Protect Your Business by Protecting Your Browser

Small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are taking steps to defend themselves against cyber criminals. They realize that they are vulnerable, and the gaps in their network system protection attract cyber criminals. Understanding where hackers are entering is the first step, but educating employees on identifying threats is key. Forbes reports that around 30,000 website hack attempts occur each day. One of the most common ways hackers enter corporate networks is through browsers employees visit while on work computers. Small businesses can protect themselves when online by following guidelines set below.

Vulnerability Factors

Whether using a browser at home or in the office, an unsecured web browser can cause irreversible damage to your data Web browsing, over the recent years, has become one of the significant weaknesses of business organizations. It’s critical to understand the factors that lead to a vulnerable web browsing experience.

  • Clicking on links haphazardly, without thinking about the risks
  • Disguised web page URLs that lead to a fake site
  • Web browser configuration focuses on functionality, not security
  • Bundled software on new computers which increases the number of vulnerabilities
  • Using third-party software that may not receive security updates
  • Enabling features or installing additional software required by websites
  • Lack of knowledge or unwillingness to configure web browser security

Importance of Safe Browsing to Protect Data

Everyone is familiar with standard web browsers, including Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. People may open one or more of these each day on their computers, and most new computers usually have web browser software already installed. However, cyber criminals can find an entry point into a user’s computer by compromising any of these web browsers. Once that happens, the company network is compromised, and corporate data can be stolen.

Email spamming, also known as phishing, often creates an entry point without the user realizing it. Damage happens when a person clicks on a link, taking them to a fake website containing malware. Once on the page, malware or other harmful software is downloaded without the user knowing. In the case of web browsing, the susceptibility is greater because your private data can be stolen… even if you don’t click on anything harmful! Hackers use spyware on different websites, even on legitimate ones. As soon as a user opens the web page, the cyber attack begins.

The accessibility for hackers to invade users’ privacy and steal data is far greater in web browsing experiences. In 2015, the former CEO of IBM, Ginni Rometty, said in a speech, “Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world,” while a Cybersecurity Ventures study suggests that ransomware attacks will occur every 11 seconds and businesses are the targets — there’s no way around it: every single one of us is at risk.

Ways to Ensure a Safe Browsing Experience

Regardless of the frequency of cyber hackings, nearly every business relies on web browsers to operate smoothly and efficiently. Although we cannot entirely stop those cyber attacks, it’s possible to have a secure web browsing experience by taking actions to prevent hackers from gaining access to your system. To create a safe browsing experience, follow these tips.

  1. Extensions. A great technique of making your browsing experience safe is by using security extensions for your web browser. Extensions are small digital plug-ins that improve the functionality and user-friendliness of the browser, and are used for different actions. You can add some authentic privacy and security extensions to put an extra layer of protection to your web browsing experience. Those extensions work by identifying and blocking any spyware from getting the IP addresses and blocking unnecessary cookies. Reliable extensions can make it difficult for cybercriminals to access information and private data.
  2. Passwords. One of the easiest and most workable ways of having a safe web browsing experience is to create strong passwords. The chances of hackers invading a business system decrease significantly when the user has a complicated and strong password. Passwords like the name of family members or a pet, birthdays, or school names and mascots are very easy to decode and can be used to access data via web browsers. Always combine uppercase and lowercase letters with symbols and numbers to create a unique password that hacking tools can’t break.
  3. Autofill. Have you ever noticed that whenever you order something online from the same website for a second time, your browser fills all of your contact information automatically? It may seem convenient to you at that time, but the autofill feature poses significant risks to your computer’s security. If your form automatically fills in information, it means you allowed the browser to save your data, and it can easily be stolen.So, it’s essential for safe browsing that you disable that feature from your web browser’s settings. Autofill settings can be found by going to Settings and typing “autofill” in the Search bar. Users can adjust autofill for passwords, payment methods, addresses, and more.
  4. Browser Cookies . You can limit hackers from tracking your private data by disabling the browser cookies and cache. Website cookies are tiny chunks of your data that websites use to improve your user experience the next time you visit that website. Cookies for every website may not lead to direct intrusion of your browsing information, but cookie data is used by hackers to steal your private data. Most websites allow you to control cookie settings manually, and you can disable them from there. But for websites that prevent you from proceeding further without accepting the cookies, you can stay safe by clearing the web cache from your computer.Your managed security provider can assist with making sure that browser settings on computers are optimized and even provide training for staff on how to safely browse the internet.

Visual Edge specializes in managed IT services and security, cloud computing, and print/copy solutions for businesses across the U.S., including remote offices. The company has more than 30 years of technology service with a national network of expert engineers. Request your no-obligation assessment today and get a free dark web analysis.