When protecting your data and devices, it’s easy to assume that a simple antivirus will do it all. However, much of the time, we readily protect our software – without giving much thought to the hardware, we are using.
As time moves on and as hacking attempts evolve, our hardware comes under greater threat from malware. Cybersecurity in the modern age is less about having a cure to heal our regularly used programs and apps. It is more about protecting our expensive systems and networking – and all the data shared in between.
What Are Some Key Hardware Risks?
It’s safe to say that physical attacks are not the only routes towards disaster for hardware users. Hackers can remotely use your machines against you if they wish. This could occur in the form of reverse engineering – where malware learns about your hardware’s weaknesses.
This means hackers could easily get into your system and learn about its operations through unsecured networks. Another clever but rather frightening option is the built-in backdoor. A backdoor exploit occurs when malware sneaks into hardware to find sensitive information. There may be cases where the software you buy already has a backdoor sneak installed.
Crucially, it’s essential to understand that hardware vulnerabilities could occur at any time, anywhere. Businesses are at particular risk of hardware hacking, meaning it’s vital to do more than choose secure passwords.
Protecting Yourself Against Hardware Exploits
Encrypting everything – first of all – is crucial. You need to ensure that any processes you run, any messages you send – are encrypted from end to end. If hackers can intercept your connections and your data shared is non-encrypted, your hardware is at immediate risk.
Cloaking your location and credentials while connected, too, is essential. A reliable VPN provider will enable you to disguise your IP address. It’s also a good idea to use a VPN that’s efficient or that you can at least boost the speed of quickly. There are guides online that can help you here (a good start might be https://surfshark.com/blog/tips-on-how-to-boost-vpn-speed). The faster the VPN, the better protected you are.
Of course, prevention is always ideal over any cure. To avoid any doubt of backdoor attacks and ensure your hardware is protected from the get-go, buy safely. Choose vendors with firm credentials – or, alternatively, build systems yourself.
Above all, you should always make sure to update your firmware and upgrade your systems regularly. It is easy enough to assume that just protecting your software is enough. However, hackers can dig deep into your tech and use it against you – pretty frightening.
Keep Up to Date
The best way to protect yourself against hardware problems is, of course, to keep your finger on the pulse. Sure – your antivirus might update itself regularly – but the older the hardware, the more vulnerable it becomes.
Consider setting up an upgrade schedule for your tech – and you’ll future proof yourself for years to come.
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Photo by Alexandre Debiève on Unsplash