Simply having a device connected to the internet makes you a potential target to a host of cybersecurity threats. While many have grown to love and rely on technology as it advances, cyber threats have also evolved equally quickly. With cybercrime accounting for 26.8% of all crimes in Singapore, securing your devices means having the freedom to use technology with confidence.

A firewall helps you do precisely that. It acts as the first line of defence between your system and the internet. The moment you’re connected to the internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small data units called packets. It blocks or allows network traffic based on a set of predefined or dynamic rules. A firewall goes a long way in protecting you and your family from cyber attacks.

What is a firewall and how does it work?

A firewall either blocks or allows network data traffic depending on a pre-defined or dynamic set of regulations. The function of a firewall is to protect networks and computers against unauthorised access from potentially dangerous actors. Acting as a gatekeeper that monitors and examines incoming and outgoing traffic, it protects your devices from harmful or potentially unwanted content and communication.

3 reasons why you need a firewall

For home network protection, firewalls are the first line of defence.They are so important to the digital health of your systems that most operating systems today come with a built-in firewall. However, using a third-party firewall application provides you with better control options and more consistent results. This is particularly important for home devices because of the sensitive nature of data stored in them.

A firewall is an effective tool for preventing and managing cyber threats, loss of data, and unauthorised network use. Here, we look at the top 3 reasons why you should have one.

Reason #1: Protects you from malicious activity

A firewall inspects the traffic going into and out of your network so that it can look for and block any unwanted internet traffic, along with viruses, worms, spam, etc. They also let you maintain a list of known good and malicious applications so that they can block the malicious applications and enable the good ones.

In addition, they log intrusion attempts and other violations so that you can investigate attempts made by unauthorised users to access your system, along with other suspicious activity.

Reason #2: Prevents unauthorised remote access

The worst thing that could happen to your system is for someone to take remote control of it. Singaporeans learnt this the hard way in 2018, when the nation suffered its largest-ever data breach in history when 1.5 million patients of SingHealth’s outpatient clinics had their personal information stolen.

Firewall security measures are one of the most basic cyber protection tools that are used to prevent data breaches. Network security firewalls filter out incoming traffic to prevent malicious files from being downloaded and block attackers from accessing sensitive systems.

A firewall, such as the one found in ESET Internet Security, can help you prevent this by disabling remote desktop access, thus preventing interceptors from taking over your system. Without a firewall, it is easier for malicious actors to gain access to your system.

Reason #3: Helps you keep a lookout for vulnerabilities

Prevention is always better than cure. It’s a good idea to proactively stay one step ahead of attackers, by making sure that you have no vulnerabilities in your home network and router-connected smart devices that they can exploit.

Having a feature like ESET Smart Security Premium’s Connected Home helps you achieve that easily. It can identify vulnerabilities in your home network, such as open ports or a weak router password, and even suggest options on how to fix any possible issues.

At home, we’re usually connected to our home network on our smart devices. This could potentially be a weak link for hackers to take advantage of, if these devices are not properly secured. Connected Home keeps you and your loved ones safe by allowing you to test all your router-connected smart devices for vulnerabilities such as weak passwords. Then, it takes the guesswork out of fixing these issues by providing suggestions on how you can resolve them.

Furthermore, you will be able to see the list of devices that are connected to your home network, and get notifications whenever a new device is detected.

The rise of online and mobile banking has made managing finances easy and convenient. This includes paying bills, depositing checks, and transferring money, so naturally it has become increasingly popular over the years. According to research from Finder in 2019, one in five adults in Singapore currently has an account with a branchless bank.

However, there’s a big concern to keep in mind when banking online: security. Having your personal financial information and bank account hacked can give rise to unnecessary headaches. Money could be drained from your account via fraudulent wire transfers, or an identity thief could use the stolen information to exploit your credit cards. In fact, this growing security concern is reflected in the fact that 34% of Singaporean customers do not trust digital banks with personal data security.

Making your online identity and activities more secure doesn’t take too much effort at all. The following five tips will help keep you more secure online.

Tip #1: Choose strong and unique passwords for every login

When it comes to online security, Singaporeans seem to be prefer sticking to the same passwords. In fact, between 50-70% of Singaporeans don’t change their passwords, and if they do, they only do so when prompted by their online accounts.

Sticking to the same passwords makes it easy for hackers to gain access to your online accounts by getting a batch of username and password combinations and attempting those combinations until they find the right one. The best way to protect your data and prevent a breach from having a cascading effect on your life is to choose and set a unique password for each specific online account that you have.

While it can be a tough task to remember multiple passwords, it’s essential to do this to protect your online accounts. You can also delegate the job of remembering passwords to a password manager. A password manager such as the one included in ESET Smart Security Premium, helps you store your passwords into a digital vault and keeps them safe from prying eyes. The only password you need to remember is a master password that unlocks the password manager itself.

Tip #2: Steer clear of public Wi-Fi

The same things that make publicly available Wi-Fi so desirable are what make them so dangerous. These networks require no authentication to get a connection and make for an amazing opportunity for cybercriminals to access unsecured devices on the network.

Hackers may infiltrate poorly secured public Wi-Fi networks to distribute malware, monitor victims’ traffic and redirect them to fraudulent login pages. Sometimes attackers will set up a malicious network (an “evil twin” or “spoof”) to trick users into logging into a network with a similar or same name. From there, they can launch attacks to steal personal information, corrupt data and more.

In such cases, the best way to protect your online banking information is to either avoid public Wi-Fi altogether, or use a virtual private network (VPN) to create a secure and private network.

Tip #3: Use secure payment gateways

Whipping out a credit card to complete an online transaction has become second nature in today’s digital age. With your love for online shopping unlikely to go away anytime soon, it is important to practice safe payment habits, including the use of a secure payment gateway, to prevent malicious actors from reaching your financial data and money.

Payment gateways such as PayPal use data encryption and anti-fraud technology to keep customers’ details safe. These protocols also prevent the merchant from obtaining your card details. Look out for these payment options the next time you make an online purchase.

Tip #4: Don’t fall prey to clickbait

Clickbait often comes in the form of a combination of misleading and sensationalised text along with a false thumbnail to encourage visitors to click on a link. These often contain links to phishing websites that aim to steal your credentials. Also, clickbait may redirect you to malicious domains which can infect your computer with malware. This malware can potentially be used to encrypt your financial information and keep it hostage, denying you access to it.

Now that you know what clickbait is, avoid clicking on them or suspicious website links. In general, don’t ever click links in emails or websites unless they’re from a source known to you.

While clickbait is an infamous carrier of malware, you can stay safe by employing an anti-malware solution such as ESET NOD32 Antivirus. Software like these promote system security by scanning the system for malicious behaviour and restricting redirects to malicious websites through inspection of the malware code.

Tip #5: Turn off the ‘save password’ feature in browsers

Your browser knows a lot about you, courtesy of your history and cached files. Many browsers offer some kind of password storage solution as well.

However, it’s safer to not store passwords in your browser. If a hacker takes control of your computer remotely, they will easily be able to gain access to your online accounts. Storing passwords in a browser also makes your accounts vulnerable to people who might want to snoop around on your computer when you aren’t around.

To enhance your online security, disable the autofill and the ‘save password’ settings. Also, use a reputable VPN so that your internet browsing activities are carried out anonymously.