Better security on the Internet: our tips

Cyber security is no longer just a concern for companies. Private individuals, too, are increasingly falling victim to cyber attacks. These attacks can target not only your personal assets (for example, when a purchase is made online in your name); hackers can also exploit your personal environment to infringe upon the rights of others (by stealing external data stored on your PC, for instance). Ivan Bütler – professional hacker and partner of Helvetia – has already carried out various hacks. “So far there's been virtually no company that was absolutely secure,” he says in an interview. In addition to five widely known tips for security on the Internet he provided us with a further four secret tips.

Five tried-and-tested tips for security on the Internet 

1. Mitigate the risks by installing updates for systems, programs and apps as soon as they become available and making sure you don't send any sensitive data over the Internet in unprotected form (unencrypted email, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
2. Use long and varying passwords: a password should ideally be at least 12 characters long and also contain numbers and special characters. Always you two-stage authentication if you have the option of doing so (e.g. for e-banking).
3. Under no circumstances open email attachments from unknown senders and do not transmit confidential data to external individuals.
4. Make back-ups about once a week and save valuable data on an external carrier (e.g. USB stick).
5. Protect yourself against malicious software and unauthorised access with an up-to-date anti-virus program and firewall.

Secret tips from professional hackers

1. It’s good to have someone in your circle of friends and acquaintances who is familiar with computers and mobile phones. In an emergency you have someone to call on.
2. Never save passwords in your mobile phone’s notes application because they are stored in a cloud and on the phone and are not really protected.
3. To protect personal data while surfing, use the incognito or safe-browsing mode for e-banking or payments in online shops.
4. And most importantly: take tried-and-tested cyber security tips seriously. The most important one is to have a back-up.

Even if you take every precaution in the world, however, you can never be 100% protected. That’s why Helvetia has launched cyber insurance for private individuals. Since cyber risks can affect not only you but also third parties, cyber protection is available as an add-on to various types of insurance.