Protecting Your Digital Subscriptions: How to Safeguard Against Malware and Cyber Threats

Most probably, you have tens of subscriptions for various services online – personal and professional. This makes it important for you to understand how to be safe from cyberattacks.

Digital subscriptions are in wide use today for a variety of purposes. You may use a service to access movies or listen to music. It is easy to sign up for these subscription services and they offer numerous benefits. They are usually convenient and fairly affordable for what they offer. These services take cyber security seriously but cybercriminals keep coming up with new tactics. You still need to take cyber threat protection measures to make sure you don’t fall victim to malware and cyber threats.

Use malware removal tools 

What does malware mean? It is short for “malicious software.” Some types of malware include viruses, worms and spyware. Trojans and ransomware are also types of malware. A virus can spread throughout a system and corrupt or delete data on your device. Spyware collects your personal information and uses it for profit. Cyber threat protection against threats like this is essential.

You need to protect your digital subscriptions against the malware examples mentioned above. Securing them starts by securing the devices you use to access your subscriptions. Cyber threats that target them often begin with malware infections on your device. You can use a malware removal tool to get rid of hidden threats. The Moonlock antimalware tool is a trusted option. If you want to know how to prevent malware, read on to find out what other measures you can take. 

Be careful with emails and links 

Hacker attacks today often use social engineering as a hacking technique. It is one of the most dangerous techniques because it relies on human error. It’s the victim who unwittingly supplies sensitive information or installs malware. 

You may receive what appears to be a genuine email saying there’s a problem with your subscription. Don’t click on a link before you verify the identity of the sender. Type the company’s website address directly into the browser to go to it or you may end up on a fake website. 

Some signs that an email may be fake include grammar errors and misspelled domain names. It may also convey a sense of urgency and ask for sensitive information.

Keep software updated 

All the devices you use to access subscription services need regular updates. You may use a mobile phone or a laptop to access these services. The updates will include security patches. They include protection against some of the latest cyber threats. In most cases you will be able to activate automatic installation. This is best as the sooner the patches are installed after receiving them, the better. 

Use strong authentication 

• Use strong passwords that contain letters, numbers, and symbols as they are harder to guess. Use a different password for each subscription.  
• A password manager can help you to manage all the passwords you use for various subscription services. 
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever you can as it offers another security layer. A bad actor may gain access to your password but they still need a second code to get into your account.
• Today you can even use authentication methods that don’t rely on passwords. They use biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition to verify identity.
• Passwordless authentication removes reliance on passwords altogether and uses alternative methods such as biometrics (fingerprint or facial recognition) or hardware tokens to verify identity.

Be cautious of public WiFi networks

Public WiFi networks can be subject to man-in-the-middle attacks. A man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is when a bad actor intercepts communication between two endpoints. When you use a public WiFi network, the bad actor can break into the WiFi network and intercept your data. When connecting to public WiFi, you need to follow best practices.

Be careful of what you do when using public WiFi. Firstly, you should verify the legitimacy of the network with the owners of the venue. Even if they say it’s secure, you shouldn’t access sensitive or financial information. Using a virtual private network (VPN) is best. It will encrypt the connection so cyber criminals can’t intercept your sensitive information.

Monitor your subscriptions regularly

Most services will list recently used devices or login attempts. If you notice anything unfamiliar such as strange logins in the app history, change your password immediately. Keep an eye on your bank statements for any unexpected charges.

Be wary of sharing your passwords to subscription services with your family members or friends as it can increase your risks. Someone may use your account on an unsafe device.

Conclusion 

Digital subscription services may have good security measures but it’s still up to you to keep your information safe once you’ve hit the ‘subscribe’ button. The above measures will help to ensure digital subscription security. They will greatly reduce your risk of falling victim to cyber-attacks that compromise your digital subscriptions.