This week I have a few posts coming up on security, and this is Part 1. This one is sponsored, but all thoughts and experiences are my own.
Today marks Day 2 of being attack-free.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, six months ago I wrote about a brute force attack on my blog, and how you can try to prevent getting your blog/website attacked. What I DIDN’T tell you though, was that the “attack” wasn’t a singular, one-off event, but it was an ongoing onslaught of attempts to get in through to my admin page. Now, they’re not particularly trying to get into my page in particular, but gaining access to my page will open the whole hosting network up to attacks.
And it’s been going on. For six long, boring months.
I haven’t spent much thought on it to be honest.
In fact, the only time I really think about it is when I have to log in my dashboard and go through three loops just to sign in. But that’s it; I’m in lockdown.
I have two-factor authentication set up on everything. I don’t use the same password twice, I use super long and oddly confusing passwords. And it’s a pain in the behind, but at least my content is safe. The little bubble I’ve built here, is safe and sound.
So, how do I know it’s Day 2 of being attack-free? Well, the morbid curiosity in me just has to rise up each time I log in and as it forces me to dig my phone out to check the pictures match, I check if this extra effort is still needed. And it’s just one little change I make; I stop the backend page from being hidden, and guess what? They flood in. I’m talking about the second I change it back to the original WP login page, I start getting emails from my security plugin with “a user has been logged out”. One every five seconds. Hide the backend again, and it all goes away. But when I logged in on Saturday?
Silence.
Sweet, sweet silence.
And I was so excited. This little corner of the universe of mine was finally fairly safe. It would finally be over!
But it also got me thinking. If a stupid little tickbox on a plugin makes such a big difference, what else would? And when the opportunity presented itself*, I jumped at the chance:
You see, I might always lock my door when coming home, and I will never leave the keys actually in the lock. I never leave valuables in sight in my car, and I always shred all documents with personal information. I am completely obsessed with anything I can do to make my life secure, no matter how small a thing.
Yet I’m quite happy to print things. I mean, printing and scanning things itself isn’t a dangerous action unless you do something just HORRIBLY wrong. (Don’t store paper next to the printer. The triangle of fire; kindling, heat, airflow.)
But think about what you’re scanning, and what you’re printing. For an example, I moved recently and I’ve been changing my address on everything. And I’ve made copies of each request (because when you apply for a PR card, you need to have a printed record of EVERYTHING.), so somewhere in the memory of my WiFi printer, there are details for my drivers license, credit cards, doctors’ surgery, my social security number, my NI number, my bank account details, etc. It connects to my laptop, my husband’s laptop, our phones, our TV’s and our personal cloud. (and if you don’t know why I’m talking about printing and scanning, watch the second part of the HP series!)
Yet what’s the security on it?
It’s in my office.
That’s it.
Think of the average company. My employer is a small start-up, and we have 500-odd invoices through our ledger each month. Each invoice goes through the main printer. As do the funds transfer requests, supplier (and customer) contact details, payroll files, HR details, and so forth. If someone had access to that printer, they would have access to millions of pounds of our, our customers, our suppliers and our staff’s money. And if it were on the same network as our computers, they’d have access to twenty-odd computeres, chock-full of confidential information.
Which is why there computer runs on a separate network and connects to our office network via our IT provider’s own network, all of which are firewalled up to the hilt. But that’s because we’ve outsourced our IT.
Thinking realistically, how many small companies have the luxury of doing this? How many one-man-bands actually fully secure their networks against various attempts at getting at their information? As a blogger, my life is online. Yes, I have a day job, but at night I pour my silly thoughts out here, and there is money involved. From hosting to various invoicing requirements, there is a constant flow of sensitive information from my network to yours. This is a hobby blog. I don’t have the resources (or the will) to employ someone to do my IT for me. And even if I did, I probably wouldn’t want to as it’s so easy to do on your own! With the likes of HP coming up with new, innovative ways of keeping your home and your office secure, you don’t even need to have much of a technical head on your shoulders in order to survive.
It is such a simple thing to get started with. In the modern home and office, being wireless is so important. I need to look at blogs no matter where I am; living room, office or, you know, the place where most of our thoughts are born; the bathroom.
