Different Ways Security Solutions Are Putting You at Risk
These days we are more aware than ever of threats to our security. We use security cameras and alarms systems to protect our homes and antivirus programs and VPNs to protect our online presence. Safety and security have never been more important or more difficult to achieve. As technology advances, so do the ways that criminals can find out more about us and target us for attacks. Tools like proxies can be very helpful in keeping us safe. However, other tools such as surveillance cameras might put us at risk.
This article will cover how insecurities within our protection measures can put us at risk. We’ll also look at what you can do to stay safe such as using a Japan proxy from a provider like Smartproxy to avoid being tracked. Keep reading to discover the flaws in common security measures and what you can do to mitigate them.
Security Measures That Can Put You at Risk
We often install and use different security measures without thinking twice. All we’re really concerned with is staying safe. However, it’s important to be aware of the insecurities within these different measures to implement an overall security plan.
Surveillance Cameras
Surveillance cameras and the supporting technology have come a long way in the last few years. They are also becoming more and more popular, not just in business security but also in home security. These devices can now even let users check their home security cameras over their smartphones. You can also set trigger alarms and more so that you get a notification on your smartphone whenever movement is detected. This can be a great comfort if you leave for vacation, as you can still check in to make sure everything is alright.
However, cybercriminals can also hack these devices and use them to find out when you’re not at home and track your movement. These criminals don’t even have to watch the actual video footage in any way. All they need to do is monitor when the cameras upload data. Most of these cameras are triggered by movement. When they detect movement, they start recording and sending data. By monitoring this, criminals can easily track when you’re home or out.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition is becoming more and more accurate every day. So much so that many airports now use facial recognition cameras to match a traveller with their passport and visas at airports. However, a team at the cybersecurity firm, McAfee, was conducting tests on the reliability of the software. They discovered that using a certain algorithm could make the facial recognition software see someone else during their testing. This happens even if the person is standing right in front of the device with no makeup, hats, or other features that could be used to disguise a person. They ran the test 1500 times, and each time the algorithm was able to identify another person.
Personal Password Managers
According to research done by the Independent Security Evaluators, many password manager software has a wide range of vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Although they may be convenient to use, having all your passwords stored in a single location may not be wise. One of the threats that are very effective, and real, is memory-scraping malware.
Antivirus Programs
We often tend to think that more is better. The same applies to antivirus software, right? If you install multiple antivirus programs, one of them will catch the virus that the others missed, right? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, and using multiple antivirus programs, especially free ones, can open you up to more attacks.
Free Proxies and VPNs
People often think that they can bolster their online security by using free proxies and VPNs. They believe that using these tools will offer the same protection as a paid version. However, these free versions monitor your online browsing and movements and are susceptible to attacks themselves.
How to Protect Yourself?
So how can you protect yourself when it seems like all the security solutions are ineffective? The truth is there isn’t a one-fix for your security. You need to use a few overlapping measures to weave a blanket of safety. Using a proxy is one of the best security measures available. It can be integrated with other measures to also make them more effective. Using a location-specific proxy, like a Japan proxy, keeps you from being tracked. The Japan proxy will hide your IP address and make it look like you’re accessing the internet from within Japan. If you connect your security surveillance systems to the same proxy, it will further bolster the security and cover the gaps, such as criminals tracking the upload of data.
Furthermore, you can also use one good antivirus instead of two or three cheap ones. Make sure that you keep your antivirus and all other devices, programs, and systems updated. This is critical because security improvements are usually released with new updates and patches.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to online security, less is often more. Instead of using twenty different security measures, pick a few that integrate well. For example, if you want to use surveillance cameras, make sure to connect them to your proxy network so that cybercriminals cannot track the uploads. There are ways to use these different technologies in harmony while protecting yourself.