Be Careful What You Click

Be careful what you click

Avoid visiting unknown websites or downloading software from untrusted sources. These sites often host malware that will automatically install (often silently) and compromise your computer.

If attachments or links in the email are unexpected or suspicious for any reason, don't click on it.

ISO recommends using Click-to-Play(link is external) or NoScript(link is external), browser add-on features that prevent the automatic download of plug-in content (e.g., Java, Flash) and scripts that can harbor malicious code.

We all know that is important to not click on malicious links. But let’s talk about why it is important. Clicking on malicious links is the number one-way attackers get access to your business or personal information. Let’s look at how that happens. When you click on a malicious link from an email or on a webpage. Here are 3 things that could happen.

• You could be redirected to a fake website asking for your username and password to steal your credentials.

• The link could download a keylogger that tracks all your keystrokes and sends them to the hacker.

• The link could download a malicious file that could lead to ransomware or another virus.

While this is not a complete list. They are some of the common things that can happen.

What should I look out for? There are a few ways to determine if you think a link is bad.

• If you received the link through email, check the email address for any misspellings or inconsistencies in the sender’s email.

• Hover your cursor and preview the URL. See if the link-to-address is for a different website or if the hyperlink is misspelled.

• Be careful with attachments to emails. The basic rule is never open an attachment that you are not expecting.

• If email asks you to click on link or open an attachment to avoid a negative consequence or to gain some value.

What should you do if you think you clicked on a malicious link, or your computer is infected?

If you suspect your device has been compromised, you should first disconnect it from the internet and other networks. This will help to the virus from spreading to other devices in your network. Then you should contact your IT department or IT provider so they can walk you through the next steps in disinfecting your device.

If you have questions on what to do if you think your device is infected feel free to contact BounceBack Solution.

BounceBack Solution is a cybersecurity company focused on providing cybersecurity solutions.

Cybersecurity tips sourced from UC Berkeley

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