Bonus: Better Safe Than Sorry

 In a pervious blogging post, I talked about the founders of GovWorks. They were a company that had multi-million dollar deals that went bankrupt in a little over a year. During their time, they had a series of failures that lead to their demise. One of those failures was when robbers broke into their corporation, and stole computers and important files. This was during a time where the internet was still new, and cyber crime wasn't as much of an issue - like it is today. 

With the internet as large and popular it is today, it should come as no surprise that millions of cyberattacks occur daily. Some of the most popular attacks are: Phishing, Malware, and Ransomware. Phishing is when messages are sent from false people or companies with a purpose of stealing information from a victim. Malware is a dangerous software program designed to cause harm to a victims computer and steal information. Ransomware is like malware, where if downloaded onto a victims computer, it will block the victim from accessing parts of the computer and demands compensation to be removed. As an innovator, its incredibly important to be aware of your surroundings, and to be extra careful on the internet. Given that majority of innovators use computers to store their information, whether personal or business, a small slip in security could lead to important documents and information being stolen. 

My personal experience with these cyber attacks are on a broad spectrum. Phishing is a common attack that many of us have experience in. Just recently, I had a text message telling me that my USPS package was lost and that I needed to click a link in order to get my package. Missing packages is a common occurrence in peoples life, and a clever attack to steal information. Remaining cautious is a good step to retaining a secure and safe digital space. I have also come across ransomware and malware, both with accidental downloads on a website that I wasn't aware of. Attackers are clever, and will hide download buttons in areas you wouldn't expect. In my case, the download button was for another software program that I wanted, but the attackers cleverly copied the same download button and placed it before the true one. Luckily, if you have internet protection like windows firewall, or paid services like Bitdefender, then those downloads typically get blocked. Another step in creating a secure environment requires that you have some sort of internet defense in place to block these attacks from occurring.

Staying secure within a growing digital world will help you protect your innovations from attacks, and make sure that these attacks don't cause harm to you, the innovator.