For today’s article, I’m handing over to guest blogger Jude Sarkar. Jude initiated his journey in the cybersecurity landscape, initially assisting clients in Valentin Vigil’s CPA business. Following his experience with an MSP venture, he founded MicroSec in March 2023, drawing inspiration from the Irish cybersecurity startup, Cyberpie. With a commitment to serving microbusiness owners, consumers, and senior citizens, Jude brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion on cybersecurity.
Let’s delve into Jude’s insights and recommendations for safeguarding your digital world.
Richard Tubb.
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Embarking on the CyberSec Warrior Quest
The journey of MicroSec started in early 2023 with the mission in mind to anoint our customers to be CyberSec Warriors. I was so much into this idea that I separately got a domain of cybersecwarrior.com.
Psychology of Privacy: Nurturing Understanding
MicroSec believes that the concept of privacy or cybersecurity has to be embedded in the psychology of an individual. Once you understand it, you can explain to others why it’s important.
As humans, we are constantly generating data in all forms. Be it through our reviews or sharing our opinions on social media, or even when using various software platforms online.
The biggest question is: how can you safeguard yourself in this journey of data-gobbling services and apps we have on our phones and computers?
Guess what? It’s not only those apps trying to profile you, but also the threat actors who constantly want to steal your information and make a profit, either by selling it or using it as a mask to hurt more people online.
This is the reason why I feel that if we have to safeguard our virtual environment it has to be done with a three-pronged approach.
The Three-Pronged Approach to Cybersecurity
This is the responsibility that is shared equally between business owners, consumers, and the government.
I find that individuals take less interest in safeguarding their data as they have not been exposed to the benefits of privacy, or they haven’t yet faced a situation where their information got compromised.
Americans have mostly been affected by scams online where their data gets compromised, whether that’s an email or phone number hack or even their financial information.
Practical Tips for Personal Data Protection
One of the most common pieces of advice I give to my clients is to have two separate email addresses. One you use to register at all the important places like banks, insurance, and healthcare facilities. The other address is for shops, loyalty cards, and any other random places where you need to sign up for services.
I always advise my clients to use a masking email feature that Apple provides when signing up for services, thus not exposing their personal details. In terms of financial services, especially with credit cards, individuals can contact their credit card providers to generate virtual credit card numbers and prevent fraud when making transactions.
With phone numbers, one of the best practices is to have features like spam protection enabled, for example, Hiya Protect or Robokiller‘s mobile spam blocker. Having these means you can easily recognise genuine calls and block fraudulent ones. BT Group and EE offer Hiya’s spam and fraud call protection to UK customers. Recognising that 29% of all UK calls to businesses are Spam, and up to 50% are fraudulent.
This gives business users huge peace of mind when the call comes up on their phone.
A Unique Approach to Security
MicroSec takes a unique approach, as we work with microbusiness owners, consumers, and senior citizens. We’ve observed that customers, whether they’re business owners or not, haven’t yet understood the importance of browser security. They assume having antivirus installed is enough to protect them, but that’s not always the case.
For privacy and security browser extensions, we recommend uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, and Malwarebytes Browser Guard. We also advise our customers to use a privacy shutter for their webcams and encourage them not to store any form of credentials on their browsers.
If they have to write their passwords down, they should use a notebook. Of course, don’t label it “passwords.” And where possible, we encourage them to use a password management tool.
Tailoring Cybersecurity Solutions to Customer Knowledge and Comfort
As an MSP or service provider, it’s vital to understand what knowledge your customers have and what tech they’re comfortable with using.
This will inform the package you provide for them and how much support they’ll need during the onboarding process. This reduces confusion and complication and ensures the safety and security of their data at all times.
We always tell our clients that cybersecurity is a preventive measure, much like a vaccine. However, just follow the steps is not enough – they need to understand why each step is important.
It’s not about just paying a provider for security services. They must also be proactive when it comes to protecting their data and networks.
At MicroSec, we communicate regularly with our clients to keep them aware of the latest trends and developments in the world of privacy.
Conclusion
For us at MicroSec, the key way we safeguard our clients is through constant communication. Just like warriors need constant training to keep them at their best, our customers do too.
As you delve into implementing these cybersecurity best practices, we’d love to hear from you!
What additional measures do you take to secure your digital presence? Share your insights and join the conversation. Let’s build a community committed to online safety.
Leave a comment below or get in touch with Richard or me, Jude Sarkar!
About Jude Sarkar
Jude Sarkar embarked on his journey in the cybersecurity realm after assisting clients in Valentin Vigil’s CPA business. Following a stint with an MSP business, he founded MicroSec in March
2023, drawing inspiration from the Irish cybersecurity startup, Cyberpie. MicroSec specialises in serving microbusiness owners, consumers, and senior citizens, offering tailored cybersecurity solutions. Find out more on the Microsec website.
Jude Sarkar is committed to safeguarding clients through MicroSec’s unique approach, offering constant communication and education in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.
Connect with Jude Sarkar:
- Twitter: Jude Sarkar
- MicroSec Facebook: MicroSec
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