How to prevent cyber attacks

In today’s digital world, staying vigilant is more important than ever. No one is immune to a cyber security attack; in fact, 2026 reports show that organizations average 2,086 cyber attacks every week. That's an 18% increase from the previous year. Malicious actors work around the clock to gain unauthorized access to data, whether it’s to steal, damage or hold it for ransom. That means it’s essential to understand cyber threats and how to prevent them.

DIY ways to stay safe from cyber attacks

Engage multifactor authentication (MFA)

Multifactor authentication is a layered security approach that allows users two or more authenticators to confirm their identity when logging in to their online accounts. This way, if one authenticator is compromised in a cyber attack, the second can still protect the account.

Multifactor authenticators usually consist of something the user knows (e.g., password or PIN), something they have (e.g., smart card, mobile token or smartphone) and a biometric factor (e.g., voice recognition, facial recognition or fingerprint). As malicious hackers continue improving password-cracking techniques, MFA is more important than ever to protect  data.

Individuals can secure MFA by purchasing a security key, which is one of the most effective MFA methods on the market. Security keys can be inserted into a computer or used wirelessly; some even have built-in fingerprint biometrics.

Those who do not want to carry a security key or are concerned about losing it can use an authentication application on a phone. When someone logs into an account, the authentication app sends a one-time authenticator code that can be used to log in successfully. Popular MFA options include Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator.

Watch out for social engineering attacks

Estimates identify 98% of cybercrime as resulting from social engineering tactics. Hackers use phishing (email), vishing (voice phishing) and SMiShing (SMS text messages) attacks to gain access to personal data.

An email or text message may appear to come from a legitimate source but have a suspicious email address when the sender’s information is inspected. This can be a sign of a phishing cyberattack. A phishing attack is a social engineering tactic designed to deceive recipients into clicking a link, sending confidential information or downloading malware that gives hackers access to data.

Malicious hackers use tactics that appeal to fear, urgency, curiosity or greed. Once hackers have accessed an individual’s data, they can charge credit cards, steal photos and videos, impersonate the individual, drain bank accounts, compromise a network or withhold information until a ransom is paid.

Watch out for phishing attacks

Phishing has become alarmingly common in recent years. According to Cisco, 80% of ransomware attacks begin with a phishing email. 

Some ways to mitigate vulnerability and reduce cyber attacks include:  

• Be creative with the naming convention of email addresses. Uncommon email addresses will make it more difficult for hackers to send phishing emails.
• Pay close attention to hyperlinks, content and the email domain. All are opportunities to identify red flags like grammatical errors, misspellings or the use of numbers rather than letters.
• If the source of an email, voice message or text message is unfamiliar, do not respond, open or click on anything.
• Be cautious of pop-up windows.
• Avoid sharing personal data over text messages or emails.
• Be skeptical of communication with emotional lures, like “I’m in jail and need Amazon gift cards.” No one posts bail with gift cards.
• Update browsers frequently. Implementing the latest features and security fixes protects against known security issues and adds protection from viruses, phishing, scams and other cyber threats.

Protect passwords

Stay cyber savvy

While social engineering and brute-force hacks are common cyberattacks, they aren’t the only ones. Individuals can take additional steps to help prevent becoming victims of cybercrime.

• Avoid or severely limit the amount of personal information shared online, including on social media.
• Establish the most secure privacy settings an individual is comfortable using for phones, email and browsers.
• Avoid or limit the use of location features.
• Keep computer software up to date.
• Back up personal information regularly.
• Encrypt sensitive information.
• Use videos, literature, blogs, training, workshops, academic credentials and industry certifications to learn up-to-date cybersecurity measures.
• Trust personal intuition. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.