Gerhard Eschelbeck is Google's vice president of security and privacy engineering, where he leads a team that protects Google users from hackers. What's his main tip for securing networks?
"Patch often, patch quickly," he told The Sidney Morning Herald. "It's a very good strategy to defend from cyber attacks."
In an era rife with privacy concerns, Mr. Eschelbeck said there are numerous ways for individuals and organizations to keep their computers and networks secure. He shared some of them with The Sidney Morning Herald.
1. Security patches, according to Mr. Eschelbeck, are key to cybersecurity. Ignoring them, he said, is one of the biggest security mistakes. "It's easy to miss an update…and it requires a bit of rigor. It's where I see people, and myself, making mistakes," he said in the report.
2. Passwords are the "weakest link" in cybersecurity, but where necessary, Mr. Eschelbeck creates strong and unique ones. He told The Sidney Morning Herald he uses an encrypted app to keep track of usernames and passwords instead of relying on memory to do so.
3. Mr. Eschelbeck helped develop the Security Key, a device users insert into their USB ports to log onto Google sites. It's a form of two-factor authentication, and he said he believes it has protected him from phishing attacks.
More articles on cybersecurity:
Execs more likely to pay ransom if they've been previously hacked, survey finds
HHS considers using ethical hackers to identify, address cybersecurity concerns
The top 5 cybersecurity threats hospitals need to watch for