Cybersecurity for Digital Marketers

Digital marketing and cybersecurity go hand-in-hand for a number of reasons, perhaps most saliently because professional digital marketers hold the integrity of other people’s websites and businesses in their hands. Whether you are working on your own projects or helping others with theirs, below are some of the essential cybersecurity considerations for digital marketers.

 

VPNs and Socks Proxies

Most digitally savvy people–and digital marketers would fall into this category–understand what a VPN is and how it works, although they may not be aware of all of its applications. If you’re doing keyword research, for example, and looking at Google trends for a client in a different country than your own, you won’t get the complete picture because search results vary by region.

Perhaps more importantly, however, is that any data sent over that connection is much easier to intercept. In addition to a VPN, you might also consider using what is known as SOCKS proxies. The VPN will conceal your IP address, encrypt your traffic and hide download activity from an ISP, while SOCKS proxies are ideal for bypassing things like regional filters and firewalls.

 

Stay on Top of Your Updates

Digital marketers need to stay on top of a number of variables and trends, and not just industry ones. Because digital marketers routinely administer not only their own but also client websites and have complete control over modifications, keeping software components on those sites up to date is crucial, as is understanding how these programs are exploited. Every time you install a new plugin or integrate a new third-party software, you are exposing yourself to unauthorized entry.

To obtain access, hackers frequently use out-of-date and unpatched components. If your client’s site, for example, has a WordPress backend, ensure the automatic update feature is enabled. Similarly, keep all of your personal software up to date to ensure the security of your own devices.

 

Look Out for Your Clients

During your career as a digital marketer, you’ll undoubtedly do a lot of work for eCommerce companies. eCommerce websites are among the most attractive targets for criminals online, especially as they become more successful because they tend to store tremendous amounts of financial data. This is why cybersecurity should be part of any digital marketer’s checklist.

These sites are constantly vulnerable to hacking, and site owners are not always aware of the danger. If you want to improve your customer care and garner yourself a reputation for sound cybersecurity, always inform your client about the inherent dangers and provide solutions for them to manage them. Encrypting any files containing transaction data is one method. If you do this and a breach occurs, the hacker will not be able to exploit the stolen data right away.

 

Password Management

You’re opening yourself up for trouble if you connect to client sites or create app profiles using a password that includes your date of birth and 123, or something similarly weak. Strong passwords are more important than ever in our age of exploding third party software and SaaS. Make your password 12 characters long, with a mix of lower and upper case letters, digits, and a few special characters thrown in for good measure.

To keep track of all of your passwords, use a secure password vault. There are plenty on the market and not only make it easier to log in and out of all of the various programs you use, but you enjoy the added protection of the program’s robust cybersecurity measures.

 

Email Scepticism

Scammers love using email to get you to provide personal information. They may attempt to steal passwords, bank account numbers, or Social Security numbers, which they then sell or attempt to use themselves.

They could also manipulate you into revealing your clients’ emails, bank account, or other accounts. Every day, scammers attempt thousands of phishing attacks like this, and they’re usually successful. The primary reason is that most people are painfully unaware of the scope and scale of email phishing.

 

Conclusion

Whether you are handling digital marketing for yourself or other people, there are certain realities of online life and business that need to be confronted and planned for.

Above is a breakdown of some of the most pressing and important cybersecurity issues faced by digital marketers and anyone who has decided to take control of their own digital marketing efforts. Keep them in mind at all times and stay on top of your self-education, and you will minimize the risk to yourself and others.