Gear Up Database Cyber Security in 2021 with These 3 Best Practices

Database Cyber Security in 2021

The year 2020 had been ground-breaking and unpredictable on several fronts. It is not wrong to state that many events that happened last year were not good at all. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economies across the globe crashed as several companies were forced to close down operations.

The year was filled with challenges, and on top of all of this, there was a surge in cyber security incidents.

In 2021, early in the year, Tesla had been informed by an internal employee of an offer that was quite unusual. This employee was offered a sum of $500,000 to install ransomware into Tesla’s network.

However, the employee was alert, and he went on to inform the management in time. Later, the FBI stepped in to take over the case, and the matter was taken care of.

Even with big companies, cybersecurity is a vulnerable issue. Thus everyone must put in place the best ways and methods to deal with it effectively.

Now, this is just one of the several cyber security cases that have been recorded in 2021 so far. Among all the most popular cyber-attacks, ransomware is one of the most severe and dangerous of them all.

It is generally spread via infectious attachments and emails. If anyone clicks on this infected link, the ransomware gets installed into the system he/she uses.

Moreover, it blocks all access to files and data unless the ransom is paid to get the decryption key. Last year, in 2020, there were several incidents of ransomware attacks and other cyber threats.

DBA specialists from esteemed companies state that this cyber-threat landscape is evolving rapidly, and it is becoming the top concern of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and IT managers across the globe.

There is no guarantee of what might occur when any business system is attacked by ransomware or any other malware. However, the following are some effective cyber-security tips that you can embrace to protect your critical business data with success.

Precaution is better than cure 

This is the most fundamental and first step in your pursuit of cyber security for your system. Note that even the most sophisticated and complicated phishing and ransomware attack becomes successful because of a tiny mistake.

Now, the question here is in your personal life, do you share the details of your credit card and PIN with everyone?

Professionals from the esteemed name in database management and administration, RemoteDBA.com, state that your data is very important, just like your personal credit card details.

You need to safeguard it as you would do the same with your assets and documents. Your government identification number, DOB, and most important of them all, your mobile number can even be used as a ransom for the extortion of money.

Cyber hackers create email addresses and websites that are fake but appear legitimate to everyone. They can gain access and control of your social media profiles and drop messages to your network that seem genuine.

If you click on any URL that they post or share, you will fall into their traps and be in deep trouble.

Authentication is the key 

Authentication must be your topmost priority if you want to safeguard your business data. For example, if you are working from home due to the pandemic (or if you are an IT manager or CISO), you must go the extra mile to protect the company’s data.

When it comes to your details and data, or for that matter, your private messages and pictures on social media, the process for authentication will make everything extra secure.

If you check closely, you will find that cloud storage providers and social media platforms give all their users the benefits of two-factor authentication for protection. It adds an extra layer of cybersecurity protection to the account.

Protecting personal data should never be overlooked. Cybercriminals can also use you to be the bait to get through the organization’s confidential information. If you work in the company, you can always request your IT manager or administrator to take you on a Virtual Private Network or VPN connection.

This will ensure that you connect to the WiFi in a private and safe environment when you work from home. When dealing with sensitive or private information, always avoid using any public or free WiFi connection.

Stay away from emails and pop-ups from suspicious and unknown people 

When you surf the Internet, you will find pop-ups appearing now and then. They are very common and often seem harmless. Business marketers use these pop-ups to prompt a specific service, discount, brand, or offer. IT administrators and skilled DBAs recommend checking or even opening any of these pop-ups if they appear suddenly on your screen.

If you are not careful, you might become prey to a phishing attack when you click on any pop-up. However, they also state that not all of these pop-ups are bad. Therefore, you must have the knowledge and skills to detect fake ones to protect the system.

You should follow one golden rule, and that is to avoid pop-ups that appear on unidentified web pages. For instance, if you are randomly surfing through websites and suddenly a pop-up appears displaying a warning on false security, you must close this window.

Unfortunately, several users online fall prey to the above tricks and innocently reveal their identities to cybercriminals.

The Bottom Line

If you believe that you have accidentally clicked on any suspicious link with malware, you should immediately contact the authority concerned. In case it is the company system you work on, contact your IT team.

If it is your personal computer, seek help from an IT security expert you know. You can also seek help from cybersecurity specialists in your state. Last but not least, you should disconnect the Bluetooth, WIFI, and other devices you might have been using for storage as you do not want this attack to spread.

If you use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, check for versions of your data files and documents in them.