A Secure Private Browser is Not as Private as it Sounds

Business owners must be keenly aware of the need to secure their personal and company data and the potential risks of weak cyber security. Fortunately, there are many tools available to add different layers of security to your online presence. But we need to understand the function of each tool and what protection they provide.

What Is Private Browsing?

Private browsing is a setting on a browser and is best used when different users are sharing the same devices. It is an automatic “eraser” that will not retain your browsing history, temporary browsing data, cookies or your search queries once you log off. If people share computers in their home or office, private browsing affords each user an anonymous web browser. Once a user logs off, the next user cannot see his or her online activities.

The most popular search engines, such as Google Chrome, Safari and Firefox, have versions of private browsing associated with their brands with user-friendly settings to enable the function. Private browsing, or as Google calls it, “incognito mode,” offers a layer of security and is useful:

• If you wish to log on to one of your accounts using someone else’s computer
• When traveling and using a computer on a public network at airports, internet cafés, hotels or libraries
• In accessing a website using more than one account
• For accessing multiple email accounts on the same device
• By removing and disabling autofill data garnered from previously filled out online forms
• By clearing browser history containing personal, private or sensitive information

Is Incognito Mode Safe?

Private browsers using incognito mode are generally safe. They are a simple approach toward ensuring you clean up after yourself when using a public computer or a shared computer and reduces the risk of unwanted snooping. Private browsing will keep your data from being stored on a particular device. It’s a local fix. But your data is still vulnerable through whatever network you are logged into, your company’s IT administrator, your ISP, government departments and whatever websites you’ve visited recently. Private browsers offer only an entry-level of privacy and are not sufficient to properly secure your online activities and protect your business and personal data. Private browsers like Incognito Mode can still be hacked, and your personal information and hard-earned business data are still at risk. The Small Business Administration reports https://www.sba.gov/ business-guide/ manage-your-business/ stay-safe-cybersecurity-threats that cyberattacks are an increasing threat to small and mid-sized businesses. It is therefore imperative to protect your business within multiple layers of IT security. Cyber security professionals can evaluate your risks and make recommendations for installing more robust cyber defenses. More powerful tools, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), can more effectively hide your identity, location and internet activities while protecting your data and affording you a greater level of privacy.

Case Studies

• A medical director at a clinic in Atlanta had used private browsing for many years because she dealt with sensitive private data and often shared her computer with other doctors and office administrators. But she was misled by the name. Her company used commercial virus protection software, and they thought it was sufficient protection. One morning, the doctor arrived to find a hacker had breached her company’s system, and the company could not access patient records or the scheduling software. An integrated, multi-level security plan could’ve limited the spread of malware. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware.
• The managing partner of a law firm in New York City routinely used “Incognito mode” when browsing on Google Chrome while working from home. To him, it was a simple measure to ensure privacy for his clients. Since the pandemic, he had been working from home more than half the time. His home WiFi was not secure, and several of his firm’s passwords were stolen. Several of his firm’s passwords were stolen, proprietary information had been breached, and clients had to be notified. He learned the hard way that he needed to take cyber security on his home computer as seriously as he does on his office network and that significant data breaches could have devastating consequences for his firm.

Get a DIGIGUARD Cyber Security Risk Assessment

With more and more remote-access work, statistics show us that it is merely a matter of time before a small or midsized business is hit with a cybercrime. As your business grows and adds more devices such as smart controls, wireless access and remote access, your network surface attack area for hackers grows, too. DIGIGUARD specializes in proactive protection and has a wide array of solutions for small and midsized businesses. They are cyber security experts who can ensure your confidential data has the best protection possible. Many companies, bound by strict compliance and privacy laws, such as law firms, medical practices, and financial services, cannot afford data breaches and must apply additional data protection measures. For any business, cyberattacks can have devastating consequences. DIGIGUARD can assess your cyber risks and work with you to ensure you have the best network and data protection solution for your business.

Contact DIGIGUARD CYBER SECURITY at 833-33-CYBER (833-332-9237) www.DIGIGUARDsecurity.com to help secure your network.