Three cybersecurity tips to protect yourself – The Times of Noblesville

By Tom Kelly

On Sept. 13, Apple suddenly released an unprecedented, emergency security update after researchers at Citizen Lab discovered that an Israeli spyware group was able to infect Apple products via a critical cybersecurity vulnerability. Before the emergency patch, cybercriminals could use what’s called a “Zero-Day exploit” to put malware on Apple products without ever being detected. 

Apple had to work non-stop to patch the vulnerability before cybercriminals around the world caught wind of the exploit. But while this particular cybersecurity crisis may have been narrowly averted, it’s far from an isolated incident. This year alone saw a massive surge in ransomware attacks, malware and more. 

These attacks don’t just target businesses and industries; they target individuals too. We all use our phones, social media websites, smartphone apps and other digital services to live our daily lives and share our sensitive information. Today, the security of that information is at risk. 

The fact is that cybercrime has been on the rise since the start of the pandemic. As more and more people rely on digital products and services to do their banking, shopping, investing, working, dating and socializing, almost no one and nothing is immune to the growing threat posed by the world’s cybercriminals.

But ordinary people can and should take charge of their own cybersecurity and protect the privacy of their data. 

Using digital technology doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your safety, security and privacy. But you can’t rely on the companies behind the products you use to do all the work for you. Cybercriminals are working around the clock to hack your devices and steal your data; taking careful and proactive steps to protect yourself is key. 

It may not be possible to prevent the next zero-day exploit,…