If you think cybersecurity is only important for businesses, you are sorely mistaken. Cybercrime is on the rise, and individuals are at risk just as much as businesses. In many ways, individuals are at even greater risk, because you do not have a professional IT team managing your systems as businesses do.

Here are five reasons it’s important to invest in personal cybersecurity today. norton cybersecurity partnership

1. Cyber Attacks Are Rampant

Cyber attacks are becoming more prevalent each year. In 2021, there were 298 million individuals affected by cyber attacks. This is a massive number, and there is a steady upward trajectory in the numbers over the past decade. This spike is partially driven by the increase in remote work since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but even prior to 2020 there had been a steady increase in cybercrime over the years.

With so many cyber attacks occurring every day, it’s more important than ever to invest in personal cyber security systems to protect your private and sensitive data. We’ll likely never be able to stop attempted cyber attacks from happening, but if more people invest in personal cybersecurity we can at least reduce the number of successful attacks.

2. Identity Theft Has Massive Repercussions 

One of the biggest issues with any cyber attack is the possibility of your identity being stolen. Identity theft can lead to huge financial losses. In fact, identity theft cost Americans $5.98 billion in 2021. This staggering number was the result of 5.7 million individual total fraud and identity theft reports.

Not only are the potential financial losses significant, but an identity theft situation can be a major headache that takes months to clear up. One way to mitigate this risk is to invest in a comprehensive service such as LifeLock Identity Theft Protection. This service will monitor your credit reports, monitor the web for your personal info and give you access to an identity restoration team, among other features. You can learn more at LifeLock.com.

There’s no way to completely prevent identity theft, but the risks can be curtailed and the recovery made easier with an identity theft protection service. norton cybersecurity partnership

3. Online Privacy Is Critical

Even if you don’t fall victim to identity theft or suffer any financial losses due to cyber attacks, it’s still important to maintain a level of online privacy. The internet is a crucial part of our everyday lives, but it can also be incredibly invasive with our browsing data and other private information being harvested. This may not cause you a tangible loss, but a lack of online privacy can leave us feeling vulnerable.

One solution — aside from limiting how much personal information you put online — is to use a VPN to protect your private information. A VPN will encrypt all of your web traffic to keep your personal information and browsing habits hidden from prying eyes. Even your internet service provider (ISP) will not be able to view your browsing data if it’s hidden behind a VPN.

The Bottom Line: Cybersecurity Is Just as Important as Home Security

You wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked and windows wide open while you’re away, right? This is what you’re doing on a virtual level when you don’t take the initiative to invest in cybersecurity. When you have no systems in place to protect yourself from cybercrime, you’re leaving yourself just as vulnerable to theft as you would be if you took the deadbolt off the door to your home.

Investing in cybersecurity is an investment in your overall personal security, and this is becoming more crucial each year.