Did you ever worry about cybersecurity during Christmas?
Searching for professional opportunities and personal growth, I ended up working in Probely, in Lisbon. The crazy part about all this is that I’m from Argentina, 9,593 km away. Sure, I’m applying all the marketing knowledge and skills I have (or at least my degree says so) and learning every day about it, but what I’m really learning about is, who would have said web security. Hacks, breaches, stolen identities: this is a whole new world for me. I’m getting shocked with every case I read and with every news that happens around me.
Anyways, as I wrote above, I’m from Argentina and this year will be the first one without my family and friends, and it made me think a lot. What will I do? Who will I have dinner with? Who will I talk with? Who will be there at 00:00?
When I was young, Christmas was that one day in a lifetime thing. That special day in which I would wake up feeling different. And what made it so special was having the love of my family and friends. And I realized that Christmas is nothing without them, that the idea of not having them this year with me really scares and paralyzes me, and that they are the most important thing that life gave me. Christmas is about sharing your time and love with the ones that had always been there for you.
So if you are reading this, I have two tasks for you to do this year during Christmas Eve. The first one: appreciate the ones you love and are with you. You don’t need to buy them a present nor write them a huge letter, just please appreciate them. The second one: protect them. There’s a lot of danger in, among others, our tablets, computers, phones, game consoles, and now even watches going on, and I didn’t realize till now, and I’m sure my family and friends still don’t realize it.
And how to avoid being part of it? How to stop using technological devices? You’re on one right now, we are all on one. Truth is, it is really difficult for not saying impossible. Hackers can record your passwords, hijack your webcam, steal any sensitive data you may have on your computer (including email addresses and credit cards number), delete everything you have on your hard drive, they can even listen to conversations on cell phones! And you can get hacked from emails, websites, social media (Basically, from everything you use every day)!
I know it can seem like a difficult task to protect the people around you from all the cybersecurity threats that are out there, and the new ones that just keep emerging. But it’s actually not that impossible, you just need to truly take this with seriousness and be aware of everything that is happening. You could try by following these cybersecurity tips and make your friends and family follow them too.
Let’s not forget what is Christmas about, appreciate and protect the ones you love. Wish you all a Merry and Safe Christmas!
