft in recent times has lead to an increase in the popularity of Identity Theft Protection tools worldwide.
An Identity Theft Protection tool can monitor threats of identity theft as well as offer protection to your identity, personal data, online privacy, and digital devices. These tools are capable of resolving identity theft issues as well as even restore identity and personal data. Some Identity Theft Protection programs even offer reimbursement of funds that were stolen because of identity theft up to the limit stated in the plan you have subscribed to.
Backup and Recovery Tools
Data loss due to system crashes or hardware failures is as frustrating as it is common. In this day and age of digital communication where the most common method of recording and storing information is digital, backup and recovery tools are indispensable if you want to protect your digital data. A backup tool creates digital copies of your files and folders for safekeeping in case of system crashes, while a recovery tool lets you recover the backed up files and folders. Online cloud backup solutions such as Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive have grown in popularity and backup solutions store backups in a local drive as well as the cloud.
A basic backup and recovery feature is integrated into Windows and other modern operating systems but if you want some advanced features such as incremental backup, selective backup and recovery, multiple partitions, cloning, and mirror imaging then look for backup and recovery solutions from eminent software companies. While free backup and recovery tools are widely available, paid tools offer a wide range of extra features, including, among others, anti-ransomware, unauthorized encryption reversal, and cloud backup support.
Ad Blockers
Ad blockers, as the name suggests, block advertisements and protects you from phishing scams. Internet ads are one of the major sources of phishing scams and ransomware attacks. Unsuspecting users often end up on malicious sites by clicking on ads. With numerous applications and websites using advertisements as a monetization strategy leading to cybercriminals taking advantage of the curious nature of internet users blinded by the promise of a free product or hefty discounts, the emergence of ad blockers has become a natural progression.
Nowadays, many ad blockers offer additional functionalities such as the ability to white list and filter ads that allow non-intrusive ads but blocks intrusive ones. Content filtering is another practical feature that prevents inappropriate content from being displayed. DNS ad blockers are a new breed of ad blockers that use DNS to effectively block ads. Ad blockers not only enhances user experience by blocking unwelcome and intrusive ads during browsing or gaming but also reduces the risk of falling prey to phishing or ransomware attacks.
As we grow accustomed to the ease of digital life we tend to forget and underestimate our vulnerability to the threats that an easy digital life poses. While the internet has become an essential part of everyday life, it is teeming with grave cyber threats that arguably outweigh the benefits of the internet. By 2021, the annual monetary damages from cybercrime will be more than the monetary damages due to natural disasters. These five security tools are standard defense measures against the rising threats posed by the digital world.
About the author
George Miller is an experienced internet security and tech writer who believes that everyone has the right for online privacy. Being in the internet security game for over 10 years, along with his acute understanding of the digital privacy space enables him to share his expertise with his readers. He is an author of a wide range of in-depth tech related reviews, comparison charts and articles at SoftoCoupon.
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