And yet we ignore the basic security of our devices, and we build ourselves these networks out of straw. We bumble through life, unassuming and thinking we’re safe and then wonder how the wolf gets in…
How’s your security?
*This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and experiences are my own. And let’s face it, HP is doing a fantastic way of raising awareness to cyber security!
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I’ve had similar problems with my blog and have taken lots of precautions to make it extra secure, including installing a firewall. Some days the hack attempt notifications are through the roof, so I totally sympathise with you.
It’s scary the lengths some people will go to. Security is so important
Wow, this is really not good. I don’t understand why someone would be attacking personal blogs.
I’ve seen a few posts about this recently and it’s really got me thinking! I haven’t had a problem, touch wood, but I definitely need to start looking into more protection!
I need to check on my security again. I don’t think I have 2 factor, I know I did that with my Instagram last week but not my blog x
It really is scary when I look at the stats of my security plugins how many attacks my own blog has daily
I dont think about security too much, but i do try to vary my passwords!
This seems to be happening to so many bloggers at the moment and it’s really scary.
It is so scary that hackers can obtain any information if they try!
I had never thought of printers getting hacked before, that’s so scary!
Its really scary and horrid that this happens it must be the most awful feeling!!
It IS so scary, but at least I know better for next time!
I do worry about my blog being hacked, and try to keep it as secure as possible. It’s great that HP is helping to raise awareness about cyber security!
It is absolutely fabulous that HP are taking steps to raise awareness & bring out products to keep us safe. I know where my next device is going to be from!
The thought of being hacked scares the life out of me. I can’t imagine it happening.
Prevention is better than a cure; get secure asap!
I recently found how good the 2 factor authentication is when I couldn’t login to my yahoo email for some reason. It kept saying that my account didn’t exist. I did manage to unlock it with the use of the phone number though. The emotions I went through then were enormousness, as I have all my travel tickets on that email address…
oh gosh, nooooo!!!! I’d be sitting there dry heaving in shere panic. Glad you got in though!
Getting hacked is really awful. Having good security is a must these days x
It’s a shame; security shouldn’t be a must, but it’s the age we live in.
I recently read that devices can get hacked, its scary to know that with so much technology around are we self inflicting danger???
I live my life on my phone. I’d hate to be a celebrity, because there’s easily be so much information of me out there…
This is a great post, yet really scary. I’m sorry for all the rubbish you’ve had to deal with!
It’s scary, but totally avoidable by taking some precautions. Don’t do what I did and leave it too late!
It’s crazy to think about just how much can be hacked these days, would have never thought about being concerned over the security of my printer. I think two factor verifications are great though, might take a minute or two extra to log in but it feels instantly safer
I totally hate the extra effort (because I’m super lazy) of 2F, but it is so important to have!
Ahh! You’re right, it really is so crazy to think about every little step of security in the cyber world. I hope you continue to have many more attack-free days.
Fingers crossed! The worst thing is that if it happens to me, it can happen to anyone; it’s not like I take payments through here, or have particularly huge traffic, but still they’re trying…
I’ve honestly never though about my printer getting hacked, but it does make you think what could happen to all the data it holds x
Thinking it as a layman, it’s just such an odd thing to hack; but it makes sense. Printers are the least often secured items, so getting in there will get you everywhere.
I never thought of printers getting hacked but it just goes to show that nothing is safe now x
Neither had I; it’s just something I never thought about, but as soon as I found out, I was on the case to secure our printer…
It’s scary how people work on the internet and how hard it can be to be truly secure x
I know, right?! And what’s the point? Cyber crime is just idiotic..
It can be overwhelming when you stop to think about all of the different ways your information can be hacked and all of the ways you need to protect it. HP really is doing a great service by raising awareness of how vulnerable we all are and providing solutions to help us keep our information more secure.
I like how innovative they are as well, coming up with things that others don’t even think about!
It’s so important to have two factor authentication! Security is so important, it sucks to be hacked!
2-factor is key! I must admit, I hate using it, but it helps so much!