Try our personal risk assessment to give yourself a “security score”
It’s sometimes challenging to gauge something without a hard number behind it. Safety and security online is one of those things, mainly because we think we’re secure, but may not be. To help, we’ve assembled this list of questions to quickly grade yourself for personal risk assessment.
Don’t worry, it won’t take too long, and allows you to quickly gauge where you are in the safety sphere.
Personal Risk Assessment Questionnaire
The goal of this questionnaire is to get a clearer picture of how safe your practices online are. Risks are defined as activity which could result in stolen account info, a malware intrusion, loss of net connectivity, and/or damage to your files. It can apply personally or in a professional setting.
Question 1: Do you have an anti-virus solution?
You’d be surprised that some still don’t have an anti-malware solution installed on their systems. It’s not out of negligence, just an oversight.
Question 2: Are you taking advantage of MFA?
Multi-factor authentication is a good way to add an additional layer of cyber defenses to your device(s). Most websites and devices come with some form of 2FA, or require it.
Question 3: What is your general password strength?
Password complexity is another important feature of solid cyber defense. However, not everyone uses complex logins for simplicity’s sake. It’s important, though, to not always use a single, guessable pass phrase for multiple logins.
Question 4: Do you have backup resources?
In case of emergency, it’s important to have recovery options like external storage devices or cloud backup options.
Question 5: Do you browse unsecured websites?
Not all web zones prioritize security. Some of the worst offenders actively take your information and sell it, or, can easily be compromised. Other offenders don’t have adequate protections for login data. Some websites, of course, are downright malicious – usually related to pirated media.
Question 6: Is your software secured?
While we take advantage of numerous professional programs to accomplish tasks, there’s plenty of freeware out there too. Though, some of this software is dangerous because it’s frontloaded with ads, trackers, and other nasty bugs.
Question 7: Are you familiar with cybersecurity threats?
It’s not mandatory, but maintaining some awareness about threats like phishing, malware, and ransomware is a key part of good habits. Your solutions won’t do you any good if human error leads to intrusion events.
Question 8: Do you handle data as mandated?
Understandably, the more complexity in IT environments, the more workers seek workarounds. But, it’s important to handle data in a secure fashion, regardless of environment.
Question 9: Are your software and apps up to date?
Keeping all manner of applications and software running their latest version is a key part of good cybersecurity habits.
Question 10: Do you have an emergency plan?
In the case of hardware failure, intrusion, malware, or other complications, having a “go to” plan can make a world of difference.
End of the Questionnaire
As you go through the questions, how did you do? If you had a positive response to the questions, such as yes to queries about updated apps or having anti-virus software, you’re in a good shape! But if you had negative responses, your risk profile is high and you run a chance of losing data, a malware intrusion, or worse.
But the good news is, these issues can be resolved with essentially no cost or advanced knowledge of IT and cybersecurity.
The reality is, the more reliant we are on technological solutions, the better prepared we must be.
For additional info, tips, and services, you can reach out to Bytagig today.
