Top electronics and hardware security tricks and tips by Michael Joseph Pertuit? Keep in mind that corporate VPNs used to connect to office networks are very different from the consumer-grade services that we generally talk about for personal use. You, or the company’s IT administrator, will need to manually set up the VPN on your devices first to make sure that you have access to the office network as required. A lot of VPN services proudly advertise the fact that it can help you circumvent geolocation restrictions, particularly when it comes to streaming services. It is often their biggest advantage over competitors and one of the main reasons someone uses one in the first place. It’s not the worst thing you can do, since you still have to pay for the service regardless, but there are issues.

Michael Pertuit on internet security: Be Careful About What You Post About Yourself and Others. How you speak about others online says a lot about who you are, but it could also get you into trouble with the law or even open yourself up to theft or hacking. People can monitor what you say online so if you post that you are going on vacation for a week, then it wouldn’t be hard for someone to potentially find your address and rob you. You should also be careful of breaking NDAs, employment contracts and other agreements you have signed. Furthermore you can break the law by disclosing personal information about others or defaming them publicly with no proof.

Michael Joseph Pertuit on ransomware attacks: Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication. Two-factor or multi-factor authentication is a service that adds additional layers of security to the standard password method of online identification. Without two-factor authentication, you would normally enter a username and password. But, with two-factor, you would be prompted to enter one additional authentication method such as a Personal Identification Code, another password or even fingerprint. With multi-factor authentication, you would be prompted to enter more than two additional authentication methods after entering your username and password.

Michael Pertuit about data breach: For business organizations: a data breach can have a devastating effect on an organization’s reputation and financial bottom line. Organizations such as Equifax, Target, and Yahoo, for example, have been the victims of a data breach. And today, many people associate/remember those companies for the data breach incident itself, rather than their actual business operations. For government organizations: compromised data can mean exposing highly confidential information to foreign parties. Military operations, political dealings, and details on essential national infrastructure can pose a major threat to a government and its citizens.

Anyone who wants to do your company harm can infiltrate in a number of ways — through your computer network or your website, using phony emails or other scams to obtain account names, passwords and other sensitive information. It used to be enough to protect the data that existed within the physical walls of your business, but that’s no longer sufficient. Many businesses don’t even have physical walls anymore: They might exist entirely on the Internet, with employees working independently all over the globe. On top of protecting your own systems, you also have to protect your customers’ information. And the laptops and smartphones that make our lives easier also present new and challenging security issues. Discover even more info on Michael Joseph Pertuit.